Genre: Racing
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Juice Games
Release Date: June 29, 2006

Juiced: Eliminator is the PlayStation Portable version of Juiced, a third-string tuner-car racer released last summer for console systems. Despite decent reviews, it couldn't compete with the Need for Speed and Midnight Club series, each of which had built up immense brand awareness with games over the last several years. I missed out on Juiced because, honestly, I just didn't care. However, after devoting weeks to Need for Speed: Most Wanted on the Xbox 360 last fall, I wanted to find a similar experience on a handheld, and EA's own Need for Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0 for PSP didn't quite do it.

Juiced: Eliminator arrives with an extra year of work and (assumed) polish, so I expected good things from the portable debut of Juice Games. Sadly, just as Juiced could not compete with the bigger console titles, Juiced: Eliminator does not have what it takes to go up against the premier handheld racers. The racing engine is solid enough, but repetitive tracks, hefty loading times, and a serious lack of drawing power keep this game out of the spotlight.

Upon loading the game in your PSP, expect more than a minute of loading before you ever see an interactive menu screen. Believe me, it is a sign of things to come. An additional minute of loading appears before nearly every race, and there are even loading times between the menu screens, though not as obnoxious as MX vs. ATV: On the Edge. I realize that PSP games and loading times seem to go hand in hand, but I cannot shake the suspicion that the developers are not making this issue a priority. I can get from menu to gameplay in three seconds in LocoRoco, so why not Juiced: Eliminator? It may be a small gripe, but it is one experienced regularly before and between races.

Juiced: Eliminator features a handful of race modes, with many of the usual suspects present. Arcade mode contains a laundry list of challenges, each with a specified vehicle, track, and race type. Completing each set of challenges unlocks the next, while additional cars and tracks are revealed along the way. These tracks and tricked-out wheels can be used in Custom Race mode, which is exactly what it sounds like: a mode that allows gamers to specify the details for a single race.

Career Challenge mode requires a bit of a long-term commitment; for example, the first challenge asks you to complete 15 races within one month of game time with just $15,000 in the bank. The mode feels a bit tacked on and is probably best saved for when you have finished the more pertinent aspects of the game. Juiced: Eliminator does feature a multiplayer mode, complete with Pink Slip races (in which the winner keeps the loser's car) and exchangeable paint schemes. The big negative here is that the game only supports ad-hoc multiplayer. Luckily, it also supports game sharing, but just for two players.

The big draw of the game is the standard Career mode, which gives you a few bucks and sets you free in the wide world of underground racing. After buying and enhancing your vehicle, your mission is to enter races and earn respect from the local team bosses. Respect is earned and lost via a number of factors, such as placing bets on races and driving cleanly with few collisions. Over 60 vehicles are available to be purchased and tuned up, including models from Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Chevrolet. Over 100 parts are available for the vehicles, and their appearances can be customized with paint jobs and neon lighting.

Juiced: Eliminator features a few different race types; the most common is Circuit, a two- or three-lap race around a small city track. Sprint races challenge you to make optimal shift changes over the course of three rounds, which is an incredibly simple task – just tap the left shoulder button. Showoff mode has you aiming for a top score with a number of maneuvers, including the "Boomerang" and the "Dazzle." Of course, Eliminator races are the new addition and are remarkably similar to those in the Burnout series. The car in last place at the completion of each lap is out of the race, and this continues until a single car remains.

The racing engine is fine, albeit common and familiar. Unlike the Need for Speed series, Juiced: Eliminator places a huge emphasis on the quality of your driving. Sure, you have a nitrous boost, but speed is not king in this game – control is. Driving sloppily will cause you car to take significant damage, and just a handful of serious hits could knock you out for good. First, the Neon lights start to flicker, and then your nitrous starts to leak. After that, your turbo will go, and finally the steering. At this point, you might as well give up and start over again. It is near impossible to win a race in this game with a slow, erratic vehicle.

For all the loading times, at least Juiced: Eliminator looks pretty good but not spectacular – about what you would expect from a PSP title. The cars are decently modeled and reflect nicely, and the game runs at a solid clip with no slowdown. Less attractive are the tracks; most are blocked off sections in bland cityscapes or … well, that's actually about it. Despite different turns and decorations, most of the tracks are pretty similar. A number of CG cut scenes pop up between the races, but they are largely lacking in detail.

Juiced: Eliminator features a skinny soundtrack, though there are a couple of stand-out tracks. Fall Out Boy's "Dance, Dance" makes its third gaming appearance, fresh off jaunts in last year's Burnout Revenge and Madden NFL 2006 (with a fourth coming in Dance Dance Revolution: SuperNOVA). The All-American Rejects also had a song in Burnout Revenge, but offer up a different track this time around, "Night Drive." Queens of the Stone Age and Hoobastank also make appearances, but I have to take exception to the inclusion of "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" by Limp Bizkit. When limited to just a handful of tracks, perhaps a six-year-old single from an oft-lambasted rap-rock group is not the best option, unless you are trying to be ironic, and they are not.

Despite the extra year of development, Juiced: Eliminator is not particularly impressive. If the PlayStation Portable had a shortage of racing games, I could give this a limited recommendation, but it doesn't, so I cannot. Even Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, with its epic loading times, is a better alternative than this. The generic tracks and emphasis on controlled racing really drains the excitement out of the title, making it a hard sell to any but the most hardcore of tuner fans.

Score: 6.0/10