The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we shine the spotlight on the PSP Mini outing, Ice Road Truckers.
——————-
Developer: Slitherine
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Players: 1
Based on the TV series of the same name, Ice Road Truckers plonks you in the driving seat of one of several mammoth 18-wheel rigs as you race against the clock to reach the safety of the next checkpoint. Simple enough you might think, but when you have to contend with skidding all over the place on the icy roads and being bumped off the track by your competitors, things can get quite perilous. Speaking of tracks, there’s 15 of them in total, each one getting progressively more difficult as you rake in the wins.
Your overall objective is to lug your truck’s cargo to the goal destination, which in turn rewards you with cash. The faster you are, the more dough you’ll receive, which you can then use to purchase additional courses. Each truck meanwhile boasts its own performance in terms of acceleration, speed, handling and loading, with five vehicles in total up for grabs. Manipulating the massive machines couldn’t be more simple – just hit X to put the pedal to the metal, or square to ease on the breaks and steer using the analogue nub or d-pad.
Elsewhere, hitting select will flick through a series of different viewpoints, including a cab view, first-person, sideways, front-on and top down. You better be vigilant however; hitting a patch of thin ice will require you to take part in some dexterous driving, with the game prompting you to keep your speedometer in the green zone to avoid plunging in.
Concurrently, you’ll also have to keep in mind you have a time limit, so it’s a case of finding the right balance where you’re fast enough to finish the job, but not to the extent of putting yourself in peril. Ice Road Truckers also encourages you to replay previous stages in order to better your completion time, a feat made considerably easier when you’ve managed to unlock the best trucks.
Join us again tomorrow as we once again go for a spin Inside PlayStation Network.