Blur is addictive and causes euphoric vertigo, but it's not measured in kilograms.
Playing like Mario Kart in the real world, Blur's unique take on the arcade racer is its strongest suit. Races take place in real world locations like the hills of Hollywood, and the streets of London, giving the game a more realistic feel, especially when racing in a Ford Focus RS or an Audi R8, but the second you hit somebody with a shunt (Blur's version of the red shell), all hell breaks loose. The powered-up aspect of Blur's gameplay adds a completely new dimension to racing, with most races turning into a real battle royal. There's some great strategy involved, as most pickups can be blocked or counter measured. Rarely does the game feel like it's being unfair. Of course, there's still the high occurrence of being blasted out of first place by some very difficult AI, but everything feels balanced enough to remain fun. Add on an impressive driving model already intact, and Blur becomes a sensation which pulses through your veins, whether you're finishing in 1st or 20th. It's just pure fun.
Blur is broken down into a series of modes. The career portion features nine groups with a set of events in each where you can earn lights. Lights are given for finishing on the podium or achieving a time limit goal. Earning lights unlocks new groups and events. Each group is highlighted by a rival who has a list of demands you must complete. These range from finishing first on each event to more difficult ones which require some true skill and dexterity to finish. Once you've impressed your rival enough by finishing their list of demands, you race them one-on-one for lights, and their fully upgraded and unique car.
To unlock cars, fans are required. Think of fans as Blur's take on PGR's "kudos". Fans are earned for driving like a maniac and drifting, wrecking other cars, and basically just being good at the game. There are additional lights to be earned in the career mode for earning a specific number of fans on an event, or finishing a set of gate runs in each event. Even if you don't necessarily succeed in completing your rivals' tasks, you'll still earn fans to unlock more cars. There's a constant stream of rewards in Blur's career, which is difficult enough and deep enough to take you a lengthy amount of time to complete.
Multiplayer is Blur's coup de grace. On top of earning fans to unlock new cars at each level (which goes up to 50), there is a legend mode option which resets your rank and unlocks, but gives you a fully upgraded legend car. Think of this as getting a shiny new weapon in Modern Warfare each time you prestige.
Jumping into a race is easy enough, with short waiting times in lobbies, but the biggest issue thus far are low numbers. On PSN as of writing this, the game averages about 300 players online at a time, which is a shame. Even so, it's not exactly difficult to find a race with 20 racers, and the ensuing events are even more intense than the career mode, as human opponents rarely hold back. Finishing in 1st is an honest feat which you should feel proud of doing. In addition to simple skirmish playlists, there are pure battle events which play out like a round of Twisted Metal, and pure racing events which are more like something you would find in a more contemporary racing game. No matter your tastes, there's going to be something in Blur's multiplayer you'll enjoy, and it's something that you'll come back to again and again. Games are short, so whenever you find yourself with a few minutes, it'll be in the back of your mind to jump in.
Blur is an outstanding title in nearly every regard. People play videogames for fun, and that's exactly what Blur brings. Its unique take on the arcade racer is refreshing to see, and it's a formula that works extraordinarily well. The career mode might get a little frustrating eventually, but then there's the sweet multiplayer which is almost impossible to say no to. It's intense, beautiful, and addictive. What more could you possibly want?