Previous Next

True to our policy of giving you background details on programmers, we can reveal exclusively that the Max Torque programmer is currently seventeen and is learning how to drive. This may not bode well for a racing game.

Whether it's two wheels or four, most vehicles either have lots of gears or not gears at all. The motorbikes in Max Torque have exactly two gears; they are either examples of advanced Japanese design, or the programmer knows nothing about motoring.

You race through six graphically anaemic stages, jostling with other bikers who are determined to make sure your bike finishes up with no gears at all. As you progress, the whole thing gets faster and your maniac opponents even more murderous.

The screen scrolls towards you, with only the backs of the bikers visible. True to form, there's striped kerb and posts lining both sides of the road. As usual in these games, the townscape in the distance never gets any closer. At top right, there's a bend display and, on the other side, a speed and distance readout, and a gear indicator - hi or low.

There are seven bikers to choose from, presented in no particular order of difficulty. But it is just possible to define individual characteristics.

When you run out of time on a section, a map is displayed showing you how far you got. That may encourage you to go further, but the map bears absolutely no resemblance to the twists and bends you've just driven through.

Apart from the barren landscapes, graphics are reasonable. The bikes are pretty large and banking them from side to side looks good and realistic. Wheelies are less successful because you see them from behind. The usual billowing dust accompanies a crash and a little smoke can be detected coming off wheels when you bank too steeply. It's all competently done. Sound is reasonable but not brilliant. Revs change with the gears, there's an attempt at screeching tyres but only a mediocre crash noise. There's also a thudding noise when your wheels drive over the kerbstones. There's no music whatsoever.

Max Torque is no more than a reasonable game. It adds nothing to the stack of racing games already around for the C64.