PSP: Burnout Legends ;)

Burnout Legends” is essentially divided down the middle into two games: on the one hand you’ve got Crash mode, and on the other you have different types of race. In Crash mode, you have a set piece to consider: a road, an intersection crowded with traffic, and -- usually -- a ramp for you to launch yourself into the air. The number of other cars you tangle in the ensuing wreck, and the amount of damage the game calculates, determines whether you win a gold, silver, or bronze medal. Winning medals unlocks new crash scenarios, and damage accumulated unlocks new cars. If Crash mode is your thing, I could see this aspect of “Burnout Legends” keeping you busy for weeks as you chase down every last gold medal.

The race modes come in various flavors. Racing in “Burnout,” though, isn’t just a matter of getting to the finish line first. No, you also have to avoid maniacal computer-controlled cars that are doing their best to bash you into a pile of smoking rubble. There are race and time trial modes, and also my personal favorite -- Road Rage -- in which you race until your car is totaled and win or lose depending on the number of opposing cars you wreck along the way. Finally, Pursuit mode rounds the game out: in this one you play as a cop trying to chase down a fugitive; don’t worry about the guy’s Miranda rights, in this case all you have to do is wreck his car within a certain amount of time. “Burnout Legends” is a port of portions from the three console “Burnout” games, and all in all you’ll find 175 different challenges to test yourself against.

If you’ve played “Burnout” on a console and enjoyed it, you’ll like this one, too -- “Burnout Legends” brings the same action and high fun quotient to the PSP. If you’re looking for a good arcade racer, this is also just the thing: “Burnout Legends” might be the best racing game currently available for the PSP (and that’s saying something).

Graphics: 9. Excellent depiction of speed and steady framerate.
Sound: 8. Loud -- just as it should be.
Gameplay: 9. Fast, fun, and completely irresponsible.
Story: NA
Replayability: 9. So many modes, so many cars, so many ways to send opponents flipping wildly through the air.
Overall: 9.5. A first-rate port makes for possibly the best racer on the PSP.

Let The Game Begin!!

It's sleek, it's shiny, it's got that wow factor and it has all the elements any great gadget has. Slightly bigger than you might expect from a device (6.7in x 2.9in) that you're expected to put in your pocket, the PSP oozes appeal all over.

The front is dominated by the large clear 4.3in, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD 480 x 272 pixel screen with controlling buttons to either side and along the bottom edge. PlayStation players will be familiar with the gaming buttons available as they replicate the standard PS2 controller.Along the bottom is a range of operational buttons such as a home key, volume and screen brightness as well as Start and Select buttons. Strangely rather than a dial, the brightness button offers four different settings and in our tests this didn't always offer us the choice we wanted.
Games and movies will come on Sony's new format (yes another one) called Universal Media Disk (UMD) and are a cross between a miniature CD and a tape cassette. There are currently 30 titles available at launch in the UK including WipeOut Pure and Ridge Racer and these should set you back around £25 each.

For internet access, there's built-in wireless connectivity via IEEE 802.11b allowing you to get updates and extras.The Memory Stick Duo slot means that you can use the PSP as a picture viewer or MP3 player, better still, if you already own a Sony digital camera or camcorder, you can instantly view your images or footage straight from your camera on the bigger screen.

Storage is currently limited to a maximum of 2Gb (a limitation of Memory Stick Duo) so we're not talking about a major contender with the iPod Photo here, but it's still a useful option to have considering the size of the unit's screen.

As for the MP3 player aspect of it, transferring music to and from the device is via Sony's Connect software and as we have said in the past, we don't like it. That said it might just be the software package for you (if other open source alternatives are not sought by homebrew means) and the player will support MP3, MP4, WAV or ATRAC3plus file formats.