MotorStorm RC

MotorStorm RC took the wild off-road racing series and shrank it down to remote-controlled models racing on tracks viewed from above. The change in perspective looks like a minor gimmick at first, but it fundamentally changes the nature of the game. Instead of a tense scramble through a pack of rivals, the player focuses on driving the perfect line, hunting for the ideal racing line, and shaving off a tenth of a second in every corner. Individual races usually last only around a minute, so the game can be turned on and off literally while waiting for a bus.

The structure is built on sets of challenges divided by environment and vehicle type, from buggies through pickups to monster trucks, with each one handling differently on the surface. Completing objectives unlocks further events, and the main driving force is the leaderboards, which instantly show the times of friends and players from around the world. This quiet battle over tenths of a second is what makes the game most addictive, because the difference of one badly taken corner is visible immediately. The environments stay true to the series' roots — dusty canyons, snowy slopes, and muddy coastlines — just at a miniature scale. The top-down view also reveals the whole course at once, so the player sees ahead, and a mistake can only be blamed on their own impatience, not an unexpected turn beyond the horizon.

The game launched as an inexpensive digital title and offered a purchase valid for both PlayStation 3 and Vita at once, including shared progress, which felt like a generous move at the time. Critics praised the precise controls, clean look, and fair price, with reservations mainly aimed at the experience being rather compact and repetitive. Today, MotorStorm RC is a pleasant reminder of how well Evolution Studios understood the feel of driving, and it remains one of the best Vita games for short moments between other activities.