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Asphalt Injection
Asphalt Injection has received some harsh
reviews by some critics, however as it's the only racing game for the PS
Vita at the moment, it does showcase the capabilities of this console
and what the future of this genre may hold. Given that Ridge Racer
Unbounded is just around the corner, I'm sure we'll be getting more of
the same when that one is released.
Not being negative, Asphalt Injection is not perfect either and it
feels a little "light" in terms of content when compared to other racers
on home consoles such as the PS3. With that said, Asphalt Injection
feels like a more powerful iOS game that at the end of the day, gives
you that true sense of speed and some decent controls on the PS Vita.
Add in good graphics, a pumping soundtrack and all in all, you get a
rather honest racer for the PS Vita, even though it feels a little
rushed.
At its
heart, Asphalt Injection is a true arcade racer so if you're expecting
the next Gran Turismo, you best look elsewhere for your simulation fun.
This title has jumps, shortcuts, sharp corners and glorious nitro to
help you win the races. Impressively enough, it has 52 licensed cars
that include cars such as the Ferrari or my favourite Bond car, the
Aston Martin. All cars also drive differently.
Navigating the menu system for Asphalt Injection is done through the
touchscreen and controls are well mapped on the PS Vita itself. I must
admit that using the analog stick to control your vehicles definitely
adds to racing experience and it even uses the six axis gyroscope for
true motion steering. Because of the amount of screen size, the
gyroscope feature of Asphalt Injection was actually far superior than
both iPhone and iPad racing games but if you want accuracy, than analog
is the way to go.
If you
want to fine-tune your controls, the title does allow you to tweak,
however we found the standard settings were more than ample. But unlike
other racing games such as on the PSP, I did find Asphalt Injection a
little too patronising towards the player in terms of challenge and dare
I say a little easy at times.
The main gaming mode in Asphalt Injection is the career mode which
boasts over 100 events from time trials to duels with around 20 or so
tracks. By winning races, this not only allows you proceed to other
events but it rewards the player with trophies and more importantly
money. Money can then be used to purchase additional cars and parts to
hot up your car.
Petrol heads will be pleased with the additional tweaking of cars
through new parts or just changing the decals which is done through your
garage. Apart from the lengthy career mode, the title does support a
multiplayer mode, although once again we had difficulty in finding
reliable players. When we did find players, we did suffer from some lag
issues but this not from the game.
Graphically, the game looks quite good the PS Vita, especially the
backgrounds which look rather impressive in its widescreen format. Cars
looks quite realistic and do mirror their real-world counterparts. Sound
effects are rather generic and the game does produce some impressive
bass through the PS Vita speakers. The highlight of the sound department
is definitely the soundtrack and some thought has gone into selecting
the music.
Final Level
Gameloft'sAsphalt Injection is the first racing title to arrive on the
PS Vita and the next racer won't be released until the end of March
which will be Ridge Racer. So if you're a car fan, you might want to
check this out. Asphalt Injection is an interesting and fun racer on
this console, yet ultimately forgettable as it doesn't really stray too
much from the safe zone. Single-player is sturdy and when you can find
online racers, there's plenty of excitement to be found there. This game
receives a racing position of 7 out of 10! |
