Overpass Review – A Challenging Off-Road Racer with Potential

When I think of an automotive interactive racing experience what comes to mind are simulations where speed, proper road handling and a reasonable understanding of the track, among other important factors, play a major part in one’s success.

Approaching Overpass with the same resolve quickly became somewhat of a rude awakening. Sure, many of the same factors are applied here, yet from a completely different resolve. My initial digestion of the game was abruptly interrupted by my lack of know-how and understanding. I had to rethink my racing process, not only to be successful but also to avoid my early frustration.

Overpass is certainly not for the faint of heart. While racing against the clock and the times of competing racers is at the heart of this experience, the learning curve forces players to hone their skills through rigorous and mentally exhausting discipline of sorts. Sure, you’re certainly racing against time, however, speed is not always your friend.

Overpass players are introduced to an impressive selection of challenging tracks and areas consisting of scree slopes, steep inclines, tree trunks, tires, muddy slopes, and bogs, to name just a few. Racing in Overpass is a test in concentration to maintain the discipline necessary not to lose hope, all while needing to stay in between the lines. Developer Zordix Racing was a passionate bunch while crafting this racer. You can feel their unforgiving convictions within the game every time your ATV or UTV tips over or gets stuck trying to clear a row of large cement tubes.

I would love to complain about the games challenging experience, however, the more I play Overpass and have success the more it feels like a badge of honor. Almost like defeating a brutally difficult boss encounter in Sekiro or Bloodborne, ok it is certainly not that difficult, however you get the picture.

Overpass forces players to master true-to-life terrain physics, as well as the unique characteristics of the game’s myriad of vehicle offerings. If you’re like me willing to take the time to grind through races, challenges, improve your gear, and make more money with each race, you may grow to love Overpass.

Out of the gate, players are introduced to Career, Quick Race, Custom Challenges, Multiplayer options, and a trophy list.

Career mode consists of player standings, management and an overview of options. With management comes the potential for endorsements or sponsorships, along with the acquiring of new gear such as gloves, helmets and stylish new outfits for your male or female rider. All within Career Mode, the overview is comprised of various races and challenging opportunities. As players continue to improve you will eventually begin to unlock rewards associated with gear, new vehicles, and upgrades such as improved frames, suspension, resistance, engines and more.

With Quick Race, players can select a venue, tracks, and vehicles. There is a multitude of venues and tracks to choose from with various ATVs and UTV’s with supported brands like Arctic, Polaris, Yamaha, and Suzuki.

Custom Challenges allow players to add a venue and track of their choice to set your custom challenges to test your skills. This is especially fun when competing against competitive friends.

With Multiplayer, players can go online and battle out against other seasoned players, as well as play in split-screen. In either mode, trophies and rewards all apply to your overall career achievements. Lastly, the trophy list consists of 38 total trophies adding tons of replayability to the experience. Trophy challenges could be racing to own all Liveries in Career mode, win gold on all tracks in Northern Forest, or win 3 challenges in a row in career mode. The list is vast and quite difficult, yet as your skills increase so does your confidence.

While Overpass might not win any awards in the eye-candy department, the game looks quite impressive, especially the vehicles and racing locales. Even the riders share on this edge.

One of the game’s largest hurdles for me to manage is becoming acclimated to the dynamic changes of the tracks and their conditions. With each lap, you are certain to find a difference in the track which could make or break your time.

Many of the barriers of the game such as, and as mentioned before the cemented tubes can oftentimes be a breeze to get over in a timely fashion, but not so on the third or maybe fourth lap. Tree stumps, boulders, even the tightly situated see-saw maneuvering can be tricky to pull off as the literal balancing cannot be to slow nor to fast to properly execute the landing within a competitive and timely fashion.

Sure, there is a part of me that wishes the game supported a handicap mode to graciously get players past the games early growing pains, yet once you go through the game’s gauntlet of drive tuning and newfound success, you are better for it. With a little more tweaking of the controls and a more fleshed out career mode, Overpass has the potential of becoming a great off-road racer.