Racing games have come a long way since the days of Pole Position, where
pressing left or right while holding down the accelerator button could win you
the race. If you’ve owned a Dreamcast, you’ll remember the “Kudos” points
system used, and should be a bit more familiar with the object of the game than
the newcomers. Basically, there are different challenges, where you need
to place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd to advance, and have a certain number of Kudos as well.

Project Gotham Racing has stunning graphics, an awesome soundtrack,
and over 200 tracks to keep you occupied.


As you race through the streets of New York, Tokyo, London, and San Fransisco
you’ll be amazed at the stunning detail of the environments. If you’ve ever been
to any of those cities you may even find yourself saying ‘Hey, I’ve been there!.’
You get about 29 stunningly detailed vehicles ranging from BMWs to a Ferrari F50.
All gorgeously detailed with realistic curves, lighting effects and a damage engine
that will even show the paint scratches when you graze that rail at 160 mile per
hour. Better drive a bit more carefully at night, when you smash head first into
that leader car, you may just crack a headlight or two, adding a little more challenge
to the game. At 60 frames per second, the graphics are definately the best I have
seen in a racing game, with only a few glitches.


 You’ll be having fun the first time you pop PGR into your Xbox. The controls
are very sound and solid. Acceleration and braking are done via the right and
left triggers, and of course the power brake through teh ‘A’ button, which you’ll
need if you want to pull off those Kudos combinations necassary to gain the better
cars.

There are plenty of game modes available as well. Kudos Challenge, Arcade Race,
and Quick Race all offer their unique gameplay tactics. If you think you’re gonna
win the race just by placing first, you’re wrong. Speed isn’t everything, you
need to gain Kudos by catching air, sliding around corners like there was a fire
a loved one was trapped in, and passing opponents. Some of the challenges are
extremely difficult, and I’m not talking about the challenges later in the game,
right from the start PGR is a challenge, and if you’re the type of racer that
likes to quickly gain all the cars and tracks, you won’t be that happy. Master
the art of braking and cornering early on in the game, and getting the tracks
and cars will be much easier down the road.

Multi-Player Mode gives you the oppurtunity to race against up to three of your
friends. Battle it out in split-screen, and see who comes out on top. It would
have been nice to have an option to include AI cars in the multi-player races,
but the rest of the game makes up for this slight setback.


 Project Gotham Racing features an awesome built in soundtrack, and also allows
you to add your own music by ripping your CDs into the Xbox console. The engine
sounds and skid effects are realistic. There could have been a bit more detail
to the collision sounds, and the DJ feature is nice, except of course the DJ in
San Fransisco, who can be quite annoying, of course there is an option to listen
to the music only from the playlist, without hearing the announcer through the
User Radio.


I was a bit frustrated with this game at first, the challenge on some tracks
seemed like too much. After playing a little longer, I couldn’t stop. Constantly
trying to beat you’re records, open up new paint skins, tracks, and vehicles make
the re-play value of this game soar. It takes an appreciation of the effort involved
to continue to play this game over and over. In the long haul, once you complete
the challenges and have enough Kudos to open the F50, you’re sense of accomplishment
will be extremely high. As I had said before, if you want to come straight in
and unlock everything, you will be dissapointed. Unless you use the cheats, which
will ruin the point of the game.


Overall Score: 9.5 [Not an average]


 This game needs to be in every true racing gamers’ library. Hours and hours
(and days) of racing excitement, awesomely detailed graphics, and customizeable
soundtrack make for a top of the line racer.

Suggestions for a sequel: More vehicles, better sound with crashes,
better engine roars, improved multi-player mode to include AI vehicles, maybe
even parked vehicles.

- Official
Project Gotham Racing Website
- Microsoft Game Studios
- Bizarre Creations
- PGR
Game Manual (PDF)
- PGR
Hints and Cheats

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