One of the best things about the annual games lull of the beginning of the year is that I get to catch up on backlog. The games that have been sitting on my shelf or on my system untouched, the games that I didn't give a second glance to because the AAA releases of the year were all waiting to be reviewed. I'm going to be honest with you, there's not a very high probability that a game like this would have even crossed my path if it weren't for the smaller release window - but am I glad it did. Gas Guzzlers Extreme may lack some of the finesse of the bigger racing games but it features fun combat, tight controls some awesome replay value. It may be easy to look over a game like this but do yourself a favor and don't.

"Shoot off rockets, missiles, machine guns - it's all legal here."

It's perhaps easiest to compare Gas Guzzlers Extreme to the car combat games of the 90s like Twisted Metal and Road Trip. Your job is simply to come in first against your rivals by literally any means necessary. Shoot off rockets, missiles, machine guns - it's all legal here. Of course, we've seen all this before, and there's really not anything new that Extreme bring to the genre, but it covers all the basics so well that it's worth a look anyways. From track selection to handling and the progression system, this game both pays tribute to what came before it and tries to perfect it.

Every mode you'd expect from the genre is here, standard races, elimination and just plain ole' car combat, with each one being a complete blast to play. Of course, with a game as low profile as this, the online lobbies are pretty barren and it could be trouble finding a match to play in. When you do find a match though, it's a lot of fun and the games are remarkably balanced. I did notice a bit of lag in each session, but the game held up pretty well, even on lower settings.

"Also key is just how well done the tracks are."

What really stands out about Extreme is how the developers at Gamespire truly know and seemingly love racing games since they definitely know how to make a good one. The progression system is great and always keeps your moving forward, whether it be unlocking new cars or testing out weapons for your current ride, there's always something to work towards here. Also key is just how well done the tracks are. You'll start out with just a handful of different tracks, but by the time you're done with the game you'll be pushing fifty or so tracks and all are laid out incredibly well for vehicular awesomeness.

Gas Guzzlers Extreme isn't going to wow you, there's nothing revolutionary or even new here. What it will do is satisfy an urge that you didn't even know you had - or at least forgot about. Gas Guzzlers Extreme is a remarkably solid car combat game that hits all the right notes, and in explosive fashion. It's highly likely that you missed this game during last year's massive AAA game push, go back and check it out if you're looking for a cheap and thrilling experience.