Next-Gen graphics - WOW! Great fun, even without the explosions of Burnout.
If you've read any of my reviews on the Burnout series, you'll know my thoughts there. Burnout is the best of the arcade racers, in my opinion. However, PGR isn't really an arcade racer, it's more of a sim. The cars are real, the tracks are from real streets in real cities, and the controls are probably a bit more real (although I couldn't tell you for sure since I've never driven a Lamborghini at 200mph down Las Vegas Boulevard). So, my love for Burnout aside, PGR is an extremely fun and well put together game.
First off: the graphics. This game shows what the 360 can really do. I mean, WOW! The details, the reflections, the streets, the lighting, it's all fantastic! Even driving at night, which could be a problem in the older versions, is downright beautiful in this game. I love the true to life depictions of the cities. I've been to New York all my life and felt the tracks there were dead-on. Vegas, too is very impressively done (and quite fun I might add). I love watching the replays almost as much as driving in the races themselves. It's just wonderful to look at.
The sound is good, but not fantastic. What I do like is the different engine sounds and the use of surround sound. You really can hear your opponent coming up from behind you. And there are distinct differences in the sound when you play from outside the car versus in the car. Very nicely done. My only complaint is the music. I really enjoy the selections in Burnout better and it’s sad that you can’t use a custom playlist from your Xbox hard drive.
As for the gameplay, it’s definitely a lot fun. However, if you’re use to Burnout or other arcade racers, there is a steep learning curve. The cars don’t stop on a dime and they don’t corner like an arcade racer. So, it takes some getting used to. Honestly, I’m still a novice at it myself, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the game. I think that’s one of my biggest complements on this one: you don’t have to play at “hardcore” level in order to enjoy the perks of the game. Sure, the tougher your difficulty setting, the greater the reward, but, you can win enough races to earn enough money to buy that top of the line Ferrari if you want. And it’s a lot of fun getting there. The challenges can be tough. And I do think the skill level of the AI jumps quite a bit from Easy to Medium setting (I haven’t even tried Difficult yet). But, you can still have fun with this even if you’re not hardcore (as long as your humble enough to play at a lower difficulty.
I have to admit, I didn’t think I would like this game, based on my past experience. But, with a little effort, it was easy to start to really like it And I do like it, a lot.