If you use a PC at work then the chances are that you get bored sometimes and start browsing the Internet for little flash games in order to pass the time [That is if your screen isn't in the line of sight of your boss! Ed]. One website that has a lot of these games is Miniclip.com, and if you've spent more than half an hour on there, the chances are that you have played a game called Trials. There are a couple of variations of the Trials game available and the newest edition is Trials 2, which is similar to one of the minigames in Thrillville: Off the Rails, although this game was here first. It really is a fun and addictive mini-game to pass those long rainy days at work. Now, while it might seem like I'm about to review a small 2D flash game, bear with me, because the mini-game is just a flash preview. You see, if you actually like Trials 2 you can choose to buy it from the RedLynx website - and believe me you should, because once you do, that little addictive 2D pastime quickly becomes a 3D monster, with graphics to rival some of the best looking games on today's next gen consoles.

The object of Trials 2 is to get from one end of the level to the other on your trials bike, while navigating the obstacles and trying not to fall off. This is pretty simple to do when you first start the game, but as you progress through the forty levels, the difficulty increases thanks to the increasingly fiendish level designs, which will tax your skills considerably. The later levels can get quite frustrating at times, but the gameplay is so addictive that this won't really bother you for the most part, as you'll want to finish the level because you won't want to let it beat you - that and the fact that each level has checkpoints, so once you get past one of the flags, if you fall off you will start from the checkpoint.

The controls are as simple as using the arrow keys on your keyboard to control your bike and rider. The up and down arrows are your accelerator and brake, while left and right controls how much your rider leans. For example, you're on one platform with a gap between you and the next. By leaning back and accelerating, you can raise your bike's front wheel a little and as your back wheel gets to the end of the platform, you lean your rider forward and you clear the gap to continue on to the next obstacle. Backspace resets your rider back to the last checkpoint, and for those times when you just know that you're about to eat dirt, a simple press of the spacebar sees your rider flung from the bike in all his rag doll glory! Depending on how you land you can break bones and you're notified whether the driver was knocked unconscious or just straight killed from the fall. Ouch!

The levels in the game range from the pleasingly easy to the insanely hard, one of which is named Inferno, and at the time of writing this review, only three or four people have managed to finish the whole level! You also have the option to complete the flip levels, which basically just consist of a few big jumps. The aim here is to hit the jumps and execute as many flips in mid air as you can. Then there are the wheelie levels, which as I'm sure most of you have already guessed, involve driving through a flat level while trying to stay on your back wheel for the longest time possible. But the best of the levels has to be the dynamic ones, which use physics to really test your trials skills, such as trying to jump up on to a row of barrels while they move underneath you, which just adds to the realism of the game. Although there are only four of these brilliant levels at present, thanks to the developers being so attached to their games, and listening to their fans, more are on the way through downloadable content.

Although plenty of attention has been devoted to getting the gameplay and level designs spot on, the graphics haven't been overlooked - they really do look like they belong on the Xbox 360 or PS3. From the physics of the bike to the light from its headlamp, everything looks great. There are occasions when the front or back wheel gets stuck in part of the scenery, but this very rarely happens. There are several different camera angles available to view the action while you're playing, such as third person view and the first person headlight view, although you will mainly want to use these for watching the replays of your runs and stick to either the default action cam or the direct cam during the game. This really is one slick-looking game, and if Microsoft and RedLynx were willing to partner up, this would be one of the best games, if not the best game, on Xbox Live Arcade. The game even has achievements already, something you don't really see in many games for PC, and although I already own it, I would definitely spend my precious Microsoft points on it again - it's that good!

Although there is no multiplayer in Trials 2, you have the option to team up with a group of other players, but if you don't create your own, you will have to know the name of the team and the password in order to join. I myself am a member of the Flyers! There's also an online scoreboard, which automatically stores your times and places you among all the other players in the world. Another great addition to this is the option to watch other people's ghosts while you ride yourself, in order to observe their riding style and even steal a few of their tips and tricks and eventually beat them to the finish line, placing you above them on the scoreboard! Last but not least is the option to press tab and bring up the chat screen, so you can talk and ride at the same time, which is good for teams.

If you're a fan of the actual sport of motorcycle trials, or you're just up for a challenging, addictive and lovingly crafted arcade game then Trials 2 is for you. Redlynx have come up with one of the most compelling and fun games of the year, and if this does manage to make its way onto the Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft will have yet another hit on their hands. Anyway, I must get going - I need to have another go at finishing Inferno!

Reviewed by Graham Hill for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).