CGI-Quality said: @ makingmusic You're the same guy that skipped HEAVY RAIN too? Lucky for you I'm in a good mood!

At least I'll be getting this one eventually!

*ducks*

An imperfct score is the perfect score. You've just created a space vortex.

I didn't need to know review scores to want the game, but it's good to see it getting recognition. How do the load times compare to LBP They are longish too? Not really a big deal to me. Load times are only a pain when you've got a fast action game where load times ruin the pacing. Of course I come from the days of Commodore 64 where starting a game took 5-10 minutes.

I've actually timed it :p

Some thirty seconds for a race to start. Races last about a minute per round (three rounds in singleplayer) max. You'll restart a lot of those immediately if you want Tokens or want to get those achievements.

Racing quickly makes you forget those load times though (Imagine playing in splitscreen, crushing your friend, finishing first, seeing your friend reach for the second spot, and then see someone warp in with a level three power-up, while four others take advantage of that power-up to slip into that warp too... friend arrived at the seventh spot.... hi-la-rious :p)

I do expect a patch (LBP also received a quick patch) to bring the load times down even more.

May peace be with you

here's a few thing's why it's a buy for me:

Custom Soundtrack support in:MOD:NR
Yup! Just play music from your XMB and it will replace the game soundtrack. (Although the soundtrack is quite fun to race to)

ModNation Racers PS3: Bringing Back the Split-Screen
Posted by Mat Thomas // Game Designer, United Front Games

Greetings! Mat from UFG, back again to talk about all the split-screen goodness in ModNation Racers for PS3!

There are two multiplayer experiences that we were keen to deliver in ModNation Racers. First, there was the online race experience (up to 12 players), while the second was the couch racing experience. It is hard to beat the multiplayer experience on the couch against friends – I think we can all remember this experience from other games we have enjoyed, and we were keen to make sure we delivered the same frantic experience for ModNation Racers.

We wanted to make sure we delivered two-player split-screen. From the start, we wanted our two-player split-screen to work online. ModNation Racers enables you and a friend to go online and play the game together. This makes for intense competition and a lot of fun! Do you play together, helping each other out or do you take your friend out at every available opportunity? You can play action races and pure races together. More importantly, two players can play together on any tracks developed by United Front Games or anyone online. It makes for an almost endless experience that two players can enjoy together.

Finally, we decided to deliver the four-player couch experience. This was a lot of work, but we have managed to create a great experience where four friends can settle down for some great kart racing. What we have delivered is a fantastic local multiplayer experience reminiscent of some of our best local multiplayer play sessions from years gone by. Sit down with friends and family and battle each other to see who the best is! Again, you can play action or pure race, as well as race on any tracks in the game created by United Front Games or other players.

Overall, our multiplayer experience has been created to cater to all different players, and we feel that when people play the game they will be able to get the experience they desire. Here in the office, we all play it on a daily basis with each other, whether it be online or at someone’s desk in split-screen. The game is so much fun to play and with us nearing completion of the title, we can’t wait for all our fans to join the ModNation in May! And be sure to head over to GameTrailers to catch the first four official behind-the-scenes videos! See you all then!

There are 4 basic weapoons:Missiles, sonic blasts, lightning and speed boosts. (Speed boosts are a special category)

Those can be upgraded each (by holding on to them and riding over another power-up)

Level 2 is stronger (missiles will lock on to the one ahead of you for example), level three is even stronger (missiles attack EVERYONE in front of you)

You can protect yourself by using "boost". If you drift, draft, attack, you will gain "Boost". If you see an attack coming (you get notified, by a sound, a visual clue and your char looking scared while looking backwards), you can press O and you summon a shield. You have to time it though, as it drains Boost.

And that also means you have no more boost to sideswipe or to negate any other incoming attacks (and believe me, they will hammer you sometimes :D).

Speed power-up is different in that it can give you instant speed gain, or (at level 3) will let you skip an entire part of the track.

Part 4 of all the power-ups => you can drop them as mines, to screw with people behind you.

Part of the depth in strategy: A level 2 will take away one level of power-up from whoever is hit by it. Level 3 wipes out your enemy's power-up completely. Level 1 just attacks you.

Sideswiping actually STEALS a level from your enemy and adds it to YOUR power-up level (providing you have the same power-up at the time).