I usually get a good feel for a game from its opening cinema. Good games tend to have cool or kick-ass intros, and lame games usually have lame intros. Now, I realize that may be an unprofessional way to judge a game, but I don’t judge a game on the opening cinemas merits. They just give me an indication on what lies ahead. Electronic Arts usually have fantastic intros -- think of NBA Live 99 or Need for Speed: High Stakes -- they are two examples of killer intros that get you pumped up to dive into a game. It’s all about the “Total Package,” folks (and I’m not talking about Lex Luger).

Rush Down has a lame intro... and I’m sorry to say it doesn’t get much better from there. The graphics do the job, but not much more. Everything looks dated, as if this game was in “Development Hell” for years like SCEA’s Spawn was -- it just doesn’t stack up to other current releases. The sound is klunky and the music is lackluster and repetitive.

Well, for the most part, you go straight, fast, and try not to hit anything. In Rush Down’s Snowboarding segments, you can steer and jump to avoid obstacles, and that’s it. No tricks or stunts at all. In Kayaking, you go down a river and steer past obstacles. And in the Mountain Bike segments, you... aw hell, you already know. Basically, travel the world competing in snowboarding, mountain biking, and kayaking. Different countries result in different environments to compete in.

Pretty easy.

A few months ago, Electronic Arts made the decision that releasing a violent fighting game called Thrill Kill was not in their best interest, and shelved the completed game. Apparently, Electronic Arts doesn’t have any moral objections to releasing utter crap, or this piece of trash -- otherwise known as Rush Down -- would not have oozed through. It amazes me how EA can release some stunning efforts such as the amazingly fun Need for Speed: High Stakes, and then ship trash like Rush Down.