MX Unleashed looks great. Texture-wise, the game is a little blurry. Granted a majority of the environments are made up of dirt roads and pits, and dirt is by its very nature blurry, this is acceptable. A few special effects are thrown in to make the dirt look more like dirt. Other environmental aspects look good and give the game a feeling that more is going on around you than just your race. This is especially true when playing in the freestyle portion of the game, which is loaded with ambient structures like mountain lifts and buildings. The biggest complement goes to the look of the riders. Their looks are as varied as they can be with all the pads on and they animate fluidly. Riders aren't static atop their bikes, which helps to sell the rough-riding feeling of the sport. In addition to just looking pretty while riding, riders also look fantastic when pulling off tricks. Crashes are just as impressive as the slick moves thanks to the rag doll physics of the riders. Some of the crashes look outright painful and make you wonder just how much those pads are protecting. Remember to thank the intern. All of this detail comes at a price though, since the load times are on the long side. While not long enough so you can go into the kitchen and make a sandwich, I did find the time to check out some Final Four action.
Sound is standard for the series. Engines roar with the appropriate amount of power behind them, and other sound effects blend well with the entire game. During races you can hear that guy who has been lagging behind you the entire race suddenly roar to life and catch up on you, instead of having him just pop up beside you. The soundtrack is made up of hard, 'racing' tunes that get you in the action, featuring bands like Cinder and Trapt.
