Pure Review for Xbox 360 (X360)

System: X360, PS3, PC	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Black Rock Studios	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Disney Interactive Studios	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Sept. 16, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-16	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Possibly, what I love most about Pure is the fact that it never loses sight of what makes it fun. Too many games take a tried-and-true mechanic and then arrogantly try and fix it. The development team acknowledged the obvious fun in going fast, performing tricks, and getting air. That’s what they based the game around, and, as a result, each race is just plain fun. There are no obstacles to overcome with controls or interface. You just play and enjoy yourself.

Pure screenshot

Sadly, this focus on speed and simplicity can also be a problem for the game; the fact of the matter is there’s just not a whole lot of meat to this game. It’s great while it lasts, but it’s quite short. Admittedly, there is plenty of opportunity for replay value thanks to the high-quality courses and wide variety of new tricks to discover. But even with such in-depth customization features as the ATV builder, Pure can get a bit stale sooner than you’d like.

In many ways, Pure is in a conundrum of sorts. It homes in on what’s fun but, in so doing, cuts out a lot of content that would in other racing games provide a lot more depth to the title. It’s awesome to be able to just pick-up-and-play this game, but at the same time there are no racing maneuvers to master, and Pure is not a particularly difficult game. That said, it’s really fun while it lasts and the superb 16-player online mode certainly extends the life of the game. There’s even an extra play mode online that lets you play to your strength (finishing first, getting the highest trick score, etc.) and they’ve carried over the single-player modes. A local multiplayer option would undeniably have been nice, but the online component is solid, nonetheless.

There’s a lot to love about Pure, but at the same time it can be hard to shake the feeling that something’s missing. At its best, Pure is a game that puts you in the middle of the action and exhilarates you with fantastic racing fun. But it’s not going to last you particularly long even with the multiplayer aspect, and I can’t help but wish that Pure weren’t a $60 game. There are other, deeper, and ultimately more satisfying racing games out there. But for a pure, pick-up-and-play sense of speed and fun, Pure is hard to beat.

By Joseph Catalanotto
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.4

Graphics
Solid animation, good-looking vehicles, and amazing tracks. Each track is varied in terms of locale, and they look gorgeous.

4.2

Control
Simple, straightforward controls are easy to get the hang of. The pick-up-and-play mentality of Pure goes a long way to making it an effortless, fun racing experience.

3.7

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Nothing really stands out in the music department, but you’ll probably be too busy gazing at the beautiful environments to care about the lack of great sound.

3.3

Play Value
It’s fun while it lasts, but Pure is a disappointingly short game without much depth. Luckily, you will spend a good chunk of your time with the enjoyable online mode.

3.8

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Massive vertigo-inducing aerial jumps and more than 80 spectacular airborne tricks.

Seven real-world locations from all over the globe with more than 30 tracks.

Customize your ATV from the ground up and modify during the game with over 60,000 possible combinations.

Play online in 16-player multiplayer.