Test Drive 4x4

The original Test Drive games were pretty good, but later versions have never been up to much. This mud-based addition to the series continues the downward trend.

Developers Accolade say 4X4 is the only game to feature the "world famous Hummer". All we can say is: big Peking wow. It is a nippy game, especially compared to Monster Truck Madness 2, but apart from that, 4X4 is piss-poor.

The music, from such 'artists' as Fear Factory and Gravity Kills, sounds like a Nine Inch Nails tribute band. Mind you, without it the sound is like a ZX Spectrum game's. Worst of all, the voiceover chirps out Bill & Ted statements like 'awesome, Dude' every time your "world famous Hummer" takes to the air.

The tracks not only look dull, it's also possible to get through each one at full speed. Cars can drive on water but can't flatten the shrubs infesting the courses. We could go on for hours about this game's failings. Days, in fact.

You may remember another shit driving game from EA called Streets Of Sim City. We were never sent one for review - someone at EA correctly assumed that it would score below 90 per cent. Playing 4X4, it's obvious that shrewd person was out while Colin the tea boy mailed review copies of the game to all the magazines. "My God, Colin, do you know what you've gone and done?" we can hear them shriek.

Well done, Colin. I hope you find another job soon. And well done to EA for scooping the first world famous award of 1999.