Eminent British studio Bizarre Creations and its series Project Gotham Racing (nee - Metropolis Street Racer) asked the bar for quality in a difficult genre, though poluarkadnogo, but still a racing simulator. This is not too large, but very serious money territory between the product in the style of "I want to be Gran Turismo» and merry voyage a la Outrun before the arrival of the British almost entirely controlled by the TV series Need for Speed from EA. With the advent of the light for the MSR Dreamcast, and later, and the PGR for the Xbox, actually on the market, little has changed - selling series has never been too high. But critics, and many players who appreciate bold and original game Bizarre. Now, after several years, Microsoft has released a new gaming system Xbox 360, Bizarre Creations was given the task quickly bungled another masterpiece.
That quickly - can be seen immediately. We had not yet fully enjoy the truly outstanding Project Gotham Racing 2, as the developers promise to once again raise the bar on quality. For lack of time in the case went to the old achievements - thousands of pictures, objects, and finished textures. Of course, we had to do and a trip to Las Vegas, which is the only new town shown in the Project Gotham Racing 3. New and thus very easy - even with the majestic architecture of the many hotels Vegas. The city itself (or rather, a significant tourist part of it) is one long street with a string of giant hotel-casino. Achieve a wide variety of trails in a place Game Maker was not easy. I had to use numerous side streets, which are used in a real Las Vegas only as an access road to the parking lot. The result - on the track species of beauty alternate with odd-lane paved between the concrete boxes. Real city - it is wonderful, but not always justified in terms of game design. Three other cities - New York, Tokyo and London, moved from previous versions of PGR without significant changes besides the new lighting system and clearer textures. As for the legendary Nurburg-ring, then he, as always, perfect. On the other hand - why should we again Nuerburg Ring? It would be interesting to ride on one of the other legendary routes, for example, the Spa ...
In PGR3 included a very nice editor of the tracks, allowing to create your own "high-speed section" on the basis of any of the cities represented in the game. Due to the simplicity of the interface construction of a new race track is employment, the complexity does not exceed the construction kulichikov in the sandbox.
 | |  | Las Vegas - a city of contrasts.Sea of lights and boring concrete blocks over the next bend. | | Significant improvements in quality models of cars visible, alas, only during the repetitions. |
The central game mode is copied, oddly enough, more than the first Project Gotham Racing, what with a little more fortunate predecessor. Forget the idea of constant change of cars for each new stage of the game, the developers have provided the right to select the desired "workhorse" players. Well, right - I personally with my Murko, that is, sorry, Ferrari F430, would never part. Significant changes in the gameplay, however, not observed. Physical model, management, and even damage system is completely migrated from PGR2 - the developers had other pressing affairs. But added a truly revolutionary view of the cockpit, for whose sake Bizarre had conscientiously draw cockpits are dozens of sports cars. It turned out a little crudely, but still impressive. The most important thing, though - it's a terrific sense of speed that is attained only with honest "as the first person." In the virtual pilot has the opportunity not only look blankly ahead, but look around - always useful to be aware of what the rivals. The only gripe - the windshield, which somehow always seems dirty. Because of its graphic beauty around almost no notice and for "Ohoven-poisoning substances" on the stunning detail and texture quality lighting has to resort to repeats.
PGR3 is attached to the game, for which there is no doubt. Geometry Wars 2 - thrilling arcade shooter in the spirit of Asteroids and others like them, adapted to the power of modern gaming systems and squeeze out the Xbox 360 with a maximum image of fireworks, while remaining simple, affordable, and most old-fashioned. Included with the PGR is fully functional demo version, but the total can be purchased on Xbox Live Marketplace for a completely ridiculous money. Those who have not forgotten how to recognize a true diamond in the garbage mountain, it is strongly recommended.
 | |  | Narrow streets of the capital of the UK are not suitable for large-scale multiplayer races, but extremely cozy and pleasing to the eye. | | Attracting sponsors in the video game is in full swing - in PGR 3 bulk advertising Samsung, Puma and other brands. |
Integration with Xbox Live, which reached, it seemed, its apogee in PGR2, the new game up for the next height. The Online Career mode set aside a special section, and the Gotham TV feature allows players to take seats in races best racers Live.
Project Gotham Racing 3 - one of only three exclusives from Microsoft, appeared to run the system, along with Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power. No wonder that appealed to them the views of people who wanted to check the graphics capabilities of the system. Who, if not these projects fail to demonstrate all of the most advanced graphics "charms" of a new system! Bizarre Creations managed to cook for us an impressive sight.Model car really is as detailed as in the commercials (though good view of it can only during replay); city beautiful and full of tiny details; lighting system adds gloss. However, to cope with a strange problem the total darkness of the image inherent in a serial PGR, the developers were unable or unwilling. In addition, Bizarre Creations shalturili - instead of an honest resolution of 1280x720 (720p), corresponding to the HDTV standard and is the base for all games for the Xbox 360 game has worked in the "intermediate" resolution of 1024x600 (600p), and only then artificially stretched to the desired output size. The result, of course, are the numerous "ladder" of pixels on all gaming sites.
Xbox 360 from the start has been very successful platform for racing projects. On the shelves are already waiting for their customers excellent Ridge Racer 6, PGR3, and quite nice Need for Speed Most Wanted, but on the way - a special version of Burnout Revenge, and Test Drive Unlimited. Finally, Microsoft does not conceal that already hard at work on new version of Forza.
 | |  | System damage remains as ungainly, as in PGR2. All newly reduced to a crumpled bumpers and sadly drooping rear-view mirrors. | | The view from the cockpit, you can enjoy the true rate of racing cars. |
Overall impression of the visual side of the game turned out quite ambiguous. On the one hand - high detail, almost »HDTV-resolution, great job with lighting. On the other - no breakthrough was expected, a number of annoying bugs, plus generally unacceptable to the racing game of the new generation of 30 frames per second, which Bizarre Creations by no means can say goodbye. Schedule at the level of "slightly better Xbox» - this is not what we expect from next-generation consoles.
In general, the same can be said about all the product. Yes, PGR3 - a great game, ahead of many (if not all) competitors. Elegant, like a piano (the presence of classical compositions on the soundtrack, apparently inspired by Gran Turismo). Speed and beautiful. But, alas, deep secondary, both quantitatively and qualitatively. All the same we had already proposed PGR2, having to its credit, among other things, eight cities instead of four. In this case, PGR3, is certainly one of the best games starting lineup the Xbox 360 and all fans of the genre, this project will certainly enjoy. Revolution also will have to wait somewhere else ...
PGR3, of course, allows users to set as background absolutely any of your music, pre-recorded on the hard disk. This, however, does not mean that the developers have made a bad soundtrack. In contrast, selection at this time is extremely diverse, from hip hop to classical. There's nothing better than to ride along the waters of the Thames under the lead of the Requiem by Verdi.
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