What's to Like: Metropolis Street Racer Lives! Top notch graphics, sound & gameplay. What's not to Like: calling this game hard is an understatement.
Okay, let me get one thing out of the way right now: This is NOT Gran Turismo 3. If you love GT3 and don't want to play anything else, this review isn't going to change your mind.
Anyone still here? Good. If you recall, back around this time last year, Sega released a very cool game for the Dreamcast called Metropolis Street Racer. Using an innovative Kudos system, the game took racing games up a notch.
I really enjoyed MSR and those ten of you that bought the game will really enjoy Project Gotham Racing. Hopefully on the Xbox more people will be able to check out this game because it deserves some attention.
The graphics in the game are very good, however I think that GT3 probably would still win out just based on the textures. Just as in MSR, your time zone affects the time that you play the races. If it's 5 PM in New York, it will be nighttime in London and lunchtime in San Francisco. Plan accordingly!
Sound in PGR is incredible. If you remember MSR, you had real-time deejays in each location, whether it be London, San Francisco, or Tokyo complete with accents and various types of music. The music wasn't from ‘brand name" bands and some of it was downright funny.
In Gotham, there are real-live bands and more talkative deejays, as well as radio stations complete with commercials. If you don't like any of it, I am told that you can play with your own music if you like, but I didn't find that necessary.
The racing itself is very good. Cars act differently and feel differently as you race them. One area where this game is different is that you actually can figure out where and how you receive kudo points. In the career mode, you usually have a specific goal such as winning the race or get a certain number of kudo points in order to unlock a new car or level.
Those new to the kudo system will have a little learning curve, but then it will be second nature to you. The racing is fast and furious and you'll definitely go airborne in San Francisco. There is a damage model and you'll be losing kudos if you trash your car.
Control is very easy using the Xbox controller. Gas and brakes are used with the triggers and of course you have a hand brake for those very cool powerslides.
I would definitely pick this one up on launch day. With the incredible depth of missions, cars and replay value, I think this game will be enjoyed for some time to come.
-Dan Clarke
Company Line
"Project Gotham Racing" is the future generation racing game where fun and reward come from focusing equally on speed, flair and risk-taking. "Project Gotham Racing" is circuit-based racing in photo-realistic downtown environments. Players can race against up to three friends at a time through realistic time-of-day and weather conditions. Players can also choose from 20 different cars and compete on more than 200 city-based circuits. With 100+ individual and wheel-to-wheel racing challenges and a separate arcade mode, gamers can expect hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Features
Kudos reward system ― players are rewarded by a ratings system scoring their style, dexterity and ultimate success. Kudos is a measure of the recognition players personally receive for the skill, flair and daring they drive with, and for the accomplishments achieved throughout the game.
More than 20 radical and stylish cars from top manufacturers ― wide range of vehicles offer players a variety of high-performance driving experiences.
200+ circuits, in four cities (London, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York) ― the large number of tracks offer players the best circuit-based racing in four of the world's greatest cities.
Each of the 3 areas in the four cities (12 total) has been accurately modeled to capture their most intricate geographical details.
The look and feel of each city is enhanced with radio stations and DJs broadcasting the hottest tunes.
Enhanced multi-player mode ― special options provide competitive fun at its best.
Four-player split screen allows players to race head to head, shoulder to shoulder.
Beautiful game environments ― the game's highly detailed, mapped out levels allow players to drive along photo-realistic city environments, clearly showcasing the Xbox's superior graphics technology.
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