WRC3 was something of a technical marvel on Sony's handheld PlayStation Vita – to this day it remains the only rally game available for the console, and it's certainly the most realistic driving title on the platform. With MotoGP '13 fast approaching next week, Milestone are continuing to support the Vita despite its current vapid state with a faithful port that looks set to do for bike games on Vita what WRC3 did for rally games.
Unlike WRC3 which was deprived of its Road to Glory career mode and a significant portion of cars and special stages, Milestone maintain that MotoGP '13 will contain the exact same content found on its console cousin.
To mark the announcement, Milestone has released a new official gameplay video which you can watch below:
Graphically, while still an impressive achievement for a handheld game, it's unfortunately lost some of its shine – the textures look comparatively flat, and the lighting effects have also been dimmed down considerably. But then it's not surprising considering the amount of content crammed in assuming that every bike, track and an extensive career is included – don't forget that Need for Speed: Most Wanted had similar visual cutbacks, but that didn't detract from the overall package which was sublime.
Indeed, the all-important authenticity of the MotoGP still appears to be intact, from the lavish menus and in-game commentary, to the rider helmet cam.
Then there's the complex physics model. While we haven't played MotoGP '13 on the Vita just yet, it will be interesting to see how the naunces of MotoGP '13's various handling models cope with the console's more limited controls, especially when using the Pro model.
We hope to bring you the answer soon – rest assured we will endeavour to bring you our own video content as soon as we're able to lay our hands on the game.
If Milestone's handheld port of MotoGP '13 is anywhere near as fun to play as the console version is shaping up, then the Vita may have found its definitive bike game that will remain unmatched for some time.