The Cities of Project Gotham 2 Part 3

With the release of Project Gotham Racing 2 fast approaching, we bring you a final look at the cities in the game. Executive producer Brian Woodhouse of Bizarre Creations offer some insight into the cities included in the Xbox-Live enabled racer due next week.

Nurburgring

Nurburgring is 13 miles and 73 bends of fun.

Developer Notes: As the game is primarily concerned with offering a superb driving experience for Xbox owners, the original Nurburgring (Nordshleife) was an essential inclusion to the track list. The Nurburgring Nordshleife in reality is the ultimate driving experience--nowhere on earth will you find such a mix of bends, gradients, camber changes, and long straights. For 13 miles and 73 bends, the track twists its way through dramatic mountainous countryside, testing car and driver. It's a tarmac-coated roller coaster that well deserves its nickname "The Green Hell," and it certainly belongs in PGR2.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh features some authentic and gorgeous scenery to admire.

Developer Notes: How many cities have ancient streets leading to a mountain with a castle on the top? It is one of a kind and world-famous, especially on Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year. Everybody has seen the pictures of the castle at midnight on New Year's Eve, with fireworks shooting out the top. The castle makes a great centerpiece. The combination of old, twisty cobbled sections together with modern, fast straights that surround the castle makes for some of the best streets in the world to race around.

Florence

There's nothing like twisting streets to keep you on your toes.

Developer Notes: Florence was chosen for its stunning old architecture and narrow twisting streets--a real contrast to the modern cities also included in the game. The sounds are also very different as you play, with a constant rumble from the cobbles and the engine noise reverberating off the close building walls. This makes for a claustrophobic and intense driving experience. Florence also has its major landmarks close together--excellent for stringing routes together and making the most out of the city. Florence has a river running through it and a rather large cathedral, which add a nice contrast and a bit of relief from the tight roads. It also has a number of nice open squares, which are great to zoom into from the narrow streets. All in all, Florence seemed to present a nice little package that seemed right for the type of game experience we were looking for.