MotorStorm: Arctic Edge

Written by Tom Clare in PSP Game Reviews, Sunday 3 January, 2010

Released: 2009
Developer: BigBig Studios
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Racing
Platform: PSP

For a series that many saw as having its chief selling point intrinsically linked to its use of the PS3’s more advanced technology, the retreat of MotorStorm’s third outing to the PSP and PS2 formats was seen as something of a gamble. Developing Arctic Edge was a statement of commitment to these consoles from Sony, akin to a high-profile bargaining chip, as at the time of the games announcement, the Japanese giants were making fresh vows to support their ageing home console and the promising portable that had been allowed to drift.

Ironically, 2009 turned out to be a year littered with top-notch titles for the PlayStation Portable, but if Arctic Edge was at some stage intended to spearhead a software revival, it wasn’t reflected in its poor performance at retail. The almost complete lack of advertising likely didn’t help, nor will the arrival of forever-delayed portable Gran Turismo just two weeks later have done it any favours either, but the muted reception isn’t indicative of the games quality, as in reality, it could hardly have been any better.

Arctic Edge adapts the MotorStorm formula so that it instantly belongs in handheld form, and there’s a lot its PS3 equivalents could learn from it. The chief difference from its predecessors is obvious from the start, as the racing now takes place in snowy landscapes and icy tundras, making for a pleasant change from the over-subscribed dirt tracks seen elsewhere. As ever, the range of vehicles is vast and includes bikes, rally cars, trucks, quad bikes, buggy’s and many more besides. Its one thing to lump them all into a race together, but the design is so tight that all offer completely different driving experiences yet with a bit of practice, all prove competitive. Things are helped greatly by what is surely the most precise control the much-maligned analogue nub has offered in any racing game on the PSP.

The circuits show off considerable flair as well as the technical feats the game has achieved. In keeping with the open-world appeal of the PS3 games, each of the eight tracks feature numerous route variations; some that are quicker but more risky, some safer but more time-consuming and others that are best suited to specific vehicles. There’s a nice sense of freedom, though it’s never so large as to run the risk of getting you lost mid-race. Similarly, the slight downsizing of the PS3 versions’ crash physics is actually no bad thing, as though Arctic Edge is guilty of the odd moon-gravity moment, the terrain is a lot more forgiving and consistent on the whole; there’s no being bounced on to your roof courtesy of invisible pot-holes at least. The boost gauge returns and cleverly, its temperature can now be regulated by driving through water or heavy snow, whilst the myriad of treacherous ice-bridges, avalanches and insane jumps mean that whilst MotorStorm: Arctic Edge is challenging, it’s still a lot of fun.

As ever, the one-player Festival mode consists mainly of individual races that mix a variety of track and vehicle combinations, and there’s the occasional time-trial and multi-race invitational tournament to add a little variety. Thanks to copious use of the reverse courses, there are just short of a hundred challenges in all. It’s nice to see there’s actually a discernable learning curve too, making it easily the most accessible MotorStorm yet, though by the last twenty or so races the difficulty is ramped up to near-ludicrous proportions, where you are given literally no margin for error – it’s the only game I’ve ever played where the A.I. is actually tougher than the players you’ll face online…

…Which leads swiftly onto the games best feature, and the reason the PSP version is preferable to that of the PS2 – the brilliant online mode. Few PSP games have made full use of the consoles online gaming capabilities, but Arctic Edge delivers some fantastically addictive, close racing with up to five opponents. You’re limited to two race types with no tournament options, and longer races aren’t encouraged due to requirement of finishing within 30 seconds of the winner in order to be classified (even if you are running 2nd), which can become difficult if you crash a couple of times. Still, good results are rewarded with leaderboard points, and you can save and upload your Time Attack laps so as to rank your fastest times against others. Progress you make in the Festival unlocks new vehicles and customisable body kits that can in turn be shown off in the online races, so though the one-player can be hellish tough at times, it’s really rewarding.

It keeps on impressing; the menus are some of the sharpest and most attractive to have graced the PSP, whilst in-game a closer look at the snowy locales reveals significant attention to detail, with waterfalls, smoke beacons and even aurora’s dominating the horizon – very dynamic and all the more striking when you consider how smoothly it runs. The vehicles also look great, and even though it wasn’t strictly required of the developers as there are no performance-effecting damage parameters (you’re either running, or you’re wrecked and have to respawn), dents and scrapes are evident on the crafts that have been in a few tight battles.

Picking faults with it is tough, as there are only a couple of minor gripes. As mentioned earlier, it’s perhaps not a game novices will get much joy out of in the short-term and due to the demanding nature of the racing, it isn’t as tailor-made for gaming-on-the-go as titles like Ridge Racer due to the high levels of concentration needed. Otherwise, only the grating rock soundtrack lets the side down, but it can be forgiven this small hiccup.  

It remains to be seen if Sony can help to maintain the tenuous online community in the months and years following its release, but whether dozens play it or thousands, it doesn’t change the fact that Arctic Edge is about as good – and complete – a racing package as you could wish for on PSP. It pushes the hardware, its fun, well-designed, challenging and offers good value for money. As relevant as its PS3 counterparts, and the fact it loses almost nothing in its transition to the small screen (and in some instances, benefits) is nothing short of miraculous.

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