Title: Project Gotham Racing 2
Publisher: MS Game Studios
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Release Date: November 18, 2003
First off, let me say that I did not like the first Project Gotham Racing (hereafter referred to as PGR). Yes, the graphics and in-game surround sound were kick-ass, but the gameplay left a lot to be desired even for an arcade style racer. That being said, Project Gotham Racing 2 (hereafter referred to as PGR2) is a complete turnaround for developer Bizarre Creations. At first glance, this game seems to be nothing more than another racing clone spawned out of the Gran Turismo series. But from the moment that I fired it up I have been increasingly pleased. The graphics are truly astonishing. The anti-aliasing abilities of the Nvidia powered GPU are ever-present as you power slide around a corner and ram your car into a wall. The damage looks entirely realistic as do the textures of the things that surround you i.e. the streets, trees, guardrails, sky, etc. As I said earlier, I was impressed and satisfied by the graphics in the first installment in this series (its actually the reason I bought my first Xbox) only to be completely floored when I first caught a glimpse of the first screenshots from PGR2 last may. And HDTV support, finally a racing game that offers 480p high-definition racing. For those of you who thought that PGR looked good, you are in for a wonderful surprise. The blistering framerate is only slowed down in the tightest of situations, when you are braking around a corner and some idiot decides to try and overtake you, causing you both to bounce off of the wall like flies off of a windshield. That being said, the in-game racing AI is second only to Need for Speed: Underground (another one of my favorite vices right now). The racers react to your every move as if they were getting ready to do the same thing. As you prepare to brake and dive into a corner, they go ahead and do it, right in front of you, keeping those elusive kudos out of your hands yet again.
As for those kudos, I have one thing to say; I hate them. Ive always despised the thought that my driving skills would make or break my video game conquests (I must have every car, every track, and everything else my grubby little hands can get!). No, actually I really dont mind the kudos reward system. I just think that there ought to be more of them. If I am going to earn something with my mad skills, I might as well get paid something that at least resembles money. Oh well, I guess thats why I dont get paid the big money.
As for the controls, the original PGR needed a lot of patience. Perhaps it was the old clunky Xbox controller, or perhaps the lack of experience I had with arcade style racers at the time. Either way the controls seemed unresponsive. Not so with PGR2, flutter the brake and you will see the cars ABS kick in. Flutter the gas around a turn and the car will spin out. The controls are totally responsive and realistic, from the way the car rolls into and out of turns, to the way the front end hunkers down under the immense stress of coming to a complete stop from top speed. One note about the controls, it is best to use a controller type S when playing this game. Just trust me on that one.
And now for the sound, the glorious sound. As I said before the in-game surround from PGR was extremely realistic. There is nothing like driving along and hearing someone come up on your six (only to hear them whiz by half a second later). PGR2 doesnt disappoint in this area either. Once again we are treated to in-game Dolby Digital Surround Sound. For all of you people without surround sound, you are truly missing a magnificent thing. When you hear that Acura NSX rev, whoa boy you might just get a half pack of Rolaids going. And thats another huge improvement on PGR2 from PGR. The cars. There are over 100 fully licensed cars in this game, 107 to be exact. From the BMW Mini Cooper to the Enzo Ferrari (Ferrari F60), this game has got them all.
One last thing before I wrap this, my first review, up. The newest, coolest thing that I have seen on this game is the availability of system link play. There is nothing like hooking up two Xboxes and racing your dad for some type of bounty (beer, pizza, money
whatever). That brings me to another point, nothing is more surreal than hearing, a loud stream of profanities emitted from the other room as you pass your best friend in his crappy little Mini Cooper, then push him into the wall at 112 Mph and retrieve that checkered flag.
In conclusion, I would have to say that I honestly enjoy this game. The excellent graphics and sound are the best that I have seen in this genre. The much improved control scheme leaves almost nothing to be desired (perhaps an analog handbrake next time?).Its replay value is not that substantial until you consider the online play (dont forget the system link) and eventual availability of downloadable content. The list of cars far exceeds my expectations, and the possibility for modification to these cars (via an FTP connection to your modified Xbox) makes this get an 8.4/10 score. I would have to say that this is a great one to add to your holiday wish list.
Summary:
Graphics 10
Sound 10
Control 8
Rewards 7
Replay Value 7
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Overall 8.4
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Doobzilla
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Topic: Project Gotham Racing 2 (ntsc) (Read 128 times)