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By Hanleigh Daniels 20 November 2009

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The wild off-road racing game series, MotorStorm, was one of the first games launched on Sony\'s PSP Go. The unpredictable Alaskan terrain is the location for the latest instalment of the wild and alternative series. You get to race through multi-route tracks, ruthless terrain, and freezing weather conditions in an effort to become festival champ.

In addition to the six vehicle classes from the original MotorStorm, Arctic Edge features new snow-specific vehicle classes, the Snow Cat and Snow Plow, as well as 12 new snow-covered tracks. Players are not only challenged by AI competitors, but also by the environment, as there’s a variety of dangerous arctic conditions, including sudden avalanches and broken ice bridges that could knock you out of the lead at any moment.

The PSP version of the game also features a unique Photo Mode which allows you to snap and save the best action photos and send them to friends via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. There’s also the ability to add music from a memory stick to create a full list of your favourite songs to keep you motivated. The only negative point we found was that there\'s very little variety in the scenic landscapes; limited to the Alaskan tundra.

The course designs are quite cool and become progressively more challenging as you advance in the game. You also get to unlock different vehicle types and upgrades to your vehicles as you progress. It looks great, the little screen effects like mud and snow are done to good effect and the game manages to maintain a high frame rate, despite the odd moment of sluggishness when the entire pack of racers is on screen simultaneously.

Its physics engine can be a little frustrating at times as even a slight touch against rock wall sends you crashing out and you have to reset your vehicle on the road, which more than often than not costs you a couple of positions.

MotorStorm Arctic Edge is a good way to kick off your PSP Go gaming experience, although it\'s not as challenging or nearly as involved as Gran Turismo.

PROS
Graphics and visual effects.
CONS
Fussy physics engine. No real longevity.
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