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Rogue Trip Review

Those expecting as big of a leap as we saw from Twisted Metal to Twisted Metal 2 are going to feel Rogue Trip falls somewhat short.

By Steven Garrett on October 2, 1998 at 11:44AM PDT

By this point, probably everyone knows that Rogue Trip is the spiritual successor to the Twisted Metal line of PlayStation auto-combat games. It was created by the developers of the original Twisted Metal and Twisted Metal 2: World Tour and even uses an optimized version of their old code. Meanwhile, Sony's 989 Studios (who ended up with rights to the series' name) is working on the third TM game, which no one has seen running yet at the time of this writing.

The name of the game is still driving and shooting, but this time there's more at work than just blowing up all the other vehicles. The story has you as an automercenary, hijacking tourists into the high-profile vacation spots of the future and showing them the sights. There's only one tourist per level and everyone vies for him. Thus, conflict arises. If you can pick the tourist up and get him to the designated photo spots, you'll get cash to buy health, weapon power-ups, and extra lives. Taking a page from SingleTrac's last game, Critical Depth, there are weapons that cause other vehicles to eject their tourist. They're fairly scarce though, which leads to tons of wacky situations where you're trying to ram or blast an enemy away from a photo-op spot, while screaming, "No! No! No!"

The graphics are improved over Twisted Metal 2, and the levels now have varied hilly terrain (which takes almost as much as it gives, since this feature makes it hard to see around in the split-screen multiplayer modes), unlike TM2, which was pretty flat. The bosses are nowhere near as terrifying, and save for the final one, seem almost like any other standard opponent. There's some other crucial element missing as well, and perhaps it's that the look, feel, and character design of the TM series is so incredibly iconic, that anything that copies it comes off like an imperfect Bizarro-style duplicate.

But what the game Rogue Trip should truly be compared to is the current holder of the auto-combat crown, Activision's Vigilante 8. While Rogue Trip has far more levels and is much tougher, V8 nudges the title out in the categories of graphics (it's almost a toss-up here), level design, and gameplay. Vigilante 8 still feels pretty fresh, while RT is a reworked theme.

That said, there's still a lot of fun to be had here, and fans of any driving shooter will enjoy it, but those expecting as big of a leap as we saw from Twisted Metal to Twisted Metal 2 are going to feel Rogue Trip falls somewhat short.

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Graveyard: rogue trip vacation 2012.

Watch your step, for you’ve just entered the Graveyard . Inside, we’ll be digging up games that have long been without a pulse. You’ll see both good and bad souls unearthed every month as we search through the more… forgotten…parts of history.

Twisted Metal invented the car combat genre and created a killer app for the PS1 in the process. Before the launch of Sony's debut console, Twisted Metal was the game that had me sold on it the most. Sure, Wipeout was promising, but Twisted Metal combined not only my love of cars, but also pure mayhem. It was something that couldn't be done on prior gaming hardware and made the PS1 into a justifiable purchase. As great as it was, the second entry was even better. The team behind the series found themselves at a crossroads after the second installment, though. Sony owned the rights to the Twisted Metal franchise, but not the game engine, and the devs had a parting of the ways with the then-new console maker. Sony went with 989 Studios to make Twisted Metal III officially, while Singletrac created Rogue Trip Vacation 2012 and did their own thing.

While the Twisted Metal series focused purely on combat, Rogue Trip changed the format up a bit for the core campaign mode. Rogue Trip features a post-apocalyptic world taken over by a corporate overlord named Big Daddy -- a monstrous blob of a man with a bit of a God complex. Much of the country has been revamped in his image and with money being scarce, it has opened the doors to a whole new industry. Very few people are able to go on vacations -- and they want to maximize their fun, so they will pay auto mercenaries to take them to dangerous but beautiful sights. They want to be able to take photos as keepsakes and will pay you will for it -- allowing the player to have a risk/reward factor to think about.

You generally have to stop the action in order to get your photo ops taken care of, but you get paid handsomely for that. Now you can just avoid doing that and you are okay, but you will get a much lower score. It's a score-based game beyond just trying to get to the end and beat Big Daddy, but the biggest key is to enjoy the journey and feel the reward of the destination. Each of the tourists is a bit different and some are more patient than others. The goofball superhero is generally a bit patient, while the cranky old lady doesn't want to wait and has no patience for your to get into position -- or take much damage while trying to get into position.

Anyone familiar with the early Twisted Metal games will get used to how Rogue Trip plays right away. The game uses the d-pad to move you around and you have a similar set of weapons -- although they are a bit different too. Generally, there's a bit more of a homing element here than in those, which does make things a bit easier. The game's pace is a little slower too, with that allowing the photo ops to be more doable although at the expense of reducing the formerly break-neck speed the TM games were known for at the time.

Rogue Trip retains a sense of a destruction that made Twisted Metal 2 so much fun and uses a similar stage setup. You start off with a big open area that gives things like extra power-ups to find. There are some neat environmental areas in Area 51, like a hangar with a map of an area, aliens in tubes and a portal to the moon. The stages are more varied visually here than in any TM game before or after -- with the casino-themed area shining brightly as well.

Rogue Trip's cast of characters is inferior when it comes to originality compared to Twisted Metal -- and that does hurt the game a bit and is one factor to it never quite catching on. The playable cast is generally a series of parodies that works on one level, but the lack of a backstory hurts. You've got an Elvis impersonator, a wannabe Batman character and a farmer's daughter type. There's no depth to them and that is amplified when you finish the game and get an ending that is 99% the same for everyone -- furthering the feeling that the characters have nothing to them. They're all just fighting for money and you do get a password for unlockables, but that's about it. The Meat Wagon vehicle was also featured in the latest Twisted Metal game from the same developers -- offering up the last time anything involving the game was seen officially.

Visually, Rogue Trip has impressive reflection effects for the time. You don't get to see much of them in the heat of battle, but during the character select screen, you can see just how much effort went into them. The early TM games were never known for being gorgeous and that trend continues here -- but it does retain a solid art style overall and it's clear that the extra time with the system allowed for smoother things like water physics and a massive increase in car detail too. The environments also have less texture warping and are generally more pleasing to the eye.

The soundtrack was one of the earliest instances of a lot of licensed music being used instead of original compositions and it's a point of contention compared to the original TM games. Those featured original compositions and some could be rather haunting. This game features a bit of original music, but none of it stands out. The licensed tracks vary from rock to a lot of ska -- with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones being a standout here that strangely do fit into the goofy nature well. The sound effect work is solid, but the voice work is minimal and doesn't work well beyond the silly game show-style intro to the game's concept.

While it isn't perfect, Rogue Trip Vacation 2012 is still a fantastic car combat game -- especially for anyone who loved the earliest Twisted Metal games. The feel of the core gameplay is the same, only more refined and the concept has been changed up nicely. It hasn't been made available for sale since its original release, which does sadly mean there isn't an easy means to just download and enjoy it on something like a Vita or PS3. A physical copy of the original, however, shouldn't set you back more than $10-$15 and it's well-worth that. It also plays perfect on a PS3 system and that also allows you to throw some texture smoothing on the experience and make it more pleasing to the eye.

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Game Review - by Greg Giordano This game is packed with non-stop action that will keep you on your feet until you are finished. The whole idea of the game is you have to kill other cars and pick up tourists. You have so much fun blasting your way through cars and grabbing tourists as you go by, its weird. This game is an improvement to Twisted Metal 2. Rogue Trip is now one of my favorite racing car game because has more than one objective.

Features: In Rogue Trip, you have many features and the latest in using analog controller capabilities. It also has a lot of cars with their own special abilities. You have to try all the cars because each one has a different special ability. You can pick up tourists and kill other cars. It is an excellent game though, so it doesn't need anymore options.

Graphics: The graphics are pretty good. They are one of the best graphics for being a car fighting game. Rogue Trip has good detail on the background and colors, as well as the special effects, which are cool looking too. All in all the graphics is more than fine.

Sound FX: They sound effects are great. They have Mighty Mighty Bosstones playing in the background as well as other songs. But if you don't think that sounds good, there must be something wrong with you because it matches with the game perfectly and makes it seem incredible. Also, every car has a different tourist to pick up and when you pick them up they will say something funny.

Gameplay: The Gameplay was pretty nice. It had a button for sharp turns so you always had control. The loading takes a little while but it doesn't skip or anything, it runs nice and fast. It takes such along time because of the nice sound, but not that long. The wait is worth it. This game is excellent; you can play a trip where you have to pick up tourists and kill the other vehicles. This has many features for a two-player game. The controls are a little weird, but you can change them, to your preference. After a few games, the controls get easier it get easier. The other vehicle can also take your tourists, and then you have to chase them, which makes it fun too.

Overall: Overall this game is awesome. It is one of the best fighting car games yet. It is a fun game to play with friends. You will enjoy beating the pants off them once you get use to the controls and learn how to play it. You will never be able to put down the controller once you get started.

Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012

A new take on the twisted metal-style genre..

Rogue Trip could be considered Twisted Metal Again. But instead of just plopping you in the middle of an arena, there's now a point to the mayhem. The idea is simple: you drive tourists around various vacation spots, and earn money as they see the sights. Problem is, there's a load of other mercenaries that want the tourist, too, and will spare no expense in getting him (or her). Which means you'll need to have a heavily armored, heavily-equipped vehicle to defend yourself and your fare.

Each of the different characters in the game has his own car and special weapons, but standard weapons can be obtained by picking up icons along the battlefield. The game starts with the tourist stuck in the middle of the fight, and you'll need to pick him up before one of the others does. He'll stay with you until A) he panics, or B) someone hits you with an ejector button. When he leaves your vehicle, he's ripe for the picking, so you better work quickly in getting him back. Otherwise you won't be able to earn cash for repairs or weapon upgrades. The round ends when you've taken out all your opponents, but you won't earn money unless you take the tourist to all the photo opportunity points in the level.

To please fans of the Twisted Metal series, there's also an option where you don't need to worry about the tourist. It's simply a kill or be killed round that can be played single player, split-screen two player, or split-screen four players between two PlayStations via the link cable.

The graphics certainly don't measure up to what we've seen of Twisted Metal 3 (developed by a different developer this time around), but the 3D engine in the game does its job, albeit unspectacularly. And the Bosstones soundtrack, while fine the first time you sit through it, really gets on your nerves, since missions can last five times longer than the CD track. So you'll play through the same tune at least five times. Thankfully there's some generic tunes in later missions, but I don't know how much more ska I can take.

The two-player mode is enough to get the game, since you can play cooperatively and competitively. And what a blast if you can link up two systems. The new gameplay elements improve a somewhat dull (in my opinion) gaming genre. I still like Vigilante 8 better, but Rogue Trip's not a bad trip.

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Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 – Review

Playstation, review by jpeeples.

Reviewed: 02/05/2002 | Updated: 02/05/2002

Big Daddy wants YOU... to give him your vacation money.. Now that's not a GOOD thing, that's a BAD thing.

• Rating:   10

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Video Game / Rogue Trip

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Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 is a 1998 vehicular combat game developed by SingleTrac released exclusively for the Play Station 1. It is a Spiritual Successor to the Twisted Metal franchise.

Tropes include:

• Aliens Are Bastards : Both the tourist alien and the unlockable character are.
• Arrow Cam : The Prowler missiles are manually guided by the player. It's extremely difficult to maneuver one into an enemy though, so tapping the fire button twice will cause it to auto-lock on, at the cost of half the damage points.
• Betting Mini-Game : In the Neon Nightmare level, there is a giant slot machine in the middle of the map. While you can win big, you can also lose ALL your money if the wheels land on three bombs.
• Boss in Mook's Clothing : The first boss, Goliath, appears at first as a normal enemy. When you destroy the enemy, it turns into the steamroller.
• Co-Dragons : Goliath and Nightshade are this to Big Daddy.
• Crapsack World : A post-apocalytptic pile of crap, run by a disgusting MegaCorp run by a very Fat Bastard that's turned everything that's not radioactive into The Theme Park Version .
• The Dinnermobile : The Meat Wagon is essentially a copy of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile with a hockey mask welded onto the front end of the sausage.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom
• Expy : Ratman is this to Batman. His vehicle, "Intruder", heavily resembles the Batmobile.
• Fan Disservice : The SoCal level features paintings of Big Daddy in a speedo, and it's wrong .
• Fat Bastard : Big Daddy.
• Game-Breaking Bug : In the Area 51 level, if you plant an upgraded RLB behind the crashed saucer, teleport to the moon, and detonate it, the Earth will blow up (taking the moon with it) and you'll be suspended in weightlessness with infinite upgraded weapons.
• Humongous Mecha : The Big Bad drives one for the final boss fight.
• Jerkass : All of the tourists, minus the superhero.
• The Mole : The unlockable characters, both bosses and enemies, are this. Fridge Brilliance because, of course they would secretly be Automercenaries, they're playable characters! Lampshaded by the ending cinematic for them, calling them "ringers."
• No Fair Cheating : If you beat the game with a vehicle unlocked by a cheat code, Mad Jack will tell you to try again, "this time without using a ringer!"
• Self-Plagiarism : Remove the tourism and cash mechanics from the game, and you'll see that this game is ultimately no different than SingleTrac 's earlier Twisted Metal 2 , down to having the same physics and feel as that game, only more refined. Having it released so close to Twisted Metal III didn't help matters either.
• A Winner Is You : Calling them "endings" is way too generous, as all the ending cinematics play out exactly the same, with Big Daddy being blasted to the moon, Mad Jack awarding you a trophy while cracking a one-liner related to the player character, giving them a trophy that zooms in on a revealing code that you can then input in the options screen for bonuses. Rinse and repeat for all the standard characters.
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July 24, 2020

Adventure, Shorts/Variety Series

ROGUE TRIP is a travel guide to all the places the average tourist is least likely to venture - the roguish nations, territories and regions often misunderstood and frequently overlooked, but each possessing a unique power to surprise, amaze and inspire. Led by ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff and his 28-year-old son, Mack Woodruff, the two will take viewers on a globe-trotting adventure that will expose the grit and glamour of travel. They’ll share inside jokes, dirty laundry and cramped hotel rooms as Bob teaches his son about the hidden places he loves most. Expect the unexpected in this father-son guide to the beautiful, breathtaking and often hopeful experiences to be had on the edge of chaos.

Rated: TV-PG Release Date: July 24, 2020

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• Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012

Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 , also known as Rogue Trip , is a vehicular combat video game developed by SingleTrac and published by GT Interactive for the PlayStation in 1998. The game is set in an apocalyptic fiction alternative history version of the year 2012 where mercenaries fight against each other using vehicles, and various weapons as they pick up tourists, hitchhikers, and passengers paying them fares for bringing them to vacation destinations around the remnants of the destroyed United States, and these mercenaries call themselves "auto mercenaries".

Development and release

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SingleTrac found prior success in developing games for publisher Sony Computer Entertainment in the early years of the PlayStation's life cycle, including the vehicular combat series Twisted Metal . Following a contractual dispute with Sony, the developer was bought by GT Interactive and Rogue Trip was produced as part of an agreement with its new publisher. Rogue Trip utilizes an overhauled version of the game engine of the first two Twisted Metal titles, sharing many of their design elements. The player controls a vehicle in third-person perspective on a 3D map and is tasked with eliminating all other opponents by using ballistic projectiles, bombs, and other weaponry. The game further features a secondary objective in which the player competes in picking up a tourist for photo ops of landmarks found throughout each level. These provide money that can be used for power-ups like weapon upgrades and health refills.

Review publications heavily compared and contrasted Rogue Trip with SingleTrac's past Twisted Metal games and the 1998 PlayStation vehicular combat titles Vigilante 8 and Twisted Metal III . Reception for Rogue Trip has been mostly positive. Critics praised the familiar gameplay, play control, and level design, but had mixed opinions on its sound design and music. Impressions of the game's graphics somewhat varied too, but have generally been considered inferior to other releases of the era.

Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 shares many gameplay elements with other titles in the vehicular combat genre, specifically the Twisted Metal franchise. The game's main single-player mode has the player take control of one of 11 initially-available vehicles in order to complete a linear series of stages . The primary objective of every mission is to eliminate a number of computer-controlled enemies using various weapons to deplete their health meters. Each self-contained stage is presented in a 3D third-person perspective and can be freely roamed alongside all other drivers. Stages are littered with power-ups including expendable weapons, "Turbos" for increasing a vehicle's speed, and cash used to purchase health and weapon upgrades. Every vehicle differs in size, durability, and maneuverability, each possessing a unique "Special" weapon that automatically replenishes over time and a standard machine gun with unlimited ammunition. [3] Expendable weapons can be acquired out in the open at certain points of a stage, uncovered by destroying parts of the environment, or found in hidden areas. These weapons include, among others, homing "Stinger" projectiles, remotely-activated "RLB" bombs, and "Prowler" missiles that the player can directly control once fired. [3] Money can be spent during combat by driving into "Upgrade Stands" for increasing the strength of weapons or "Repair Stands" for refilling the player's health. Every time a player's vehicle is destroyed, a chance is reduced and a game over results when they run out of chances. Extra ones can be obtained by completing a stage with $30,000. Boss characters must be fought at the completion of certain missions and three bonus stages can be visited and unlocked to obtain more cash. [3]

A secondary gameplay objective comes in the form of tourists. The player can compete with enemy drivers to pick up a single tourist that is up for grabs at the beginning of each level. Taking on the tourist will provide the player with a steady influx of fare. Each map contains six photo ops , landmarks at which the player can park and allow the tourist to briefly observe at specific angles while in the midst of combat. The more photo ops that are completed the more cash is awarded at the completion of a stage. In addition to regular weapons, the "Ejeculator" can be used that causes the target to instantly set the tourist loose once again. [3] [4] [5] The game features another single-player game mode which lacks any tourists, as well as multiplayer modes that allow players to compete with one another in deathmatches or attempt the game's main campaign cooperatively . Multiplayer options consist of using a two-player split screen view on a single console or utilizing the PlayStation Link Cable to allow up to four players simultaneously. [4] [5]

With Earth entirely in ruins from devastation by post-apocalyptic mass destruction, an underground economy is around for tourism of various vacation locales around the destroyed United States. This economy is largely controlled by the bloodthirsty sadist "Big Daddy" and shaped in an image resembling him. And only wealthy people can afford these expensive resort prices, so an organization called the "A.A.A" (which stands "Amalgamated Association of Auto-mercenaries") is established to hijack tourists into these sites for discounted photo ops . [4] The playable characters join the A.A.A. and controls one of several mercenary drivers controlling a heavily-armed ground combat vehicle fighting opponents to earn cash from tourists they pick up, bringing them to these photo ops, and on unauthorized vacations.

Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 was developed by SingleTrac . The company had previously developed a string of critically and commercially successful PlayStation titles for publisher Sony Computer Entertainment during the early years of the console's life, including the vehicular combat games Twisted Metal and Twisted Metal 2 . Following the release of Twisted Metal 2 , SingleTrac entered into a contractual dispute with Sony when the developer's employees argued they were not receiving adequate financial rewards from Sony for their work. This led to the exit of key members like Scott Campbell and Kellan Hatch. [6] SingleTrac was subsequently purchased by GT Interactive in mid-1997 and agreed to a three-to-four game development deal. [7] [8] Because Sony retained the rights to the Twisted Metal franchise, SingleTrac created Rogue Trip as a spiritual successor to those games. [9] Rogue Trip was primarily designed by Campbell and Hatch, who additionally served as the game's producer and creative director respectively. [10] The two created a roster of imaginative characters and personalities, which were then handed off to software development lead Steve Poulson to be implemented into the game via stunts and gameplay mechanics. [11] The ska -inspired soundtrack for Rogue Trip was composed and produced by a team made up of Chuck E. Meyers and Tom Hopkins, both of whom had worked on the musical scores of SingleTrac games during the company's partnership with Sony. In addition to some original music, GT Interactive signed a deal with Mercury Records to feature the songs " The Rascal King " by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and "Snake Eyes" by Nashville Pussy . [12]

Rogue Trip shares the same game engine technology as the SingleTrac-developed Twisted Metal titles, with several enhancements. Campbell stated that the team optimized their code to gain 35% to 40% more processing power and memory savings and spread this across primary components like graphics, computer artificial intelligence (AI), and gameplay. [10] [13] First, a particle system was added to the give the player what Campbell described as an "awesome graphical payoff" when taking out opponents or parts of the environment. [14] Second, the game's AI was revised so that a computer combatant "learns from the player" and will react and adjust more similarly to a human opponent. [13] [14] Third, a "Dynamic Interactive Fodder" system was constructed to increase the destructibility of environments and generate more objects with which the player could destroy, use as weapons, or take damage. These include blimps, fuel trucks, jets, and helicopters. [13] [14] [15] Finally, the performance boost allowed for more realistic vehicle physics and movement, as well as added terrain topography for larger, more detailed levels. [10] [13] [14]

GT Interactive announced Rogue Trip in April 1998. [16] The game was showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in late May alongside Streak: Hoverboard Racing , another PlayStation-exclusive from SingleTrac. [17] The alpha phase of the game's development was completed around mid-July of that same year. [15] One month later, its beta phase was finished ahead of schedule, allowing the publisher to gain US release approval in August. [11] [18] Rogue Trip was officially released in North America on October 6, 1998 and in European territories that November. GT Interactive backed its launch with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign comprising a television spot, online and print advertisements, and cross-promotions with apparel companies. [2]

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings . [19] Reviewers extensively compared and contrasted the game with SingleTrac's previous efforts Twisted Metal and Twisted Metal 2 , as well as two other 1998 vehicular combat games for the PlayStation: Vigilante 8 , published by Activision ; and Twisted Metal III , published by Sony. [6] [13] Publications like Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine ( OPM ), Electronic Gaming Monthly ( EGM ), and GameFan even featured side-by-side reviews or comparison articles in some issues. [24] [27] [28]

Gameplay, play control, and level design in Rogue Trip were mostly praised. Shawn Smith of EGM , Duke Ferris of GameRevolution , Craig Harris of IGN , OPM , and editors for both GameFan and Game Informer all had positive comments concerning the gameplay and vehicle mechanics. EGM awarded it "Monthly Editor's Choice" award for November 1998, with Smith stating " Rogue Trip delivers all the car-blasting action I'd want." [23] When considering this game, rather than Twisted Metal III , as a follow-up to SingleTrac's Twisted Metal 2 , the magazine summarized, " Rogue Trip ' s bigger, quirkier arenas, complete multiplayer package, arcade control and crazy secrets pin it as the true heir." [28] Andy McNamara, Paul Anderson, and Andrew Reiner of Game Informer fully embraced its likeness to the developer's past release, concluding that it "exudes the fantastic scent of TM2 " in terms of vehicle physics, art style, level design, and humor. [3] Ferris was pleasantly surprised by the game's high replay value in spite of its utter similarities to Twisted Metal 2 . [4] GameFan and Ed Lomas of Computer and Video Games each complimented the gameplay as being familiar to that of the Twisted Metal series yet lacked innovation or originality. [22] [24] However, Harris pointed out the tourist objective as a "welcome" inclusion to its formulaic vehicular combat and that its two-player modes were "enough to get the game". [5] Steven Garrett of GameSpot believed that, despite having more levels and a tougher difficulty, the overall gameplay was edged out by Vigilante 8 . He further saw the "hilly terrain" of stages in Rogue Trip to be an improvement over the flatter locations of Twisted Metal 2 , but that this could obscure a player's vision in split-screen multiplayer modes. [25] Ferris considered the game's environments to be the largest advantage over Twisted Metal 2 , with each one "full of interesting twists and turns, lots of things to destroy, and even a secret or two if you pay attention". [4] GamePro called the game " Twisted Metal with tourists. However, if you're looking for more than just driving and shooting in your driving and shooting games, Rogue ' s worth a Trip ." [29] [lower-alpha 2]

The game's music and audio design were met with varied opinions. Ferris asserted the sound as "just fine, with growling engines, satisfying crashes and the ever-popular explosion". Ferris and Harris concluded that the music was initially tolerable then repetitive, the latter writer elaborating: "The Bosstones soundtrack, while fine the first time you sit through it, really gets on your nerves, since missions can last five times longer than the CD track." [4] [5] The editors of GameFan thought that the inclusion of such bands was novel but a pleasant surprise only for fans of this music style. They further stated that the volume of the songs often drowns out all of the game's sound effects. [24] Attitudes towards the graphics of Rogue Trip were slightly mixed, though reviewers generally considered them to be less representative of what the PlayStation was capable of when compared to the other releases of 1998. OPM plainly emphasized that the game's graphics were one of its biggest shortcomings, whereas Ferris called the visuals "dated" and expected more after playing Vigilante 8 . [4] [27] Next Generation similarly wrote that the graphics "simply don't compare" to those of Vigilante 8 , while Harris declared that they "don't measure up" to Twisted Metal III . [5] [26] GameFan also treated Vigilante 8 as superior in this regard, but labeled this correlation between Rogue Trip and Twisted Metal III a "toss-up". [24] Alternatively, Reiner found the textures in Rogue Trip to be "no longer washed out" and the effects "ten times as impressive" than those of Twisted Metal 2 . [3] Garrett criticized the art style and character designs of Rogue Trip as "an imperfect Bizarro -style duplicate", though he too rated the graphics themselves as more advanced than Twisted Metal 2 . [25]

Sales figures for Rogue Trip are unknown. Publisher GT Interactive claimed that the game did contribute significantly to its fiscal revenue during the release period, despite an overall loss during the quarter. [30] There were various, unofficial reports that a sequel to the game was in development by SingleTrac between 1999 and 2000. [31] [32] [33] However, nothing concrete was ever made public and many key members of the company, such as producer and designer Scott Campbell, left the company in late 1999 to form Incognito Entertainment . [34] [35] Former SingleTrac employee Jay Barnson told PC World that he was unaware of any plans for a sequel and that GT Interactive never disclosed to the development team how well its projects Rogue Trip or Critical Depth had sold: "Maybe they both sold very well and they never told us, but it sure seemed like management wasn't enthusiastic about sales." [9]

• ↑ Three critics of GameFan gave the game each a score of 87, 86, and 78.
• ↑ GamePro gave the game 3.5/5 for graphics, two 4/5 scores for sound and fun factor, and 4.5/5 for control.

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• 1 2 "Fasten Your Seat Belt! GT Interactive Revs Up Car Combat Games With Launch of 'Rogue Trip' for PlayStation-R Game Console" . Business Wire . Berkshire Hathaway. October 6, 1998. Archived from the original on March 27, 2016 . Retrieved October 24, 2018 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (October 1998). "Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012" . Game Informer . No.   66. FuncoLand . pp.   12–17. ISSN   1067-6392 . Archived from the original on September 12, 1999 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ferris, Duke (October 1998). "Rogue Trip [ Vacation 2012 ] Review" . GameRevolution . CraveOnline . Archived from the original on March 15, 2014 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 Harris, Craig (October 7, 1998). "Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012" . IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved October 30, 2018 .
• 1 2 Thorpe, Nick (August 20, 2015). "The History of Twisted Metal ". The PlayStation Book . Retro Gamer . Bournemouth , England : Imagine Publishing : 138–41. ISBN   978-1785461064 .
• ↑ "GT Interactive Buys SingleTrac, Makes Agreements with BMG and Warner Bros. Interactive". GamePro . No.   108. IDG . September 1997. p.   20. ISSN   1042-8658 .
• ↑ Berry, Dawn; Mills, Allyne (October 17, 1997). "GT Interactive Completes Acquisition Of SingleTrac, a Leading Multi-Platform Entertainment Software Developer" . Business Wire . Berkshire Hathaway . Archived from the original on March 14, 2016 . Retrieved October 17, 2018 .
• 1 2 Budmar, Patrick (November 21, 2011). "The rise and fall of SingleTrac" . PC World . IDG . Retrieved October 17, 2018 .
• 1 2 3 Beckstead, Sandi (June 5, 1998). "GameSpot's Designer Diary for Rogue Trip (Interview with the Producer)" . videogames.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2001 . Retrieved October 21, 2018 .
• 1 2 Beckstead, Sandi (August 17, 1998). "Rogue Trip (Designer Diary 4)" . videogames.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2001 . Retrieved October 21, 2018 .
• ↑ IGN staff (September 30, 1998). "Mighty Rogue Tunes" . IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved October 17, 2018 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 "NG Alphas: Rogue Trip" . Next Generation . No.   42. Imagine Media . June 1998. pp.   111–12. ISSN   1078-9693 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 3 4 Beckstead, Sandi (June 5, 1998). "GameSpot's Designer Diary for Rogue Trip (Interview with the Producer, Page 2)" . videogames.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 3, 2001 . Retrieved October 21, 2018 .
• 1 2 Beckstead, Sandi (July 10, 1998). "Rogue Trip (Designer Diary 3)" . videogames.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2001 . Retrieved October 21, 2018 .
• ↑ IGN staff (April 21, 1998). "Boards and Bombshells" . IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
• ↑ "GameFan @ E3 (GT)" . GameFan . Vol.   6, no.   8. Metropolis Media. August 1998. p.   106. ISSN   1092-7212 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• ↑ Beckstead, Sandi (August 17, 1998). "Rogue Trip (Designer Diary 5)" . videogames.com . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2001 . Retrieved October 21, 2018 .
• 1 2 "Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 for PlayStation" . GameRankings . CBS Interactive . Archived from the original on August 24, 2017 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
• ↑ House, Michael L. "Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012 - Review" . AllGame . All Media Network . Archived from the original on November 14, 2014 . Retrieved December 10, 2020 .
• ↑ Chick, Tom (December 15, 1998). "Rogue Trip" . Gamecenter . CNET . Archived from the original on August 23, 2000 . Retrieved November 25, 2021 .
• 1 2 Lomas, Ed (January 1999). "Rogue Trip" . Computer and Video Games . No.   206. EMAP . p.   60. ISSN   0261-3697 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 EGM staff (November 1998). "Rogue Trip". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No.   112. Ziff Davis. p.   247. ISSN   1058-918X .
• 1 2 3 4 5 Super Teeter; Justice, Brandon "Big Bubba"; Ngo, George "Eggo" (January 1999). "Rogue Trip" . GameFan . Vol.   7, no.   1. Shinno Media. p.   16. ISSN   1092-7212 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 3 Garrett, Steve (October 2, 1998). "Rogue Trip Review" . GameSpot . Red Ventures. Archived from the original on July 25, 2016 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
• 1 2 "Rogue Trip" . Next Generation . No.   48. Imagine Media. December 1998. p.   132. ISSN   1078-9693 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• 1 2 3 "Rogue Trip". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . Vol.   2, no.   2. Ziff Davis. November 1998.
• 1 2 EGM staff (November 1998). "Grudge Match: Twisted Metal 3 vs Rogue Trip". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No.   112. Ziff Davis. p.   220. ISSN   1058-918X .
• ↑ Dan Elektro (November 1998). "Rogue Trip Review" (PDF) . GamePro . No.   122. IDG. p.   172. Archived from the original on November 14, 2004 . Retrieved November 25, 2021 .
• ↑ IGN staff (November 3, 1998). "GTI Reports Slight Loss in Q2" . IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
• ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (July 9, 1999). "Off the Record, Vol. 26" . IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
• ↑ "Checkpoint! The PSM Release Schedule" . PSM . No.   21. Imagine Media. May 1999. pp.   24–25. ISSN   1095-4163 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• ↑ "Coming Soon: 2000 - The Year's Games" . PlayStation Power . No.   48. Future Publishing . January 2000. p.   45 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• ↑ "Intelligence: In The Studio" . Next Generation . No.   56. Imagine Media. August 1999. p.   13. ISSN   1078-9693 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 .
• ↑ IGN staff (January 25, 2000). "Rogue Trip Team Turns PlayStation 2" . IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019 . Retrieved January 14, 2019 .
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Rep. Young Kim for the Hill: Congress must act to support our allies Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel

Apr 8, 2024 | Editorials , National Security & Foreign Affairs

Originally published in the Hill on April 8, 2024

Ukraine is fighting for its existence against Vladimir Putin’s rogue aggression; Israel is defending its right to exist against Hamas terrorists; and Taiwan and our Indo-Pacific partners face growing military threats from Xi Jinping’s China and Kim Jong Un’s North Korea. Russia, Iran, China and North Korea do not just have their eyes on these targets — they’re watching the United States. Our response to these threats will directly determine our national security and standing on the world stage. 

It’s nothing new that weakness invites aggression. Our adversaries have been emboldened by the Biden administration’s foreign policy decisions, particularly with the botched withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan without a plan to ensure stability in the region.  President Biden said he owed “no apologies”  and that  no one would be left behind , but Americans and allies know this was not the case. As a result, our adversaries are emboldened, and our allies and partners are questioning our leadership.  

We made commitments to Ukraine. It  voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons program  in a 1994 agreement known as the Budapest Memorandum in which the United States, United Kingdom and Russia guaranteed Ukraine’s security. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine violated this agreement, and as a result, the United States has provided much-needed aid to the Ukrainian people to follow through on our commitments. Now, the free world is questioning how committed we are to defending our friends and our values.  

Our ally Israel is fighting for its right to exist after enduring a savage unprovoked attack from Hamas and continued aggression from Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Turning our backs on Israel would send a signal that Iran — the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism — has one less obstacle to its goal of destroying Israel and dominating the Middle East. 

Deterrence is not divisible. American leadership on the world stage requires us to stand strong in our commitments toward our allies and partners. History has shown repeatedly that when the free world wavers, adversaries interpret this as a green light to attack. Taiwan knows this as well. Recently, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu  said that the U.S. failing to support Ukraine would embolden Xi Jinping  and support Beijing’s propaganda that the United States is not a reliable partner. 

We would be fools to think that Putin will end his aggression with Ukraine, that Hamas and Iran will not seek the complete destruction of Israel, and that Xi Jinping will be content with the status-quo in the Indo-Pacific. If our adversaries win, they will rewrite the rules of the road at the expense of America’s national security and global standing. We will be leaving a more dangerous, less predictable world for our children.  

Weapons and other aid provided must be targeted and used as intended, and my colleagues and I on the Foreign Affairs Committee are continuing to conduct oversight of aid that has been sent by the United States. In this work, I discovered the  United States had not delivered $19 billion in arms sales to Taiwan . If we want our allies and partners to continue to turn to us, they need to trust us. That requires us to deliver on our commitments and transfer weapons sold to our partners in a timely manner. 

Securing our border is also an extremely urgent national security priority. Supporting aid to our allies does not mean we do not want to secure the border. The crisis at our Southern border is worse than ever thanks to the policies put in place by the Biden administration. Just as the Biden administration was able to unilaterally rescind policies put in place by the previous administration to deter crossings — such as “Remain in Mexico” to require migrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico while their cases are vetted — the Biden administration can reinstate these policies or take other executive actions to begin to secure our border.  

Just because the Biden administration can act does not mean that Congress should not. Our constituents sent us to Washington to protect their families and livelihoods. That’s why I remain extremely disappointed that there has not been an agreement on a bipartisan border security and foreign aid package.  

Democracy is messy by design, and big problems can’t be fixed overnight. But failing to act to support our allies will also hurt the United States. I came to Congress to break through the partisan gridlock, work across the aisle, and get things done for our country. The American people crave solutions, and Congress must deliver. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has said that a targeted bill to help Ukraine’s defense will come to the floor once we get back from recess and I will hold him to it.  

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Rogue River Rafting and Kayaking Scenic Float & Discovery Park

• Local taxes
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• Noah's River Adventures, 53 N Main St, Ashland, OR 97520, USA We are located in the downtown plaza of Ashland, Oregon next to Greenleaf and Manzanita. The main plaza has limited all day parking so be sure to check the signs when parking for your trip. We recommend Granite Street, Water Street, or parking near Lithia Park.
• Not wheelchair accessible
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• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Minimum age is 2 years
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• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

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• You'll start at Noah's River Adventures 53 N Main St, Ashland, OR 97520, USA We are located in the downtown plaza of Ashland, Oregon next to Greenleaf and Manzanita. The main plaza has limited all day parking so be sure to check the signs when parking for your trip. We recommend Granite Street, Water Street, or parking near Lithia Park. See address & details
• Pass by Noah's River Adventures Rogue River
• 1 The Rogue Discovery Park- (No road access-Arrival by river only) Stop: 60 minutes - Admission included Awesome lake front private park. Great for families! You have the choice to purchase food and drink of choice. Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• sandycF8614BT 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles So much fun! We had a great experience on the white water rafting trip. The guide was Awesome and told us exactly what to do. We had a blast! Read more Written September 19, 2023
• 324madc 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Best Value for river Adventures! I highly recommend Noah’s River Adventures. We were on the last group to raft the upper Kalamath River before the government removed the dams. My guide was Paul and everyone was excellent. It was better than anticipated. They made sure we were safe and gave us safety preparation lessons and equipment. We had the best time and I feel for everything we got including the breakfast and lunch, and all the fun … it was underpriced. I’m going to be using Noah’s again in the future on the Rogue river. You won’t regret using this river adventure company. Thank you so much ! Read more Written September 16, 2023
• Karen Ann K 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Ashland river rafting We had a very enjoyable time. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a good trip for beginners. There were only two areas where there were level three and four rapids. The snack break was an unexpected surprise with delicious watermelon, homemade hummus, pico de gallo, veggies, chips or crackers followed by various cookies. I was glad it wasn’t prepackaged food. Read more Written August 25, 2023
• kathleen255 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Perfect Rafting Trip! We LOVED our Upper Klamath rafting trip! Our guide was Trevor, and he was the best and made the trip SO much fun. He was our guide two years ago on a Rogue River rafting trip with Noah’s too! He recommended we try the Upper Klamath and it did not disappoint. The transport, food, and company was wonderful. We can highly recommend Noah’s River Adventures. Read more Written August 12, 2023
• russ2fer 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Come sail away I took a river adventure with my wife, son and his lovely girlfriend. Our guide Tanner P was the lead boat on the river and his expertise about all rafting safety and knowledge of the river was extraordinary. The rest of the guides, Danny, Max, Logan, Kai were all great as well. The staff at the counter where we signed up explained everything thoroughly so there were no supposed on the river. Tanner made us all feel comfortable and a part of the adventure. My son and girlfriend will be back for the next level of whitewater soon. Thanks to all and would definitely recommend anyone to join Noah’s rafting in the future. Read more Written July 28, 2023
• GFrib 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Lots of WATER Lots of rapids. Lots of water!!! Brad guided us on good lines to enjoy the most of the river. Hope to do again as other grandchildren get older. Read more Written July 22, 2023
• joang386 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles An Awesome Adventure! I went with family and friends and we all agreed that the “all day” white rafting trip on Klamath River was exactly as described “awesome!” You will not be disappointed with the numerous rapids! Tanner P. our guide was professional and fun! I felt safe as he was skillful in maneuvering the safest path through the turbulent white waters! He also pointed out various birds and interesting archaeological facts. Thank you Tanner P. To round out the experience, you are provided with a yummy continental breakfast and a deli sandwich lunch! Read more Written July 19, 2023
• matthewtayl0rj 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Purely awesome whitewater experience with Trevor at the helm. So lucky to have an amazing guide like Trevor lead us through the Rogue River. We had a group of experienced paddlers and total beginners for Powerhouse & Nugget Falls and he gave us a balanced, safe, and thrilling roll down the river. We're still talking about how much fun we had as a team and we're already planning another round with the Noah Team and Trevor. Read more Written July 12, 2023
• Relax67218597850 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Upper Klamath River adventure Had an amazing day on the Upper Klamath. Professional through and through. Highly recommend! Trevor, Nate, Kaia and Pam were terrific. Read more Written June 28, 2023
• gerhardg627 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful and exciting experience My adult son and I experienced the full day upper Klamath trip. There were 4 rafts in our group, each holding 6 people plus the guide (7 in all). Tanner was the guide in our raft and we had a great experience. Tanner was an excellent leader, giving detailed instructions before and during the trip. He also gave us some history about the areas we traveled through. We would highly recommend taking a trip with this company and with this guide :-) Read more Written June 27, 2023
• sandrawK2852RW 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Upper Klamath, June 24th Wonderful, knowledge, caring guides. Our group had experienced rafters and first timers and all had a great time. Thanks for a thrilling, safe trip. Read more Written June 26, 2023
• Dianaellie 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Last year for the Upper Klamath! Got to try white water rafting for the first time this weekend - what an absolute blast! The trip was on the Upper Klamath river with Noah’s River Adventures. Great guides, fun people and lots of wild water! #Noahsriveradventures #Noahsrafting Read more Written June 25, 2023
• chrisdX3800YE 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing and fun rafting trip Best rafting trip our group has ever been on (two years in a row now!) Great for 14 and 16 year olds. Good staff, fun to be around. Catered lunch was so wonderful. I highly recommend Noah's. Read more Written June 18, 2023
• David C 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles First time, but not our last! What an awesome experience! I took my 14 year old son for his and my first rafting experience and it was something I will never forget. The river and scenery were beautiful, we got to see bald eagles, osprey, barons and much more. The guides were knowledgeable, fun and extremely professional, we had Trevor who was great. Very knowledgeable about the river and history plus gave us a few exciting experiences. The lunch was great too, we had fresh deli meats and breads and lots of veggies and goodies to snack on. Pam the bus driver was great too. Overall I highly recommend Noah’s. I can’t wait to join them again! Read more Written May 29, 2023
• Butch1195 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing!! It's the ROGUE RIVER, not the ROUGE!!! Lot's of scenery, wildlife, and good company. Good food and healthy beverages. Read more Written December 13, 2022

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Rogue River Rafting and Kayaking Scenic Float & Discovery Park provided by Noah's River Adventures