Recently, I bought a huge stack of PS3 games. I was late to the party with the PS3, so I'm playing catch-up by snagging A-list titles in the bargain bin. And as I play them, I'll review them!
First up: Motorstorm.
This was a very early PS3 title, if not a launch title. It's an arcade-style racing game that largely takes place in giant tracks that are filled with rocks, mud, desert, cliffs, etc. There are multiple paths to take, and there are a host of different vehicle types to choose from, including dirt bikes, ATV's, sand buggies, trophy trucks, rally cars, and even Paris-Dakar-style big rigs. Each one handles differently, and some are faster taking the low, muddy routes (like the big rigs) while some are better flying off of cliffs and jumps (dirt bikes).
You have to be on your toes, because crashing will happen in the blink of an eye. You race full tilt with 15 other cars at the same time, so there's bound to be car-on-car violence all over the place.
The cars control well, but there's a little lag between hitting the button and having the cars do what you tell it to do, but that's mainly because you are not on pavement. If you want to do some rear steering around the corner, grab the e-brake and hit the Boost button! The Boost button has a little risk/reward action going on, because if you hold it down to the redline on the Boost gauge, your car will explode violently. Knowing when to use it and knowing when to ease off comes with practice.
All in all, I paid $0.99 for a copy of this game. For that price, you cannot go wrong. It isn't nearly as in-depth as a game like GT6 or Forza, but it's a fun diversion that's easy to pick up and play. And it's plain ol' fun to go off jumps at full tilt!
Score: 4 out of 5 Miatas.
