I've borrowed this game from my friend who bought it, and I've got to say I'm rather displeased with the game. Although I've had a rather short playtime with the game, I have already taken great notice to some flaws with the game's mechanics and control scheme. I personally thought the old trick controls were loads better, hence why I spent hours bashing right bumper and colorful skittles before realizing that it was handled via right stick. It feels more like I'm perfecting my Street Fighter skills rather than doing tricks, the comparison being fairly accurate since I'll never memorize every stick combo.

Also, what's up with the "Reflex" system? It seems more like a job than anything, requiring you to move your thumb rapidly (although admittedly not to an extreme amount of times) in directions that aren't naturally meant to move that way. Sure, I can use the right stick just fine, I do have opposable thumbs, but moving your thumb left to recover from an awkward landing fails often. Speaking of which, so does the majority of the vehicle controls. The bike and ATV seem much to stiff and not as fun to ride as in previous games, and the trucks and dirt buggy are just plain boring. The game takes way too much of a realistic approach to the genre, as opposed to the old games.

Complains aside, it's still a solid racer. It does not suffer from lack of game types, and online should remain fairly active, at least for another year. The changing terrain is an added bonus, taking a hint from Motorstorm (which I would consider the superior game, and a large source of inspiration for Reflex).

All in all, with some fine-tuning and a return to the way things once were, a sequel may just be in-place for a genre still open for exploration.