Midway's latest Rush heads to retail

Midway's Rush series has almost completed its trip back from the future, as L.A. Rush, is on its way to retailers for the Xbox and PlayStation 2.

Five years after San Francisco Rush 2049 featured rocket-powered cars with stunt wings, the series has been brought closer to reality with a modern-day Los Angeles setting and licensed cars. L.A. Rush retains the series' signature jumps and shortcuts, but it adds a new story mode to the mix that sends players on a series of illegal driving missions that must be completed without them being apprehended by the omnipresent LAPD.

L.A. Rush will sport more than 35 real-life vehicles from manufacturers like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Mitsubishi, and Nissan, as well as 20 concept cars. Players can trick their rides out with licensed parts from manufacturers like AEM, Yokohama, and Brembo, or they can hop into a number of exclusive import and muscle cars from West Coast Customs, the car shop behind the popular MTV show Pimp My Ride and the self-explanatory Rides Magazine.

The cross-promotion with MTV is the first of three such efforts covered by a deal the network made with Midway in June. The other two projects have not yet been announced.

L.A. Rush is rated T for Teen and retails for $49.99. A PC version of the game is slated to ship December 12. Check back later for GameSpot's full review.