Preview: MotorStorm (PS3)

As gamers start to consider the possibilities for their shiny new system, Motorstorm could well be the hidden gem.

Gamestyle has playtested the latest work from Evolution Studios, better known for licensed racing games. This time, they’ve created an off-road racer, and let’s face it, roads are boring.

Motorstorm is essentially Smuggler’s Run meets Burnout meets Road Rash, a melting pot of goodness, mixed together with a dollop of state-of-the-art graphics. This is definitely something to show off your PS3 with.

A sun-bleached track has you racing around a mountainside, complete with ramps, rocks, bumps and grinds. If you fall off the edge, you’ll plummet in slow motion, your ragdoll body twisting and turning before either smacking into the rockface or descenting lower into the ether.

You can race a variety of vehicles; buggies, bikes etc, and have a variety of differently transported opponents in a single race. Motorbikers can be pushed into the dirt, Road Rash style.

It's a game that is easy to pick up and play, and immediately pleasing.

Gamestyle played with a smile on our face, and it's one that we want to play again. Worth buying a PS3 for?

Words by Chris Faires