4x4 Evo

The game received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Rob Smolka of NextGen said of the Dreamcast version in its February 2001 issue, "Other than the online play, this arcade racer doesn't do anything special we haven't seen (and complained about) before." Four issues later, however, David Chen called the PS2 version "A competent racer with lots of options but a few too many significant flaws." GameFan gave the Dreamcast version 92%, saying, "Virtually lag-free play, spot-on looks, and a tremendous amount of fun elevate 4x4 to the top of Dreamcast racers with little to no effort." GameZone gave the PC version 8.5 out of 10, calling it "a solid racing program. Great attention has been paid to the details of off-road racing, and you can enjoy every jolt and bump from a driver's perspective. This program breaks new ground in multi-platform gaming, and supports that with a game that is easy to jump right into the driver's seat and play." However, Computer Games Strategy Plus gave the same PC version three out of five, saying, "4X4 Evolution has its place in history as the first truly multi-platform multiplayer game, and will be remembered for that impressive technical accomplishment alone. It's too bad the game itself isn't nearly as memorable." AllGame gave the PlayStation 2 version two stars out of five, saying, "Overall, the publishers made darned sure that 4x4 EVO would cover its bases by hitting every one of the marketing bullet points on the back of the box, but the game itself doesn't deliver enough visceral excitement to justify the fairly steep price tag. Unless you're absolutely itching to tear up somebody's junkyard in your Lexus SUV, you're better served putting the money into a weekend getaway to the desert or the mountains with the real truck that's sitting right now in your garage." Jake The Snake of GamePro said that the Dreamcast version "has plenty of cool features—beautiful tracks that let you roam freely, nearly every pickup and SUV on the market, adjustable steering—yet the racing is straightforward and, because of wimpy sound effects and a limited number of opponents, sometimes even dull." Dan Elektro said of the PlayStation 2 version, "real-world car details, challenging A.I., and a nice upgrade system make 4x4 Evolution worth checking out, especially if you're an SUV fanatic in real life." However, Brian Wright said of the PC version, "If you absolutely have to experience driving off-road in your Lexus RX300, 4x4 Evolution is your game. The tracks are fun and the Career mode will keep you busy, but if you want to experience the thrill of pure speed, you'd best look elsewhere." The PC version sold 41,500 units in the U.S. by October 2001. The same PC version was nominated for the Racing Game of the Year award at the CNET Gamecenter Computer Game Awards for 2000, whose winner was unfortunately lost to time. The game itself won the award for Cross-Platform at GameSpys Best of 2000 Awards. The Dreamcast version was a nominee at The Electric Playgrounds 2000 Blister Awards for "Best Console Driving Game", but lost to Smuggler's Run.