View source for Shox

{{Short description|2002 video game}}
{{About|the video game|the shoe style|Nike Shox|the human SHOX gene|short-stature homeobox gene|professional esports player|shox (gamer)}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Shox
| image = Shox.jpg
| developer = [[EA Bright Light|EA UK]]
| publisher = [[EA Sports BIG]]
| director = Matt Birch
| producer = Nick Channon
| designer =
| programmer = Rajan Tande
| artist = David Kenyon
| engine =
| released = {{vgrelease|EU|September 27, 2002<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=September 27, 2002 |title=What's New? |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/article-46746 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref>|AU|October 31, 2002<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Shox'' |url=http://www.gpstore.co.nz/product.x?1456914 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030522175011/http://www.gpstore.co.nz/product.x?1456914 |archive-date=May 22, 2003 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=[[Gameplanet]]}}</ref>|NA|November 12, 2002<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvert |first=Justin |date=November 12, 2002 |title=''Shox'' now in stores |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shox-now-in-stores/1100-2897361/ |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=[[GameSpot]] |language=en-US}}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Racing video game|Racing]]
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[PlayStation 2]]
}}
'''''Shox''''' (also known as '''''Shox: Rally Reinvented''''') is an [[Racing video games#Arcade-style racers|arcade]] [[rallying|rally racing]] video game developed by [[EA Bright Light|EA UK]] and published by [[Electronic Arts]] under the [[EA Sports BIG]] label in North America and Europe for the [[PlayStation 2]] in fall of 2002. ''Shox'' features 24 licensed vehicles from real-life makers like [[Audi]], [[BMW]], [[Toyota]], [[Mitsubishi]], [[Subaru]], [[Lancia]], and [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]. The game introduced a unique concept, "Shox Zones". Within each track there are specially designated areas, or "Shox Zones" where players are awarded Bronze, Silver, and Gold placements based on their driving skills.
==Gameplay==
''Shox: Rally Reinvented'' features three environments where all tracks are based upon: Arid (a desert-like, sandy environment), Jungle (a densely vegetated, muddy environment), and Ice (an arctic, snowy and icy environment). In every track, there are three "Shox Zones", areas the player must cross while being timed. When the player reaches the end of a Shox Zone, the player is rewarded with cash based on the time taken to cross it, divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze. However, if the player takes too long to cross the zone, beyond the Bronze time, a reward will not be given. ''Shox'' doesn't feature the genre's traditional gameplay modes. Instead of time trial, single race, and career modes, ''Shox'' has only one: the championship mode where players take one of 24 cars through 30 different races that are spread across five unique leagues.<ref name="GSpot">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shox-review/1900-2898312 |title=Shox Review |author=Amer Ajami |date=November 21, 2002 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=July 14, 2018 |archive-date=July 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715011005/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shox-review/1900-2898312/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Shox features licensed rally cars, ranging from the [[Subaru Impreza WRC]], [[Porsche Cayenne Turbo]] and [[Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution]], which all feature visual damage and dirt from the tracks. The handling is very arcade oriented. Winning races earns money, which pays for car repairs or new cars. Multiplayer can be played with up to four-player splitscreen, either with races or capture the flag modes. There is also an option to split each controller so four players can be played with only two controllers.
Shox also features the concept of a "Shox Wave", a sort of shockwave that follows the track ahead of the player's car if they successfully pass, within Gold time, through all three Shox Zones, and is activated on the next 'checkpoint' (for lack of a better word) (it is not necessary to achieve Gold time in each Shox Zone within a single lap). During the duration of its presence, the player continually earns cash, but the Shox Zone system is temporarily disabled. The objective of the Shox Wave, should it be activated, is to drive fast enough to catch up to it before it reaches the next checkpoint. While approaching the Shox Wave, the screen will appear increasingly blurry and distorted and make driving at high speed more difficult. Should the player fail to catch up in time, the Shox Wave will disappear and the Shox Zone system will resume. On the other hand, if the player succeeds, the Shox Wave will speed ahead of the player upon passing the checkpoint, for the player to catch up to again.
==Development==
[[Electronic Arts]] announced that an off-road rally car racer was in development for the PlayStation 2 at E3 2002. The game was developed by [[EA UK]] studio.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/electronic-arts-announces-shox/1100-2874791 |title=Electronic Arts Announces Shox |author=Ricardo Torres |date=July 18, 2002 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=July 14, 2018 |archive-date=June 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619163649/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/electronic-arts-announces-shox/1100-2874791/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Development reportedly took only eight months as the [[GameCube]] version was eventually scrapped in favor of a holiday season release.<ref name="Euro"/> The game used the [[game engine]] from ''[[EA Sports F1 series|F1 2002]]''.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/14/shox |title=Shox |author=Jeremy Dunham |date=November 14, 2002 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605175832/https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/14/shox |url-status=live }}</ref> Described as a cross between ''[[Rally Cross (video_game)|Rally Cross]]'' and ''[[Ridge Racer (video game)|Ridge Racer]]'', ''Shox'' is part of the [[EA Sports BIG]] lineup, which targeted casual gamers with slick presentation and over-the-top arcade-style gameplay.
In Japan, the game was released under the name {{nihongo|'''''Rally Shox'''''|ラリーショックス|Rarī Shokkusu}} and was released on January 9, 2003. This version was published by [[Square (video game company)#Publishing and subsidiaries|Electronic Arts Square]] under the [[EA Games]] label instead of the EA Sports BIG label.
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==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 78/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/shox/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Shox for PlayStation 2 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=CBS Interactive}}</ref>
| Edge = 6/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Shox |author=Edge staff |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=116 |date=November 2002}}</ref>
| EGM = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1502404,00.asp |title=Shox |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=161 |date=December 2002 |page=218 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040401004822/http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1502404,00.asp |archivedate=April 1, 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
| EuroG = 7/10<ref name="Euro">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_shox_ps2 |title=Shox |author=Kristan Reed |date=September 27, 2002 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=July 14, 2018 |archive-date=July 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714193533/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_shox_ps2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Fam = 30/40<ref name="Fam">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=13350&redirect=no |title=ラリーショックス [PS2] |language=Japanese |magazine=[[Famitsu]] |publisher=[[Enterbrain]] |accessdate=July 14, 2018 |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426190704/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=13350&redirect=no |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GI = 7.25/10<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200211/R03.0731.1103.40122.htm |title=SHOX |author=Matt Helgeson |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issue=115 |date=November 2002 |page=128 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041117203043/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200211/R03.0731.1103.40122.htm |archivedate=November 17, 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/27064.shtml |title=Shox Review for PS2 on GamePro.com |author=Dan Elektro |date=November 13, 2002 |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG Entertainment]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212134612/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/27064.shtml |archivedate=February 12, 2005 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
| GSpot = 7.9/10<ref name="GSpot"/>
| GSpy = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/shox/569694p1.html |title=GameSpy: Shox |author=Shane Satterfield |date=November 20, 2002 |website=[[GameSpy]] |publisher=IGN Entertainment |accessdate=July 14, 2018 |archive-date=January 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103194958/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/shox/569694p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GameZone = 7.6/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/shox_ps2_review/ |title=Shox - PS2 - Review |author=Louis Bedigian |date=November 23, 2002 |website=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226014450/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20807.htm |archivedate=February 26, 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
| IGN = 7.8/10<ref name="IGN"/>
| OPM = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.playstationmagazine.com/article2/0,2053,1502405,00.asp |title=Shox |author=John Davison |magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=December 2002 |page=172 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626082132/http://www.playstationmagazine.com/article2/0,2053,1502405,00.asp |archivedate=June 26, 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>
}}
The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the [[Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[Metacritic]].<ref name="MC"/> ''[[Famitsu]]'' gave it a score of 30 out of 40.<ref name="Fam"/>
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{moby game|id=/ps2/shox}}
[[Category:2002 video games]]
[[Category:Cancelled GameCube games]]
[[Category:EA Bright Light games]]
[[Category:EA Sports Big games]]
[[Category:EA Sports games]]
[[Category:Electronic Arts games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Off-road racing video games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2 games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2-only games]]
[[Category:Racing video games]]
[[Category:Rally racing video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]