REVIEW: Stunt X Mania (SXM) a 2026 VR Video Game on MetaQuest

Review by Jon Donnis

Stunt X Mania (SXM) is a VR motocross game built around one simple idea, learn to ride, learn the tricks and then see how far you can push yourself. Rather than making freestyle motocross feel like a collection of instant button presses, SXM puts more emphasis on actually controlling the bike and earning those spectacular moments.

The controls are one of the game's strongest aspects. Shifting and braking feel intuitive, while the motorcycle has a convincing sense of weight and movement. There is also a manual gear system for players who want greater control over their bike. It takes some practice to become comfortable with the clutch and gears, particularly when you are also trying to concentrate on landing a stunt, but thankfully there is a simplified option for anyone who wants a simpler experience.

The riding itself is enjoyable enough that the objectives are not always necessary. Free Roam provides a useful space to practise without timers or targets, and simply tearing around the dirt tracks can be good fun. The combination of speed, uneven terrain and aerial manoeuvres gives the game plenty of excitement.

SXM also gets its stunt system right. There are 12 authentic FMX tricks to learn, including Superman, Tsunami, Cliff Hanger, Heel Clicker, Lazy Boy, One-Hand Heart Attack, 9 o'clock Nac and MC Metz. You can begin with wheelies and endos before working towards the more demanding tricks and eventually attempting to chain manoeuvres together in mid-air.

That progression gives the game some longevity. The more advanced stunts are not simply handed to you, so improving your technique has a tangible purpose. Career Mode adds further structure through points and timers, while Challenges Mode provides specific objectives designed to test particular aspects of your riding.

Customisation is another welcome addition. Players can change their rider's clothing and helmet, as well as modify parts of the bike including the engine and exhaust. It is not the main reason to play SXM, but it gives you some opportunity to make the rider and machine feel more personal.

The presentation is less impressive. The graphics do the job, but they are functional rather than spectacular. With the game placing so much emphasis on the physical experience of riding, the visual presentation can feel secondary.

Unfortunately, motion sickness was a much bigger problem for me. I found SXM particularly uncomfortable in VR and struggled to play for more than around 20 minutes at a time. The problem was most noticeable on tracks with lots of bumps and grooves, where the constant virtual bouncing became unpleasant. This will obviously depend on the individual player, but for anyone susceptible to VR motion sickness, it is an important drawback.

The steep learning curve may also put some players off. While the basic riding controls are approachable, mastering the more complicated tricks requires patience and repeated practice. That will appeal to players who enjoy having something to master, but it can be frustrating if you are expecting immediate success.

There is also no multiplayer at present. That feels like a missed opportunity for a game based around stunts, scores and riding ability. Co-op sessions and competitive multiplayer lobbies are planned, but until those arrive, SXM remains a strictly solo experience.

The music helps maintain the game's energetic atmosphere, with electronic and synthwave tracks accompanying the action, while the dynamic sound effects add to the impact of riding and performing tricks.

Stunt X Mania (SXM) therefore has a solid core. The motorcycle controls are satisfying, the stunt system gives you plenty to learn and the automatic option prevents the manual transmission from becoming a barrier for less experienced players. There is also enough variety between Career Mode, Challenges and Free Roam to give you different reasons to keep riding.

Its biggest weakness is the VR experience itself. For me, the motion sickness was severe enough to significantly limit how long I could play, and the lack of multiplayer currently leaves the game feeling like it is missing an important feature.

If you are comfortable with VR movement and enjoy the idea of gradually mastering freestyle motocross, Stunt X Mania is worth a look. If motion sickness is already a problem for you, however, this is one I would approach very cautiously.

For now, I score Stunt X Mania (SXM) 7 out of 10.

Out Now on MetaQuest

https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/stunt-x-mania-sxm/23894287973498981/

REVIEW: MotoTrials™ (2025 Video Game) - A Brutal, Beautiful Little Gauntlet

Review by Jon Donnis

You wake in a shipping container, groggy and disoriented, and the game makes you figure out a few things first before allowing you to get on a bike, the very first puzzle is a simple one, you need to remove your handcuffs, find a giant saw, turn your back to it, time it right and voila you are free, get it wrong and you are shredded to pieces. That blunt opening sets the tone. MotoTrials™ is a compact, 100 per cent physics-driven motorcycle platformer that asks one simple thing of you. Learn the machine. Keep trying. Survive the gauntlet.

Ricky is not a hero with a backstory laid out in cutscenes. He is a name, a body and a bike, and the environment does the talking. The concrete labyrinth is industrial and claustrophobic, full of moving platforms, flame jets, crushers and bridges that give way underfoot. The design merges tight, exacting sequences where momentum and balance matter as well as reflex and quick thinking. Everything is governed by the physics, crashes feel consequential and recoveries feel earned. That honesty makes success quietly thrilling.

Controls are the heart of the thing. The bike behaves like a real object. Throttle, brake and lean change outcomes in an immediate, tactile way. At first it is unforgiving, because the bike is twitchy and your timing will be off. Spend a little time with it and the reward is big. Landings that would feel like luck in a scripted game become obvious once you understand speed and weight, and those moments are where MotoTrials lives. Checkpoints are placed with an eye for balance. Instant respawns mean you are nudged back into the loop rather than punished out of it. The loop is short, sharp and addictive.

The decision to include on-foot sections is bold. I prefer riding, personally, but the occasional moment where you leave the bike to solve a small puzzle adds variety. It is not flawless. Ricky's movement on foot can feel slightly floaty, and that undermines the otherwise consistent relationship between input and result. When the physics that make the bike sing do not translate perfectly to the character, the contrast pulls you out of the experience for a second. Still, those small puzzles break the rhythm in a useful way and stop the game from being relentless in one gear.

Story and voice work do more than you might expect. Cryptic messages and unsettling vocal lines stitch a loose narrative into the gameplay. Ashley and Crusty are memorable in different ways, MOM and Silent Mike add flavour, and the Announcer keeps things eerily formal. The cast does not handhold. Instead, it hints and teases, and that ambiguity works with the environment to create an atmosphere that is quietly unsettling. It does not aim to be profound, just unnerving enough to make you keep listening on the off chance the next line will spell something out.

Visually the game is modest. Textures and models are functional rather than showy. Lighting and sound do the heavy lifting for mood, and they do it well. The soundtrack is minimalist and atmospheric, shifting as you progress and underlining the tension without getting in the way. Together with the voice work it pushes the small studio presentation into something that feels cohesive rather than unfinished.

There are rough edges you should know about. The graphics could be cleaner, and a few physics quirks crop up away from the bike. Some transitions feel abrupt. These are the sorts of issues you forgive if you care more about the loops and less about visual polish. For a project that, by all appearances, was made on a modest budget, the trade-offs are understandable. The core mechanics are intact, and that is the main thing.

Replayability is solid for what it is. Time runs, collectibles tucked into awkward places and a handful of hidden secrets give players reasons to return after the first clear run. It is a short game if you rush, a bite-sized challenge if you take your time. That brevity helps it avoid filler, which feels intentional.

I am pretty strict with Trials-style games. I expect tight, fair design and a feeling that every failure can be learned from. MotoTrials meets that expectation more often than not. It stumbles in small spots, but it kept pulling me back, which is the highest compliment I can pay. It is a lean, occasionally rough gem that rewards patience and practice.

Score: 8 out of 10. It is not polished to excess, but it nails the satisfaction of learning a machine and beating the course. I hope ProudArts gets the chance to expand on this.

Out Now on Xbox

https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/mototrials/9N8GC20N1R76/0010