Midnight Club: Los Angeles Review

8.8

Format PlayStation Portable

Developer Rockstar San Diego

Publisher Rockstar

Genre Racing / Driving

All too often the PSP version of a major multiformat release is the poor relation. Not so with Midnight Club: LA Remix. The visuals may not be as flashy, the sound as loud, but everything else is on a par with the home console versions.

The on-road action is the real highlight here. You can speed through a virtual Los Angeles (or Tokyo) at a blistering pace, even with the starter cars, and there's always a tight corner to turn, a shortcut to smash through, or a dumb civilian car to avoid. The handling works well on the PSP's analogue stick and the rest of the controls are sensibly mapped, so you don't have to perform finger-yoga to win a race.

Difficulty-wise, the game is spot on, so it's unlikely you'll ever win or lose too many races in a row. Each contest is usually decided in the last few turns, making each one a real thrill. It can be annoying when you lead all race and hit a lorry in the home straight, but it never feels unfair.

On top of that there's a brilliant, extensive four-player Wi-Fi mode to extend your enjoyment. One of the best handheld packages of the year without a doubt.

Gamesmaster Staff