In a surprise twist earlier this week, Sony announced that Evolution Studios’ latest entry in the MotorStorm franchise would be a free download for PlayStation Vita users. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the PS3 version will follow suit with the freeness. Either way, you may as well “buy” the free game for your PSN account even if you don’t have a Vita yet as it appears to be a “limited time offer.”
I played through a couple of races and it’s definitely a fun little game to have on the go. It’s essentially a modern version of those single screen old school RC racing games. (Or RC Pro Am if that was your jam. It was definitely mine.) The controls are dead simple (Steer and go) and there’s a ton of events to play through and trophies to earn. Still, I gotta admit to being terrible at this game since I’m so used to behind-the-wheel racing games. Put me in a top-down isometric view and I just crash into walls all the time.
While there’s no multiplayer in the traditional sense, the game still invokes intense competitive instincts through its asynchronous leaderboard competition. Every time you finish a race, you see how you stack among your friends and the game prompts you to . It’s very similar to the Need For Speed Autolog or SSX’s RiderNet. I normally don’t give a crap about leaderboards, but when it’s tastefully shoved in my face after finishing a race, the competitive juices start flowing. There’s also a time trial mode, a freeplay playground mode, and a customizable single race event mode with bots. Basically, there’s enough content here to justify a $9.99 or maybe even a $14.99 price point. Since it’s free (for now), you don’t have to worry about rationalizing your purchase. Go get it, Tiger.
MotorStorm RC features 16 unique tracks spread across four extreme environments, including the dusty desert mesas of Monument Valley, the dangerous jungles of a Pacific Island, the icy tundra at the Arctic Edge, and the apocalyptic ruins of a destroyed urban city. Players can conquer these environments in powerful radio-controlled vehicles, with hundreds of uniquely customized models to collect in 8 distinct categories: Buggies, Superminis, Rally Cars, Muscle Cars, Racing Trucks, Supercars, Big Rigs and Monster Trucks.
MotorStorm RC Driving to PS Vita for FREE, Courtesy of Scion – PlayStation Blog.