2Xtreme

2Xtreme sharply divided critics. GamePros Dr. Zombie praised the game for its "high-speed action", tough opponent AI, split screen competitive mode, responsive controls, and graphics, particularly the rendered backgrounds. In contrast, Hugh Sterbakov of GameSpot said that though the graphics, sounds, and gameplay were all improved from ESPN Extreme Games, they were still so primitive that they could have been done on a last generation console. However, he felt the fun gameplay in two-player mode outweighed this, though he recommended that gamers with no one to play with buy a different racing game. Todd Mowatt of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it an 8 out of 10, citing the power-ups, selection of characters, and season competition, while his co-reviewer Joe Rybicki gave it a 5 out of 10, saying the graphics and animation do not exploit the PlayStation's capabilities, and the gameplay fails to improve upon the unexciting original. A reviewer for Next Generation somewhat similarly commented that 2Xtreme "seems to be a little more sedate than the frenzied original was." He noted the absence of aggressive civilians, the lack of differentiation between the three tracks, and the over-similar control and feel of the different sports. He also criticized the two-player split screen as "barely adequate", and said the game should have supported the PlayStation Link Cable. Albuquerque Journal gave the game a 4+ rating.