APEX

Eurogamer

Despite throwing around more polygons than any other Xbox racer we've seen, Racing Evoluzione rarely if ever skips a frame. And that includes our appraisal of the two-player split-screen, which was examined at jaw-to-the-floor inducing length.

Yahoo! Games

Outstanding graphics, excellent, balanced and enjoyable gameplay, an interesting career mode and plenty of tracks and cars.

Official Xbox Magazine

"Ridge Racer" on steroids... The best-looking racing game we've ever seen. [Mar 2003, p.77]

Armchair Empire

With a good story, excellent graphics, varied tracks, and a whole lot of great racing machines that most of us only dream of driving, Apex is one of the better racers to be found on the Xbox.

GameSpy

The gorgeous graphics combined with the terrific sense of speed (at least at higher levels) are certainly as fun to watch as they are to interact with, and the control is accurate enough to allow precise movements.

eToychest

Everything about Apex's visuals set the bar for future racing titles. The way the game uses reflections to make everything look shiny and new is simply stunning.

GamePro

If it wasn’t for unbalanced controls, Apex could have taken top honors in the Xbox racing category.

Play Magazine

It may not provide the juice that, say, a "Ridge Racer" can, but otherwise, in the realm of the racing/lifestyle sims we're seeing, Apex moves to the head of the class. [Apr 2003, p.56]

Gamer's Pulse

The wonky physics and a slightly limited variety of custom parts keep this one from a higher score, but Xbox owners looking to inject some originality into their racing experience would do well to check out Apex's unique approach to a somewhat stale genre.

Cheat Code Central

A fine game but in terms of depth it's a paintscratch away from the surface.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Fast, pretty, and controls almost perfectly. [Mar 2003, p.134]

TotalGames.net

Manages to offer you completely believable and very original environments that don’t just go for all the usual stereotypes.

GMR Magazine

What I liked best was how most of the tracks were set up in a way to guarantee fast or exciting finishes. [Mar 2003, p.64]

Total Video Games

Despite it’s rather shallow feeling and the such, it’s still pretty damn addictive and you’ll be dying to complete each and every course.

Xbox Nation Magazine

The graphics are lush, the sense of speed is breathtaking. [Apr 2003, p.87]

Game Informer

Why should I worry about getting the best car when just about anyone can race to the front regardless? [May 2003, p.89]

IGN

Once I got over the fact that it's main gimmick (the auto empire building) didn't add any emotion to the races, I was left with a very basic, competent but still basic, racing title.

Gamezilla!

The idea of being able to design your own prototype and then race it is an excellent one, but it just wasn’t carried out very well in this game.

GameSpot

Apex's drab driving and painfully dim AI drivers drag down an otherwise interesting idea.

GameZone

The physics need major work, the AI seems a little funny, the sound is terrible, and frankly, the racing just isn't that exciting.

GamerWeb Xbox

The idea behind it was brilliant, but the execution drug it right out of innovative and right into mediocrity.

G4 TV

Mild annoyances in the interface, a design mode without anything to design, and some questionable racing physics keep the game from the top of the podium. With that said, Apex is an enjoyable and mildly addictive title with plenty of arcade action for racing fans.

Game Revolution

Its story concept and great visuals give it a nice boost, but its lack of options and frustrating AI add some unnecessary weight.

Edge Magazine

Imagine building one of the most visually arresting games in recent memory, infusing the track design with genuine ingenuity, then having your work cruelly undermined by a learning curve shallower than a hill in Holland. RE is simply not challenging enough. [March 2003, p94]

Gaming Age

It's just frustrating from beginning to end.

GameCritics

For a game that could have been that potential leap forward, it's a real shame that all Apex manages to do is present a mediocre-to-poor driving experience in a painfully threadbare setting.