Track Review – TwistedMachine

This track appeared in last weeks TMX Track list, where it received an excellent rating of 9.0! This review will give you some more info and arguments for why the track was so highly rated.

• Track: TwistedMachine (direct download)
• Author: Micster
• Type: Race
• Environment: Island
• Length: 45 sec
• Mood: Sunset
• Custom Content: None

First Impression

I remember falling in love with this track when I drove it for the TMX Track List last week. In fact, I was even ready to give it a 10 (perfect score) to begin with, but as I got more into the track I realized it didn’t quite deserve such high a score.

However, the first impression was very good, so I suggest you keep reading…

Track design

The track is very fast yet with a technical design. As the Island environment is very fast by nature the more technical yet high speed parts makes the track so much more fun. The design is also quite interesting with those platform sections with half-circles on the sides. I love those!

Additionally, there are several interesting smaller jumps, including some more original ones. There are plenty of nice platform sections and deadly turns, and some really great transitions.

On the downside, however, there is one section I dislike: The first jump, where, if you go just slightly too much to the left, you will crash because the landing part is a turn with a right bend. I find this extremely annoying, and just having a straight piece of road instead of the bend would make the landing much better (although I have to admit, it would also make the track less interesting – it’s a 50/50 situation).

Anyway, I love the design, and the flaws in it are few and not important enough to ruin the design.

Rating: 9.5

Scenery

The scenery is almost on the same level as the design. I love the creativity here, and while some sections look a bit clumsy I think the end result is great. Especially those roof parts with wholes in them and the previously mentioned half-circles on the platform sections look pretty cool.

Rating: 9.0

MediaTracker

Intro: Fast, interesting and – something I haven’t seen for some time now – it actually gives an overview of the track. On the other hand the camera movements are also way too fast, and the end result is then that you actually don’t get that much of an overview anyway, even though the camera angles are placed a lot better than in many other tracks.

In-game: Nothing out of the ordinary used or needed.

Outro: Quite good, but as so often it doesn’t quite show the race properly. It looks cool, but the camera is often too close to the vehicle, which is something I’ve been complaining a lot about recently. I’d like to get an overview of the race, not just see the details of the vehicle.

Rating: 8.0

Originality

I find both the design of the track and the impression the scenery gives quite original. The track itself is an original piece of work, but on the main side it just re-uses old ideas in its own way. Original, but not to the limit!

Rating: 7.5

Fun Factor

Fun? Absolutely! I haven’t kept it a secret that I love this track! It’s fast, technical, uses a lot of interesting block combinations and, above all, it brings an awesome driving experience! Enough said, I give the Fun Factor of this track a 10!

Rating: 10.0

Summary

Fast and technical with great platform parts, awesome jumps and transitions and some deadly turns. Both the design and scenery is great, while the MT work is a bit flawed and the rate of originality isn’t what it could be. However, the most important part is how fun the track is, and without doubt, this track is extremely enjoyable to play!

Final Rating: 9.0 (excellent)

DISCUSSION:

Was this track overrated with its 9.0, or should TwistedMachine receive an even higher rating? Express your opinion by commenting this post!

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Notes:

– Ratings range from 1 (bad) to 10 (perfect). 5 is average.

– Your help is always needed! If you are interested in writing track reviews for the TMU Blog, you may apply by dropping an e-mail to Jozii@pp.inet.fi.

– If you want to have your own track reviewed, you can sign your track up for a fee of 250 coppers. Simply send an in-game message to “Jozii” with the coppers and the name of the track (which must have been uploaded at the United Exchange first).