Rail Rider (Mobile)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Damon Brown
• Reviewed on: 08/05/2004
• Updated on: 08/06/2004
• Originally published on GameSpot: Rail Rider (Mobile) Review

Many cell phone titles today are pushing the envelope in what's possible on a wireless handset. Gameloft's Rail Rider works within the boundaries of cell phone entertainment and, as a result, creates a very complete and surprisingly addictive experience. The whole game takes place in a mine cart that is careening thorough dark caverns, around mountain cliffs and up airy peaks--essentially taking the rail sequence from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and riffing on it. It's played from a first-person perspective and it's filled with roller coaster-level dives and jumps.

The graphics in Rail Rider range from decent to incredible. One moment you'll be dropping down a dark, gray tunnel made out of human bones, and the next moment you'll be exiting the cave into a bright white wonderland with freshly fallen snow and ice blue waterfalls. The speed at which the game moves makes the visuals even more impressive.

Rail Rider is divided into two types of play: platform and shooting. In the platform sequences, you must avoid rocks, flames, and other obstacles by leaning the cart in the opposite direction of the danger. For instance, avoiding a large pile of rocks on the ground requires pressing up, or 2 on the keypad, to jump, while getting through a vertically tight package requires pressing down, or 8 on the keypad, to duck. The track twists and turns on a dime, so it's not unusual to do a hairpin turn to the left and have to immediately dodge some sort of obstacle. Platform gaming is the heart of Rail Rider, making up about 70 percent of the experience.

The remainder of Rail Rider is a first-person shooter. You use the outer keypad numbers to move the onscreen cursor and the 5 key to fire, though with the surplus of enemies, activating the autofire option is recommended. There are no weapon power-ups or ammo issues, making the shooter portions pretty mindless, but a good change of pace nonetheless.

The enemies are colorful, creative and, in some cases, scary. Bats are all over the place, as one would expect from a cavern game, but they range in size from tiny to huge, and color from black to blood red. More interesting are the flying skulls and the monsters that zoom in quickly from the distance and rotate around the screen to bite you. Gameloft takes full advantage of the first-person perspective and the claustrophobia-inducing arena, cramming the screen with enemies, often right in your face. The worst (and best) of the lot is the demon hand, a huge claw that creeps up from beneath your cart. It moves slow enough to give ample time to be attacked, but it still will creep you out every time.

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