It's a decent fill-in for the PS3/Vita owners that won't be getting either of the Trials games, but there are a few bumps in the ride.
For good measure, Tate Interactive has also thrown in mini-goals throughout each race, including speed gauges that reward you if you're going fast enough (sometimes this can be tricky, especially when it's placed at the very top of a hill, where you can't quite build up the same level of momentum) or for jumping the longest distance. These are measured against your friends' performance, as well as general online leaderboards, so the better you do, the higher you'll rank. This goes for fastest times through a race as well, along with how many stars you earn – anywhere between three and five.
This system is all good, but, again, not entirely original – nor as trouble-free as Tate Interactive would like. Your bike flips way too slow in both versions of Freestyle, and as a result, landing flips isn't nearly as easy as it is in the Trials games. And considering some specific challenges require flips, this can be a bit maddening. Also, like Trials, it's way too easy to crash – even if you don't intend to. Falling platforms and not seeing an unnatural object rolling onto the track soon enough can be really tough for your first go-around. The only thing you can do is try again and remember that environmental danger.
Both games have good leaderboard support and replay value, as well as an exclusive mini-game to each version to enjoy. However, Tate Interactive didn't offer this as a Cross-Buy title, meaning it'll cost you about $25 to snag them both. That's hardly a bad deal, considering the re-runs you'll make through certain tracks, but since so many games support the "buy one, get one" formula between PS3 and Vita, it's like a missed opportunity.
