Criterion Games’ (TrickStyle) newest stunt-based title, Airblade, puts you in the role of N*Sync reject cum airblade wizard, Ethan, who has to rescue his girlfriend from corporate nasties who are after his fabled hoverboard. You do this by kickflipping the enemy agents into submission with your board and wrecking their vehicles by grinding on top of them. No, really! To be fair, Airblade looks pretty with smooth character animations, beautifully rendered textures, and a rock-steady frame rate. The levels are nicely laid out, and there’s some fun to be had by just roaming around and performing stunts in the Freestyle mode. Plus, the controls are smooth and easy to get a handle on. Airblade’s story-based gameplay, however, vacillates between too simple and ridiculously hard—some levels you’ll breeze through, while others you’ll have to repeatedly restart because of stupid mistakes. Of no help is the inane dialogue and outdated music that sounds like the 1984 hit "Jam on It" remixed by Yello. Call this a rental at (very) best.
