Every PR rep claims with 100% certainty that their latest game is going to rock your world. Yes, in the world of press releases, it’s not uncommon to read about a game where you can change diapers in smell-o-vision and yet somehow it’s going to be crowned Game of the Year.
It’ll Rock Your Face Off
No. Literally. I really wish there was an achievement for flying over a helicopter, sideways and upside down over a train, then popping a wheelie off a cliff for a hundred feet only to rip your face off on a giant boulder. I would RULE.
Every racing game has it’s crashes and learning curves while you memorize the tracks. The key to judging a good racing game vs. a WICKED AWESOME racing game is your reaction to such wipe-outs. (And trust me, you will have many to start with.) While playing Nail’d I found myself laughing and smiling when I turned my character into a pile of meat pudding again and again. If you die a horrible high-speed death in-game, your character respawns quickly, allowing you to get back into the action and recover your chances of winning. This fact, along with vivid, colorful courses that make roller coasters look like roller SKATES, you’re gonna die – but you’ll enjoy every moment of getting better.
If the Game Rocks, the Soundtrack Better, Too!
Man, what a line-up: Slipknot, Rise Against, Queens of the Stone Age, Deftones, Hatebreed, Damageplan, Fear Factory and more…I find myself doing miniature head bangs and toe taps while I’m screaming through the levels at break neck speeds that threaten to break everything.
Variety is the Spice of Living Dangerously
Location, Location Location – and oh, man the choices! Nail’d takes the cake for craziest courses but you can also customize several factors in your racing experience. Ranging from number of AI or real-life players to boosts and whether you can shove one another out of the way, gamers can easily create a racing experience to their liking, whether easy or extremely insane.
TIP: If you really want to get your heart racing, try a quick match with Boost Madness enabled. Just hold down the Right Trigger and X for the ride of your life!
Why Yes – Yes I DID Wear a Bikini Top to an Off-Road Race.
Gamers can choose between male or female riders and the default costume for the girl is a modified jacket and pants, revealing a matching bikini top underneath. A little silly, but sexy without being overly so. There are lots of other outfits and gear to unlock, so repeat play certainly has its rewards.
Gas Pedal – What Other Controls Do You Need?
Not many in Nail’d. Using the same fundamental controls as every racer I’ve ever played, Left Trigger is Gas, Left Trigger is Brake, Directional Pads to steer and X to use your speed burst. Pretty simple to pick up and I must say – I’ve yet to use the brake function, ha ha.
Overall
Normally I would say that a racing game is a racing game is a racing game. Not so with Nail’d. I don’t go out of my way to play this genre, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Nail’d and my expectations have far been exceeded. Replay and “tell your friends” value are extremely high.
A few words of caution: This game involves really high places and fast movements that could adversely affect those prone to motion sickness. If you can’t play FPS because you throw up, you might want to rent this one to see if you can handle it.
