MotorStorm: Arctic Edge on Playstation Portable Initial Impressions.

We've never been quite so inundated with PSP content. And that's exciting.

Probably the biggest compliment you can pay to MotorStorm: Arctic Edge is that it is essentially a portable version of the Playstation 3 games. Set atop an arctic mountain, the PSP iteration of MotorStorm from BigBig studios is structured in exactly the same way as its predecessors.

The Festival mode again represents the bulk of the single-player experience. Here, entering and winning events earns  XP, which in turn unlocks further events and enables you to gather more points. A fitting snowball structure for a suitable title enamoured with the snow.

Jumping into the first event, it's blisteringly apparent how close MotorStorm's PSP counterpart is to its home console equivalent. With graphics and textures suitably dumbed down for the lesser powered portable system, it's the handling that sucked us in. Expecting floaty physics in Arctic Edge is a big mistake, just like the Playstation 3 title the cars handle with that arcade weight, allowing you to slip in and around corners and use the boost to counter the oversteer. Environments are particularly detailed, if a little rough, but it would be unfair to compare the presentation of a PSP title against the PS3. Know that the game is certainly impressive given its heritage, with a solid frame-rate and slick vehicle models. The damage of the car models is particularly rewarding, with the slow-motion rag-doll replays making a return as comically as ever.

"Too-cool-for-school" audio complements the whole experience, with some chugging power-chord driven rock anthems supporting the extreme-sports style gameplay. Presentation is also suitably "alternative" with bright colour combinations and wonky stickers providing you with the information you need to know. It's a clean and suitable aesthetic for the game.

MotorStorm: Arctic Edge will do nothing to entice those who aren't fans of the MotorStorm games on the Playstation 3. But if you are, Arctic Edge looks set to be the perfect accompaniment to Pacific Rift. A portable companion of an excellent racing game. And like we said; that's probably the biggest compliment you can pay it.

We'll have a full review of MotorStorm: Arctic Edge over the coming week.