Publisher: SCE San Diego Studio, Sony Computer Entertainment
Cert: 7+
Platform: PS Vita
Genre: Racing
ModNation Racers can easily be summed up as Mario Kart meets LittleBigPlanet. Gameplay features an assortment of little cars competing in a race while seeking power-ups and boost panels and avoiding opponents attacks and obstacles. Your character, his/her vehicle and even tracks are entirely customisable much like the Sackboys and user created levels from LBP and more costumes / customisations become available by winning challenges, finding items and by simply buying them as DLC. ModNation, however, never quite lives up to either franchise. The courses and controls all work well (although I found using the touch screen for power ups slightly awkward) and it is very hard to find anything specific to complain about but it simply does not have the same polish as the Nintendo racer. It is one of the best attempts out of the many imitators but if you have a 3DS, Mario Kart 7 is the better choice. With the customisation section, again, there is little to complain about as there are massive amounts of choices in design and it will add much need replay value when searching for more ways to make your racer and its car unique. That being said, I've never really connected to my racer in any version of ModNation as I have with my Sackboy in LBP and it makes all the difference.
Not being equal of two franchises that are generally considered the top in their fields is hardly a deal breaker but the Vita version has some bigger issues. Loading time for a handheld is far too long and there isn't enough here to justify getting this if you have a previous version. Both points were also an issue with Wipeout as well but at least there the gameplay felt different when played on a handheld - this is not the case with ModNation. The more worrying problem is the lack of online play. In a game series built around community and customisation not being able to race online is beyond bizarre - particularly with the efforts of the Vita to emphasis social gaming. And this is from someone normally much happier playing offline. Yes you can share designs and such like but it is not the same as taking your little creation online and competing.
Racing fans seem to have been well catered for out of the Vita's initial launch line-up. Like Wipeout, ModNation Racers is an enjoyable game, but one that already has a version on the PS3. It suffers from long load times and has an issue with online play - while Wipeout has a restrictive online mode, ModNation simply has none.
A competent racer particularly if you do not own a Nintendo console or another version of the game but even new players will find the lack of online play a huge missed opportunity.
Rent or Buy: Buy
Graphics: 3/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Replay: 3.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Reviewed by: JP Gallagher
