The Multiplayer mode of Vigilante 8: Arcade is definitely the high point of this package. You can choose from Deathmatch or Team Coop, which is Team Deathmatch with the ability to turn on bots. You can play with up to a 4 players locally via split screen, and the game runs surprisingly well during this. The online play for up to 8 players is solid and really brings out the point that most the gameplay could have been a lot of fun if they fixed the physics and camera issues. There isn’t a large community playing online, as it took me 10-15 minutes to get into a nearly full game in most cases. I also have to note that I ran into consistent problems joining games using both Quick Match and Custom Match options, and that the game did freeze on me twice during online play.

Another point worth mentioning is that there is no rematch option, as the game boots everyone back to the main multiplayer menu after the game. A key problem with the game design that comes out during online play is that the weapons are not distributed well on maps during 8 player matches. I often had to drive around for a while before finding any available weapon pickups, and frequently had to defend myself using only the standard ineffective machine gun and ramming technique. This problem really only exists in multiplayer, leading me to believe that the weapons were balanced with 4 players in mind instead of the 8 it supports.

While the multiplayer has a few problems, the key issues in Vigilante 8 come solely from the physics engine. For starters, none of the cars in the game feel like they have any weight to them at all. While less-than-realistic physics are always used in car-combat games to allow you to make some sweet jumps and grab some out-of-reach items, the physics in V8 only hinder your ability to play this game well. Whenever your car leaves the ground, it will start to float and there is no way to predict how it will land. I have jumped over tiny platforms that were merely a few feet off the ground, and my car would be in a completely different direction by time it landed seconds later. To make this even worse, the camera doesn’t know how to keep up with a car once it takes flight. In some cases, the camera starts flailing around wildly, sometimes even ending up beneath the car or zoomed in to the point where all you can see is the car’s tail. The inconsistencies with the camera and the physics are a nonstop issue, as every time your car is hit with a weapon, flies off of a ledge, or even drives near a wall, your vision and control are severely hammered to the point where it makes the game no longer fun.

Another problem occurs when your car flips over, which happens frequently. The mechanic to flip yourself back does not always work as advertised. Your car will sometimes be stuck upside down on the ground while your enemies pummel you with missiles, and by time you are able to flip back over, half of your health may be gone. I have also seen enemy cars get stuck in walls and fall through floors, which is hilarious, but not so beneficial for the gameplay.

Single player matches in V8 tend to be 4 player free for alls. However, you will quickly realize that, in most cases, all 3 of the enemy cars will gun solely for you. Unless you can divide and conquer, you will find that your health will be gone fairly quickly, leading to needless frustration and constant restarting. What makes this even worse is that there are health pick-ups available on all of the maps, but you will barely get to take advantage of them. Unlike the weapons, which respawn quickly and frequently, the health pick-ups sometimes vanish for minutes at a time, and your AI enemies tend to gun straight for them leaving nothing for you. This is especially frustrating in the single player campaign, where you only have one life and have to take down 3-4 foes per match with little aid.

In the end, Vigilante 8: Arcade just has way too many core problems standing in its way. The Quest mode is monotonous and uninteresting, the online play has balance and gameplay issues as well as a lack of players, the graphics and sound are underwhelming, and the gameplay, while fun, is crushed by the constant physics and camera issues. If you are desperate for vehicular deathmatch on Xbox 360 or were a fan of the series in the 90s, the demo might be worth a look, but Vigilante 8: Arcade proves that most relics are best left in the past.