DESCRIPTION

Project Gotham Racing makes its second appearance on Xbox 360 with several key additions, from a dynamically changing weather system to the option of racing motorcycles alongside the iconic sports cars. The predecessor's five cities have been updated with new visual effects and enhancements, including red-and-white "rumble strips" to more easily identify approaching turns, and drivers can now tear up the streets in four international locales: Macau, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, and Quebec. A tenth venue, the fictitious Michelin Test Track, is patterned after traditional NASCAR courses for special invitational events in the single-player career mode.

The kudos system of earning points for flashy moves returns, but now players will receive star ratings for combos and computer AI drivers will more aggressively compete for kudos. The career mode is more fleshed out and personalized compared to previous versions, with loyal fans following your driver to each event, wearing clothing with your logo or waving your home country's flag, and with a television-style atmosphere complete with camera crews and running commentary. The licensed vehicle list has expanded to 120 models, including such classics as a Corvette Sting Ray, a Maserati 250F, a Toyota Supra Turbo, and a DeLorean DMC-12.

In addition to the career mode (which spans 200 races and includes new garages for storing vehicles), users can participate in 70 arcade-style events or compete in eight-player online races via Xbox Live. New event types include "survivor" and "superstar," with the latter testing a player's skill in completing tricks within time limits. A new "Team Play" online mode has four friends creating a racing team and working together to take out other top-ranked teams. The Gotham TV option introduced in PGR 3 also returns with an "on demand" feature that not only lets users share photos and streaming video, but also search for specific footage or players by keyword. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide