Tech Analysis: Trials Evolution

Just over two and a half years ago, RedLynx released Trials HD on Xbox Live Arcade. Not only was it a brilliant game, it was a rare example of a 360 exclusive designed from the ground up to make the most of the console's unique architecture. Lead programmer Sebastian Aaltonen, one of the most gifted engine coders working on the Xbox platform, helped to define a game that was not only rampantly playable but also looked quite unlike anything else on the console: beautiful physics combined with pixel-perfect dynamic lighting, shadowing and material effects to produce a game that remains an stunning technical achievement to this day.

Now we have Trials Evolution - a sequel that manages to better the original in almost every way. Everything that defined Trials HD has been retained or improved, and the list of new features and technological accomplishments in the new game is very exciting indeed. But first, let's refresh ourselves on just how good the original game was before we move onto the improvements, revisions and milestones achieved in the sequel.

The 60Hz performance of the Trials series is a defining element in the gameplay: the fastest possible update makes for a rock-solid response from the controls, gives the player the most feedback from the terrain and lends the physics engine in general a much higher level of fidelity. Here's a compendium of highlights from the first game, using leaderboard replays provided by EGTV video mastermind, James Hills - possibly the most obsessed Trials addict on the team.

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