The Getaway: Black Monday
As is always the case, our goal with The Getaway was to review this game from the sportbiker's perspective. That being the assignment, our conclusion is this--buy another game. The Getaway: Black Monday requires you to actually play it too much. You can't just freelance it and do whatever the f*ck you want like in San Andreas, you have to actually complete a bunch of other missions before you ever get a chance to hike your leg over a motorcycle. It's like you're in school or something. Flee the police van and jump on a bike, and your mission fails because you've left your partners behind. In an attempt to circumvent this problem, I tried killing all of my partners but, bloodied and dismembered, they still stayed by my side. Loyal wankers! If you're an 11-year-old and got nothin' better to do and really want to rough up bad guys, then this is your game. But if you're just looking for video game speeding kicks, then a Monday spent with this game might be black indeed. Am I missing a cheat code or something? Yo, send me GT4 or Midnight Club. And handlebars for my PS2!
www.blackmonday.co.uk
Tony D Freestyle: Respect the Hustle
The year 2004 was huge for Jersey's own Tony D'Orsi. After years of hustling shows at dragstrips and dealer open houses up and down the east coast, last summer Tony D was invited to perform around the world at the International Motofreestyle Challenge in Australia, Burns Day, France, and finally, at the World Stunt Championships in the UK. It was an amazing journey for Tony, and, fortunately for his fans, he dragged superstar video director Drew Stone along on the European portion of his travels to film the action for Respect the Hustle, Tony D's first DVD release. The video warms up with some home-turf footage with Ronnie Reality followed by scenes from his second home in Florida, giving viewers ample opportunity to appreciate the tight, precise style that attracted worldwide attention--but it's when the camera clicks on at Burns Day that the action really heats up. Not only are we treated to an amazing, high-voltage performance by Tony D, but for the first time we get to witness the best European stunters in an American video. If you've never seen them before, watching masters like Craig Jones, AC Farias (who D'Orsi trained with for six weeks), Kevin Carmichael and Andre Columbo is an awakening: the skill, precision, control and speed they bring to the bike is eye-opening. Seeing one of America's best face-off with the best from abroad makes Respect the Hustle a must-see.
www.tonydfreestyle.com
Arctic Attack: Thawed Out
How could we pass this one up--a real, honest-to-goodness stunt video from Anchorage, Alaska? Does the snow melt long enough to even ride motorcycles in the land of the Midnight Sun? The answer appears to be yes, judging from the action contained in Thawed Out, the first release from "Alaska's only stunt team," Arctic Attack. A locals-only production featuring all Alaskan riders, Alaskan music and a cameo by a real Alaskan moose, Thawed Out is a solid first effort--even if the stunts featured (mostly fast wheelies, stoppies and burnouts) appear to be a few years behind riders in the Lower 48. Blame it on the short riding season, though one memorable scene shows a rider learning the fine art of circles and reducing his uncommon RC51 to rubble in the process. This scene suggests we can expect to see some progression from the team in the near future. Also worth mentioning is the chapter devoted to Arctic Attack's off-season entertainment--snowmobiles. The snow action is stunning, and those of us who dig winter sports can't help but seriously envy all that sweet Alaska powder! Thawed Out isn't groundbreaking in any particular way, but it is nicely put together. And hey, how can you hate on any stunt video that uses Denali National Park for background scenery?
www.arcticattack.com
Team Outermost: Point of No Return
How do you know when you're watching a new stunt crew that's definitely on the come-up? When they release their first-ever DVD, filmed almost entirely on-location in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and still manage to nail down guest appearances by well-known riders like Kane, Warren James and J-Beatz of Team Famous, Merk, Bullo, Big Joe Molina and many more to put their first vid squarely on the map! One viewing of Outermost's Point Of No Return and you won't be surprised that Manny Nieto and Ernie "E-Dub" Vigil were able to secure such high-level support--it's been a long time since we've seen new names kill it like Nieto and Vigil do. This pair has all the latest moves on lock--Vigil's fast circles are a things of beauty and Nieto's combos and his downright primate-like ability to dance around the bike at-speed is jaw-dropping (but Manny, the tucked-in t-shirts and perfectly gelled hair are so un-gangsta!). Seriously, it's a great first effort, with bangin' beats, a tight edit, all the right riders in all the right places and more than enough fun-loving stunting to stand up to repeated viewings.
www.teamoutermost.com