Game Review: MotorStorm RC (PS Vita)

MotorStorm RC is a top-down racing title available to download from the PlayStation Store for your PS Vita. It was part of the launch lineup for the PS Vita way back in February of 2012, and for those of you lucky enough to own a PSVita and a PS3 it also supports the Cross Buy initiative.

The main differences between the Vita version of MotorStorm and its PS3 brother is the fact that you are racing Remote Controlled versions of the many vehicle classes found in the previous games, Monster Truck, Racing Truck, Supercar etc. Settings for the games tracks are taken from all 4 previous Motorstorm titles.

The controls for this game are slightly different, as you are guided into using the PS Vita’s analogue sticks for steering and throttle control through the initial tutorial. Anyone who has owned a Remote Controlled vehicle will recognize this setup, but you are given the option to change your controller setup should you wish to at any time. MotorStorm RC does make use of the touchscreen for navigating the menus, but not much else and you can easily use the directional buttons for navigating menus if you so wish. The top-down camera also gives you a good view of your vehicle and the track without seeming too far away to make anything out clearly.

The single player campaign consists of you taking on a variety of challenges, from straight races against AI opponents to Time attacks and drift racing. Winning medals in these events unlocks new tracks, vehicles and paintjobs for you to use over the entire game. The different vehicle classes you will use have their own strengths and weaknesses as you would expect, and coupled with the track terrain, will keep you from becoming too complacent with a particular vehicle class.

Multiplayer is different from previous MotorStorm titles. The Pit Wall will become your 1st port of call where you can see exactly how your lap times stack up against your friends. You can race against their uploaded ghosts, or you can upload your own times for your friends to take on.

MotorStorm RC is also a Cross Buy title, which means that when you purchase the Vita version of MotorStorm RC you get the PS3 copy at no extra cost. This also means that you can play and save your progress on one machine and pick up from where you left off on the other. Witchcraft I tell you!

There is also a plethora of downloadable content available for you once the single player campaign is over. The PRO AM and Carnival packs add more tracks, vehicles and challenges to your roster, while you can pick up single vehicles like a double decker bus or a hotdog if you would like something different for the weekend maybe.

I was not expecting much from MotorStorm RC, particularly at its value price point, but do not let that fool you! I spent hours attempting to collect every gold medal available, and more still trying to surpass my friends lap times. I also feel that this top-down style of racing actually fits the Vita really nicely and makes the game feel very different from the competition.

Overall then, It’s a fast, challenging, fun and incredibly addictive title. That I would highly recommend to anyone. Just be careful if you commute by public transport, that you don’t miss your stop while enjoying this, I laugh now, but back then…

Ben Gove

At A Glance