The other special race is the speed race and again features a clock counting down. This time driving through certain gates will grant five seconds. The goal is to get through the designated number of gates with more then 15 seconds left on the clock. Both of these special races are very fun and help to break up the normal races quite nicely.
Wreckreation modes allow for time attack, free play or multiplayer matches. Time attack is a competition waged against the developer’s best time in each vehicle on each track. Free play is just that choose the vehicle, the track, how many laps and how many racers and go have fun. The online can be played either via ad-hoc or over Wi-Fi. Either way it is very well incorporated and works very well with little to no lag. Sometimes finding a game online can be a bit tedious but once the race has begun, let the fun begin. Compete with up to five other racers, and like the single player campaign top placers gain points for finishing well. These points will then be used to increase overall online rank.
When it comes to the actual races you instantly feel that MotorStorm vibe once on the track. From the various pieces of junk that was put together to make signs and walls, to the variety of vehicles on the track together it all just feels right. The racing is also very similar because there are multiple routes you can utilize on each track. Some routes favor lighter, faster vehicles and some favoring the larger, slower vehicles. Knowing which way to go for each vehicle can be frustrating, but with practice this strategy pays off.
Nitro as with other MotorStorm games is a huge part in Arctic Edge. Its boost of speed will be required in order to finish well, but be careful to much use could end in a fire ball. Like MotorStorm: Pacific Rift there are ways to cool your nitro down quicker. Water and deep snow will quickly disapate heat, but also slow down the vehicle. It will take some practice to determine when to cool off and when to go for broke.
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge also features a trophy like system where it gives you badges for certain accomplishments. From exploding over the finish line multiple times to finishing a race without using boost, reward are a plenty. Other rewards include vehicle customization, most of the vehicles include two to three paint jobs. The customization doesn’t stop there as other packs allow for changes to rims, bumpers, wings, sponsor placements and pretty much the color of everything. It doesn’t effect driving at all, but it is still a very cool feature and a welcomed addition.
The graphics are actually quite good, and when compared to some other PSP games this one really does stand out. The cars do not explode into thousands of pieces, but the effects are still fitting to the series. The tire prints will stay in the snow throughout each lap which is pretty cool, and the game just in general looks great. The sound also is crisp and clear, each car has a unique sound and the game has a very solid soundtrack with some of the songs from the previous two games making there way into this one.
The difficulty curve because it can be rough. The level one through three races are so easy that you will finish sometimes 20 or 30 seconds ahead of second place, but then hit level four and higher and you can not shake the AI. This is more frustrating then a negative, but it still can be a turn off at times.
Overall this is a must own for PSP owners. If you’re a racing fan, a fan of MotorStorm or just like to have fun this is your game. The amount of content packed into this racer really is astounding and should supply hours of play time. It doesn’t look like Gran Turismo will be the only solid PSP racers this holiday season.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Gameplay feels much like the PS3 versions Graphics and sound are top notch Difficulty curve is a tad high |
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