African Rally Quad

There seems to have been a slew of celebrity related quad bike injuries over the last couple of years, which has probably helped to promote the sport a great deal and encouraged game developers to explore the exciting realm of off-road racing in more detail. You can't beat a good, tragic news story to capture the public's interest in extreme sports, after all.

Which is why African Rally Quad jumped immediately to the top of this reviewer's to-do pile. Hopping on an engine strapped to four chunky wheels and tearing through the dust bowls of Africa – just you, the screaming motor, and the mosquitoes on your visor – is a very appealing concept, and the game certainly delivers on the tense, yet solitary, atmosphere of a continental rally.

African Rally Quad features a wise choice in play mechanics. Rather than labouring our micro-machines with a screen full of traffic, the rally theme makes for an empty road and a ticking clock – timing races between checkpoints and stopping the game should the counter hit zero before the next chequered banner is crossed.

Although the four directions of the D-pad or keypad are all in use, as is the case in many mobile racers the brake sees little action. But it's not simply a case of holding down the accelerator beginning to end. Your quad bike has two gears, and although it doesn't take a great deal of management to keep the revs up, it's vitally important to use the gear system to maintain full speed. This small tweak of the usual racing gameplay instils a surprising amount of depth, and adds a subtle skill to the usual twitch controls.

African roads are littered with rocks, logs and puddles, all of which serve to make your journey that bit more exciting. Logs are very useful for jumping the rocks and puddles, but should your bike come into contact with those obstacles, a quick change of gear and centring of the bike gets the race back on track.

What's most impressive about African Rally Quad is the environments, however. Without such an array of deeply atmospheric settings, this game wouldn't harbour half the enjoyment it currently does. The horizon pictures are quite stunning, while a variety of weather conditions (harsh rain driving into the player's face and lightning crashing against the mountains in the distance while illuminating the dominating storm clouds) barrage the player and permeate the game with raw atmosphere.

The game itself might be a simple case of winding around a dust track on your own, but the cinematic, outdoor experience African Rally Quad has been infused with makes it a thrilling and deeply satisfying game.