Project Gotham Racing 3 is an excellent release game for the Xbox 360.
User Rating: 8.2 | Project Gotham Racing 3 X360
When Project Gotham Racing was released at the same time as the original Xbox several years ago, the decent graphics and strong gameplay gave it enough success to warrant a sequel. That sequel was PGR2, and that built on all that the first instalment offered, as well as adding online play. PGR3 continues in the direction that OGR2 took the series, with extensive online features. The main draw is, as in most driving games, the offline career mode, which is fairly short, and includes all that the previous versions had, with cone challenges, time trials, normal races and hot laps. This is all fairly varied, and moves at considerable pace, with kudos and credits awarded for how well you do, allowing you to unlock and buy cars, as well as traverse the rank system. It also offers plenty of replayability, as you can go back and rerun the races, attempting to gain better medals and more cars. This is not to say, however, that the game is too short, as there are many other features; an online career mode, normal online racing, offline races, and multiplayer. The multiplayer is, although solid, a little underwhelming, as it only caters for two players. This can be very irritating, as both PGR1 and 2 had four-player options, and this is quite a blemish on the game for those players who like a decent multiplayer. One new turn the series takes in the third instalment is the considerably more fast-paced gameplay. The cars featured are all a lot faster than those in the previous editions, with minis and other slower, smaller cars being notably absent. The handling of the cars is perhaps more arcadey than other games like Forza for example. This is not, however, a bad thing, as the fast pace and drifting cars help to add to the game's appeal. The garphics are clearly the most exceptional part of the game, with strong frame rates and very detailed cars. The in-car view is truly excellent as well, and allows to look around the car as you drive. This is perhaps inadvisable though, as looking anywhere when you're not on a long straight usually ends up in a crash. That said, it's almost worth it just to see the blurry side-view, which really showcases the 360's graphics. The sounds
of the engine from inside the car really help to enhance the feeling of power beneath you from inside the car. However, the in-car view is not available in multiplayer, probably because youw ouldn't be able to see much of the track on a smaller screen. Overall, this game is very solid, but seems a bit short and fast-paced to really hold you for a long time unless you have xbox live. Still, while it lasts, it's superb and solid, without really covering any new ground.
