X-Box - Project Gotham Racing
Jason and I have been playing Project Gotham Racing for at least a week or so now.
The Arcade mode is pretty cool and lets you learn tracks and cars.
The Career mode is less so.
As in most games, you get junky cars to start, but as you win rewards (kudos and kudo tokens) you can trade in some kudo tokens for new, faster cars. You're restricted to driving certain classes of cars in certain races, as well.
You cannot tune your cars or buy hop-up parts, which reduces the game to Nascar-like driving where all cars are 'supposed to be' roughly equal.
They aren't.
The computer's cars are always better than yours, even though they're supposed to be the exact same car.
They aren't.
In other words, if you buy a Cobra, the computer's Cobra is faster than yours and the computer drives a lot better than you do ...
You have several levels in every race beginning with Novice - in which you get a steel medal if you win in the minimum placement stated ... up to Platinum Expert - which is so difficult it's almost impossible to win.
In platinum, if you can even catch the race leader, you have to wreck him to get by. As in many of these games, the AI cars always run the perfect line much faster than you can, and they virtually never wreck.
You can't even catch the leader most of the time.
The 'Cone' races border on ridiculous as you get to the higher levels.
The 'Overtake' races are fun - but the same problem arises as you get to the highest levels.
'Timed Runs' are OK.
'One-on-One' are pretty fun.
'Street Races' are probably the most fun.
'Speed Camera' is OK, but really hard at the upper levels.
In addition, there are no open areas. All driving is done on closed tracks, and there are no shortcuts or other places to go. You race a certain number of laps and the race is over.
Basically - you race each 5 times, with each successive race being harder to win.
Add all this together and Project Gotham Racing becomes boring pretty fast.
Overall - I'd give the game a 5 out of 10. If you've already played all the better games and want something to do, check out Project Gotham Racing. It's OK if you've won all your other racing and driving games, but it would be a lot better deal at $19.95 than at the higher retail.
Chip
The Arcade mode is pretty cool and lets you learn tracks and cars.
The Career mode is less so.
As in most games, you get junky cars to start, but as you win rewards (kudos and kudo tokens) you can trade in some kudo tokens for new, faster cars. You're restricted to driving certain classes of cars in certain races, as well.
You cannot tune your cars or buy hop-up parts, which reduces the game to Nascar-like driving where all cars are 'supposed to be' roughly equal.
They aren't.
The computer's cars are always better than yours, even though they're supposed to be the exact same car.
They aren't.
In other words, if you buy a Cobra, the computer's Cobra is faster than yours and the computer drives a lot better than you do ...
You have several levels in every race beginning with Novice - in which you get a steel medal if you win in the minimum placement stated ... up to Platinum Expert - which is so difficult it's almost impossible to win.
In platinum, if you can even catch the race leader, you have to wreck him to get by. As in many of these games, the AI cars always run the perfect line much faster than you can, and they virtually never wreck.
You can't even catch the leader most of the time.
The 'Cone' races border on ridiculous as you get to the higher levels.
The 'Overtake' races are fun - but the same problem arises as you get to the highest levels.
'Timed Runs' are OK.
'One-on-One' are pretty fun.
'Street Races' are probably the most fun.
'Speed Camera' is OK, but really hard at the upper levels.
In addition, there are no open areas. All driving is done on closed tracks, and there are no shortcuts or other places to go. You race a certain number of laps and the race is over.
Basically - you race each 5 times, with each successive race being harder to win.
Add all this together and Project Gotham Racing becomes boring pretty fast.
Overall - I'd give the game a 5 out of 10. If you've already played all the better games and want something to do, check out Project Gotham Racing. It's OK if you've won all your other racing and driving games, but it would be a lot better deal at $19.95 than at the higher retail.
Chip
posted by Chip Tarver at 4:40 AM
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