Porting a current generation game to a last generation console can be considered as both a brave and greedy venture.

On the one hand, developers will be forced to create a slightly different experience since the older console just doesn't have the same processing power. But on the other hand, publishers will just be rubbing their hands together at the thought of people buying the game regardless of quality.

The first order of business would be to swap the lush tropical environments and sprawling deserts of previous games for the cold arctic wasteland. Unfortunately, with the environmental change comes a sharp drop in graphics.

Whereas the previous game featured sprawling hills and sharp vehicle models, this iteration features fog in the distance and blurry textures galore. Throw a few vehicles on-screen at once and the frame-rate tends to jump around.

To be fair, I expected a major drop in graphics, but one would think that there would be some polish in the game.

The one upside is that the backdrops are constantly busy, in a manner reminiscent of early NFS entries ? from helicopters flying about near the track to the majestic mountain vistas in the distance.

Physics feature heavily in the series, going all the way back to the first trailer for the PS3. Of course, it would be slightly foolish to think that the PS2 is capable of the same level of interactivity ? but it's not for a lack of trying though.

The first 'Motorstorm' provided players with a real gritty sensation, from the suspension bouncing on the dirt to the often spectacular crashes, but there is very little of that to be had in this entry. Sure, you get slow-mo replays when you crash, but there's little point in having them if the damage model is barely realised.

However, despite the ugly visuals and subpar damage modelling, there's still quite a bit of fun to be had from 'Arctic Edge'. The cars, bikes, snowmobiles and trucks are all fun to drive ? with pack racing, powerslides and nitro boosts still making their way into the game.

Courses are also quite varied, despite the arctic setting, with a variety of jumps and layouts requiring you to drive smartly.

'Arctic Edge' also features a main Festival mode of sorts, allowing you to enter various races and purchase both visual and performance upgrades for your vehicle. Other than this mode, you have Time Attack, Quick Race and split-screen racing modes ? not a wide variety of modes, but it'll keep you occupied.

'Motorstorm' hasn't really benefitted from a transition to the PS2, with no real attempt to create a custom-made experience for the machine. Give it a rental if you need your racing fix, but otherwise, this title has hit the gravel trap.

6.1/10

Buy this game: PS2