I'd been free of Trials' pull for nearly two years since Trials Evolution hit Xbox 360. Two. Years. But I couldn't say no to an invitation to see Trials Fusion -- the first in the sadomasochistic physics-based dirt bike racing series for the new-generation consoles -- and I sure as heck couldn't resist when I was handed an Xbox 360 controller plugged into a PC build of the game by RedLynx co-founder and Fusion creative director Antti Ilvessuo.

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I immediately fell right back into my old Trials habit (which I'll detail in a moment), and for good reason: Fusion doesn't miss a beat. I admit I was concerned about the 50-years-in-the-future direction they were taking the series in, particularly given how the game's key art -- which was about all we've seen since it's E3 2013 reveal -- showcased a robot riding a dirt bike. What about the game's sadistic humor, I thought, which gets us laughing at our poor rider as he gets comically tortured at the end of each track (and oftentimes during it)? Robot riders would ruin that fun. Fortunately, it's nothing to worry about. The robot/cyborg thing is just one of many goofy outfits you can customize your rider with (others include an Evel Knievel-style jumpsuit, a hazmat suit, and even a giant squirrel head), and there are in fact more ways to abuse your helpless avatar.Fusion's debut on the Xbox One and PS4 allows for some much prettier visuals than we've ever seen in the series, all while maintaining Trials' usual 60 frames per second. The PC build I played was in dire need of some anti-aliasing, but since the game is still in the polish phase (it's due out in April), I won't hold it against RedLynx just yet. Art direction, meanwhile, seems like it'll continue to be a Trials strong suit, as tracks range from pretty to downright gorgeous -- highlighted during my hands-on time by "Sunrise Dash," a low-lit course reminiscent of Evolution's memorable "Ridinghood" run.Structurally, Fusion is set up similarly to Evolution. Courses are grouped by difficulty, with license tests at the beginning of each teaching you a new bike-riding skill you'll need to survive that cluster of tracks. Restarting checkpoints or entire runs remains an instant press of the B or Back button, respectively. And that's where I can't help myself. I'm masochistic enough with this series that I can't seem to accept a silver medal -- which means crashes are a no-no. I will press the Back button as many times as it takes in order to do a clean, gold-medal-winning run-through of the track, and even though I expect Fusion to get just as frustratingly challenging as its predecessors (I was only able to play long enough to unlock medium-tier events), I need that perfect run. The payoff is so worth the frustration.But RedLynx has layered much more into each track than just the promise of leaderboard glory. Each course now has three unique challenges, and they can often lead to the developer's trademark off-kilter Easter eggs. I watched Ilvessuo carefully and intentionally drop his bike down one chasm, where a family of penguins lived below (complete with a "No Dirt Bikes" sign). His rider face-planted into the campfire they were surrounding, and then the camera switched to a first-person view of the rider, where three penguins all leaned in and looked down upon him with curious interest. Another stop while crossing a tennis court actually triggered a scored rider-versus-penguin match, with road signs serving as crude rackets. Ilvessuo promises you'll be able to make your own goofy sequences using the Track Editor, which returns to continue Trials' ongoing mission of blanketing your favorite online gaming service with more user-generated Trials content than you could ever hope to play in a lifetime.Meanwhile, new tournaments and clan-like Teams join the returning four-player local or online multiplayer (see video clip below), as do my beloved Skill Game events -- though in Fusion they're mixed in with regular campaign events. The one I played, dubbed "Big Air," has you ride down a steep descent and then launch yourself over your handlebars in an effort to get the farthest distance possible. I'm extremely excited to discover more of these in the final version, as they're arguably my favorite aspect of Trials games.Two other significant new features are jumping into the Fusion fray. The first is the FMX (read: freestyle motocross) mode, where you'll do physics-based tricks on your bike by making certain thumbstick movements, racking up as high a score as you can by the end of the course. The other is one that was expected but nevertheless welcome: quads. Yes, you can now ride ATVs on certain runs (some tracks require them, in fact), and in my initial test drive they seem like a natural fit into the Trials universe. They're heavier, harder to maneuver, and feel different enough to add a new wrinkle to the formula. They have the potential for good times, no doubt.Playing for over an hour straight from the beginning of Trials Fusion was like riding a (dirt) bike. I felt right at home, while all the new stuff -- even the art style -- seems welcome. How the game ramps in difficulty during the latter part of its 40 included tracks remains to be seen, as does its performance on both the next-gen consoles and the Xbox 360, but RedLynx's track record suggests we have little to worry about.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews and Xbox Guru-in-Chief. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan , on IGN , catch him on Podcast Unlocked , and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.