Motorstorm: Arctic Edge [PSP] Review

30 Sep 2009 at 09:40:41 by James Chalmers
Systems used to review this title: (PSP)

After recently tackling the gravel rally races of DiRT 2 on DS, I've now been attempting to deal with the snowy terrain of Motorstorm: Arctic Edge on the PSP. The Motorstorm series has been an exclusive and successful brand for the PS3 in recent years with the original and sequel, Pacific Rift scoring an average score of 80 per cent. But can the series make the successful leap to the handheld or should it have stayed on the console?

The main game mode you will be tackling is called Festival Mode, like any racing title the more wins you rack up the more tracks and cars are unlocked. The mode introduces a ranking system with you earning more points for 1st place, fewer for 2nd, and even less for 3rd. As you gain more points your driver will level up. Even though your stats don't change it results in more tracks being unlocked.

At the beginning you can find yourself breezing through the game and, on a couple of occasions, I crashed into the wall and watched as the other opponents sped off into the distance. Once my car was reset on the track it seemed to only take a matter of seconds before I was catching up with the pack and taking the lead. With the previous Motorstorm titles your cars have nitrous style boosters and I found you could easily extend your lead to the point of not having a single competitor in your sights for the rest of the race, earning numerous gold medals. However towards the latter stages the cars did seem to get a lot more tough, with the courses also becoming more varied.

Like the original Motorstorm titles on the PS3 the courses have numerous driving routes to choose from. With the races supporting 10 players you will be lining up against a wide variety of vehicles, some tracks only allowing specific vehicle types. While big trucks can muster the heavy and sticky snow ground on the floor they will struggle to master the high and winding tracks which are designed for the nimble snowmobiles and motorbikes. The levels all look different too; with a lot of the emphasis of the tracks being snow-based the developer has also added the likes of gravel and mud to mix up levels rather than sticking everyone on the same white tracks over and over again. Like the different routes, mastering the environment can mean the difference between first and second place, the last thing you want to happen is your Motorbike getting bogged down in the mud on the last lap as a big truck flies by towards the finish and you're left to listen to The Prodigy with your gold placed finish in ruins.

All ...

Comment