Have you head of Ricky Carmichael? Didn't think so. He's about as famous as Kelly Slater of Pro Surfer fame, a little lesser known than Dave Mirra and a million miles away from the likes of Tony Hawk - a guy who is much better known for his game endorsements than his skateboarding antics.

But with his second outing on a young platform, Ricky is a seasoned pro at delivering video games to Xbox. He last offered us his wares back in Issue 04 with the mediocre MX2002 Featuring Ricky Carmichael. As a result, he's since been relegated to being a game character rather than a bankable leading name.

With a title like Superfly, could we be in for a motocross game where you dodge pimps in '70s New York? Sadly not. An improved version of Mr. Carmichael's previous efforts, then? Yup, you can bet your messy mud-flaps it is. You get to take charge of one of more than twenty characters (divided between racing and freestyle disciplines) in order to test your mettle over a multitude of both indoor and outdoor tracks. Separate freestyle courses are also available so you can trick your way to success if you're not good at crossing the finishing line in a timely fashion.

But before even revving the throttle on your first race, what's most striking is the number of options and modes available. The developers have obviously realised that a racing title such as this needs a generous dash of longevity if they want to keep players' attention.

A generous number of game types is available, including the standard Exhibition feature alongside Career, Freestyle and Multiplayer mode. But, interestingly, there are also eleven different types of mini-game and a track editor that allows you to design your own freestyle courses. So right from the start it's crystal clear that there's much more on offer here than its poor predecessor provided.

Career mode is the natural heart of the title. Here you can earn cash which enables you to compete in seasons. Cash is earned by placing highly in an amateur race and also by completing tutorials in such skills as powersliding and spring-loaded jumps. Once you earn enough money to take part in a season, you need to place in the top three to progress further, subsequently make more money and enter the professional competitions that hold the promise of 250cc machines.

But all of the options in the world won't make a bad game any good and unfortunately things start to go a bit wrong when the action is put under the microscope. For a start, the visuals fail to impress. The draw distance is good and the game speeds along at a reasonable framerate, but the rider animation is poor - especially in crash sequences.

The potential environmental effects are disappointing (considering there's loads of fun you can have with mud) and the feeling of speed and any authentic vehicle physics are often sacrificed for the amount of arcade-style air time you get from going over ramps. And, with all the ramps that the game can throw at you, the tracks are still overly long and somewhat barren. You can't even pull off any cheeky short cuts without the game automatically throwing you off your bike.

On first impression, the handling (for racing) is a straightforward exercise, with a simple accelerate and brake button and a forgiving cornering system but, to its credit, once the basics are mastered the game offers more advanced handling techniques to enhance the gameplay. These come in the form of clutch control, spring-loaded suspension and powerslides - and this is where it starts to get a bit dodgy once again. In order to really do well in a race you will often need to get extra air from ramps by holding down your spring-loaded suspension (via the Right trigger) to cover more distance in the air. You will also then need to hold down the Left trigger to engage the clutch upon landing so you have a bit more speed as soon as you hit the dirt. If you want to perform any stunts while airborne, you will need to hold down the Right trigger again while also tapping the face buttons and moving the thumbstick. But don't forget the Left trigger for the clutch! You get the idea - the controls can be a cumbersome cocktail of triggers and buttons when all you really want to do is race to the chequered flag.

And that's the problem in a nutshell. The game isn't sure if it wants to be a stunt-fest freestyle game or an authentic racing title, and as a consequence falls uncomfortably between the two. MX Superfly is certainly an improvement over its predecessor, especially with so many play options, but that won't disguise the flawed gameplay at its core.

1. Competent dirtbike action
2. Plenty of game modes
3. Good longevity

1. The controls are confusing
2. Visually weak
3. Poor soundtrack

Power
Far from spectacular and certainly nothing that'll make you rev your engine with joy.

Style
The annoying thrash metal soundtrack does little to enhance the biking action.

Immersion
The competition is tough, which makes it strangely addictive - as long as you have patience.

Lifespan
The plethora of game modes means this is a racer with a few gallons in the tank.

Summary
MX Superfly is considerably better than MX2002, but still far from being a classic bike racing title.