The Digest: Whether a beginner or expert of Trials HD, the Big Thrills pack features 40 new levels and significantly expands the Trials HD gamut. For the low price of only 400 Microsoft Points, that’s just over a dime per level, and an investment well worth your points.

THE FACT SHEET

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2010
PUBLISHER: Microsoft Game Studios
DEVELOPER: Red Lynx
ESRB RATING: “E” for Everyone
GENRE: Action
PRICE: 400 MS Points

Trials HD is a full-featured, physics-based motorcycle racing game with over 50 mind-boggling tracks in two unique game modes. Race Mode emphasizes balance, skill, and control as you tackle indoor obstacle tracks. Skill Mode features extreme stunt tracks in which explosions, crashes, and injuries cannot be avoided.

A level editor enables players to create, share and download an unlimited number of free tracks. The game features stunning full HD graphics, rider customization, unlockable bikes, global rankings, all new in-game friend scores, and many other fun features. Can you handle the bruises and broken bones—and take part in a truly unique racing experience?

PRODUCT FEATURES:

· 3 New Achievements

· 50 More Gamerscore

· 40 New Tracks

· including 10 Community-created tracks

One major feature of Trials HD – Big Thrills is the inclusion of ten tracks created by the Trials HD community. Trials HD owners can create tracks using the in-game editor, which comes free with the game and is the same editor the developers themselves use to create tracks.

Earlier this year we launched the Track Creator Challenge, inviting users to submit their own tracks, the ten best of which were included in this DLC. The winners received prizes and in-game credit, with the top three receiving cash awards.

For those who have played Trials HD, it’s well known that the game has a vast variety of elements used to come up with the most creative of levels. In a game such as Trials, the number (and variety) of levels can be considered by some as the only negative factor. With the first DLC for Trials only featuring 25 new levels, RedLynx upped the ante with the Big Thrills pack, adding 40 new tracks (10 community-created) and 50 more gamerscore over 3 achievements. Available as a small download, the Big Thrills pack for Trials HD integrated seamlessly into the game. The forty levels spread across all difficulties, featuring a variety of content. Aside from the traditional warehouse environment, some levels are underwater, and some are ‘8-bit,’ an interesting digitized take on the game.

On top of the 40 levels, 10 of them are community-created as part of the Big Thrills contest. Some of those levels are purely ingenious, and some are just innovative, making you wonder where the designers came up with their ideas. With core players of the game ultimately deciding the basis of some levels, RedLynx certainly won with their fans by running the contest and allowing their fans a piece of the game.

While there is some repetition, each of the new levels provide an interesting, innovative twist on the game. For those up for the challenge, the Big Thrills pack also includes a large number of Hard and Extreme levels to fill your plate. I for one, wasn’t even able to complete all of the Extreme tracks in the original game, so unfortunately I can’t speak much as to the specifics of all of those levels. Having experience the other tracks however, I can promise that any fan of the series (regardless of skill level) will get something from the DLC.

As a whole, the Big Thrills pack for Trials HD provides quite the value for your points. However, if there was one thing lacking from the Big Thrills pack, it would have to be the absence of new Skill Games, several of which were included in the last DLC. That aside, the Big Thrills pack will keep you busy (and sometimes frustrated) for hours on end.

Conclusion:
Featuring 40 new tracks (10 of which are community-created), the newest DLC pack for Trails HD add a large amount of new content to the game. Coupled with the low price of 400 MS Points, the Big Thrills pack is a must have for any fan of the series.

Special thanks to RedLynx for providing us with the content for review.