 Game Review - Modnation Racers (PS3)
By Christo van Gemert
Homebrew Hoedown
As any avid gamer knows, the worst part about a good game is that it inevitably has to finish. This is almost always the case and while it doesn’t mean you have to stop playing the game, knowing there is no more content to explore and no new experiences to be had is a sad realisation.
Certain games are exempt from being “finished”, such as massively multiplayer online games, where you nurture your character and let it continue “living” online. Fighting games are also endless in their replayability – the content is limited, but it’s always fun to spend a day bashing heads, in two-player mode. Racing games also lend themselves to this, in a way. Sure, there are only so many tracks and cars you can have, but there’s something soothing about perfecting your lines and getting that low, low lap time.
It’s a bit repetitive, though, and despite developers releasing new cars and tracks through DLC (downloadable content), it can only spice things up for so long.
ModNation Racers takes the latter concept – downloading game content from the internet – and puts players in charge. Instead of the game developers releasing new content every month, ModNation Racers has all the character, car and track creation tools built in. Players can craft their own race machines and arenas, and even fully customise their in-game avatar. The system is a bit unintuitive and needs some patience to learn, but it works beautifully. For those who don’t want to spend hours customising their experience, the online trading system lets them acquire others’ creations.
The core game – you know, with the “racing” bit – is fantastically fun. Much like Blur and Sonic & Sega All-star Racing, this has pickups to help racers along. Unlike any of those games, though, these powerups can be stacked. For instance, a single speed boost powerup can be used to gain a temporary boost. But collect another two crates (any crate will do) and it multiplies the effect for a massive jump in position. Other items work in the same way, with sometimes devastating effects when a levelled-up weapon is unleashed. Gorgeous graphics bring each of the cartoony levels to life with vibrant colours and crisply detailed models.
Sadly, all of this fun, variety and customisability comes at a huge cost. The loading times in ModNation Racers – to not mince words here – are horrible. It’s often unbearable to sit for 40+ seconds only to do a three-lap race. Those with online access – and ideally you do have online access, to get the most from the game – will be able to get an update for the game, which the developers promise reduces the load times, but don’t expect a drastic improvement. Other than that, it’s massive fun, and one of the year’s best PS3 games.
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