Joystiq hands-on: PGR4 (Xbox 360)
Project Gotham Racing 4 follows the track of previous PGR titles by recreating cities on a building-by-building basis and then letting the fast cars loose. The September Xbox 360 game will include 10 total locations: New York City, Tokyo, London, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Shanghai, Macau, St. Petersburg, Nuerburgring, and the Michelin Test Track.I got some hands-on time with a recent version of the in-progress game, with the touted weather and rain specifically being shown off. PGR4 looks and feels like it'll be a fun racer, and this time, motorcycles get to play alongside the cars.
Gallery: PGR4 (Xbox 360)
I rode a motorcycle through a rainy Shanghai night to get a sense of the game. Rain streamed down the face of my chase-camera as I practiced racing and turning. Motorcycles -- new to PGR -- follow slightly different "kudos" rules as the cars; I earned PGR's point currency not only by drifting on turns but also by tricks including wheelies and standing on the bike while racing.
The roughly 30 licensed motorcycles will be able to race directly against the roughly 100 licensed cars, although the game isn't being promoted as a cars-versus-bikes showdown. Instead, the single-player missions will straddle both vehicles, although online drivers can more easily specialize in one type.
In addition to the rain and puddles -- I got a close look skidding on the pavement after failed tricks -- PGR4 will include snow and ice. Volumetric fog -- rendered in a three-dimensional shape instead of a 2D layer -- was also touted. As we drove up the city hills, dense fog at lower altitudes cleared at peaks, showing city vistas. While the demo omitted snow and ice, fog and rain looked good at least.
Developer, Bizarre Creations, says AI will be improved in this version, giving opponents more of a vindictive memory of how you drive and more interest in earning their own kudos. But online play, including team-based racing, seems the most interesting way to race.
Specifics are still being defined, but friends will be able to play together, earning team points and individual points at the end of the race. (A teammate win will earn you points regardless of your own individual placement.)
And if your friends aren't around to help win a race, in-game replays and video sharing will recap that glory. Bizarre hopes it'll create a YouTube-like community within the PGR4 interface, and players will first be directed to Gamertag friends' videos before looking though random clips and top-rated movies.
Motorcycles, new weather, and team tactics make PGR4 worth considering for any racing fan. And the gorgeous real-life city settings still stand out against other titles.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sheppy @ Jul 9th 2007 10:15AM
Never been a fan of PGR.... but then again, never thought I'd like Forza 2. Time to wait for a demo.
RoroCo @ Jul 9th 2007 10:17AM
I hope the bikes are handled as well as they are in MotoGP and not just an add on "steer it like a car" feature.
Anam @ Jul 9th 2007 10:21AM
I like the idea of having bikes, though I haven't been much into racing games in years.
Off-topic: Has anyone played that old Super Nintendo game, Stunt Race FX? That was awesome back in the day. With it's horrible controls and the cars having eyes and all...
sheppy @ Jul 9th 2007 10:25AM
I remember Stunt Race FX had a framerate of 1.... when it was blazingly fast.
Anam @ Jul 9th 2007 10:34AM
Back in my day, we didn't complain about framerate. If the game wasn't playable, you just weren't hardcore enough.
sheppy @ Jul 9th 2007 11:15AM
I prefered it when the game physically slowed down, ala Super Mario Brothers 2 to dropping the frame altogether. The moment I gave up on Stunt Race FX was when, between frames, I had gone from jumping a ramp, to falling into a pit beyond redemption... thus dying and ruining a 15 minute race. Death by Framerate is never fun. Just ask Killzone fans.
Todd H. @ Jul 9th 2007 10:33AM
Let's hope they include my Yamaha R6 and I'll be sure to pick this title up. Then again, why bother if you can ride the real thing ;)
abermaelon @ Jul 9th 2007 10:36AM
I am getting kinda bored with this series, or any racer these days for that matter. I am dying for something like Road Rash, or maybe even something like Road Warrior, that would be sweet.
Daran @ Jul 9th 2007 10:50AM
I just hope this one isn't as boring as PGR3.
Danny @ Jul 9th 2007 11:17AM
I'm still not pleased with the whole bikes idea. It sounds like change for the sake of change. Plus, bikes usually suck in car games.
Jonathan Tran @ Jul 9th 2007 11:17AM
is it just me or is Quebec City the worst on earth for racing?
Every road there is 10 feet wide, at about a 70 degree inline, and is a S turn at 280 degrees
Actually, maybe it's the BEST racing city on earth....
Anam @ Jul 9th 2007 12:56PM
Okay, this has nothing to do with your post, but I found out I was wrong about Homeworld. It's not on Mac. However, Homeworld 2 is on Mac. Should I pick that one up or is it not as good?
Christopher Jachmich @ Jul 9th 2007 11:24AM
I recently got a 360 - which of the following racing games should I get first?
- PGR3
- Forza 2
- Dirt
Any recommendations?
qbix @ Jul 9th 2007 12:14PM
It all depends on what you like. If you like realistic driving games, you HAVE to get Forza 2. If you like Arcade-style racing games, I'd actually give Need For Speed Most Wanted a try (Carbon sucks). If you want something in between, PGR is the game for you. As for Dirt, it also sits in between but this one is a lot more chaotic, which I find fun, specially with the wheel.
Darcrequiem @ Jul 9th 2007 11:33AM
Forza 2 would be my first choice Christopher. DiRT is a good game as well but its even less forgiving than Forza IMO.
Cedar @ Jul 9th 2007 11:35AM
Looking forward to this game. PGR2 was great, however, PGR3 was nothing but a graphical powerhouse game, a step down from PGR2 in terms of the game itself. Hope they bring it back to its best this time.
Saf. @ Jul 9th 2007 11:57AM
Hey joystiq, ign is saying it is Macau not Moscow.
Zack Stern @ Jul 9th 2007 12:20PM
Hey Saf.,
Thanks for that catch.
Patrick @ Jul 9th 2007 12:00PM
I am looking forward to this, its more my style than forza or dirt
Jimbo @ Jul 9th 2007 12:04PM
I'm really hoping there are some basic modification features in PGR4, even if it's just paint jobs. I really feel this was the one thing lacking in PGR3 which would have made it even better. In terms of visuals PGR4 looks even more refined, especially with the addition of rain, and hopefully the sense of speed will remain. Microsoft has the definitive arcade-style racer on its hands,
Spartacus @ Jul 9th 2007 12:23PM
Hadn't played a racing game since the N64 days until I picked up PGR3 when I bought the 360 on launch day. Loved it. I'm really looking forward to the next iteration, especially if they do bikes right...
Digi Smalls @ Jul 9th 2007 12:29PM
Zack,
any word on the native resolution of this PGR? will it be sub-720 interpolated like PGR3 was? PGR3 was pretty ambitious for a next-gen launch game in 2005, so it was mostly forgiven, but with PGR4's new weather effects i really don't want to hear the same excuse this time.
.
JD @ Jul 9th 2007 12:49PM
I am a big pgr fan but i am not really happy about the motorcycles but it sounds fun with all the weather.
KilgoreTrout XL @ Jul 9th 2007 1:12PM
Cars, tracks, yes, that sounds great.
Um, so how awesome is Geometry Wars 2? Is it just shipping with Galaxies?
Thomas Crymes @ Jul 9th 2007 1:34PM
I would say that Burnout Revenge was the most fun I've had in a 360 racing title.
I really liked PGR3 and Forza 2 is wonderful for its realism. The DiRT demo is gorgeous, but the game feels like it might be a tad to twitchy for my taste.
PGR4 will be great to have as well.
For sheer sense of speed and fun playing in traffic, you can't go wrong with Burnout. It is the first game I've played to 100% in a decade (and that's sayin' something).
Bender @ Jul 9th 2007 1:34PM
Is it running at 60 FPS?
Alexander @ Jul 9th 2007 2:13PM
i cant wait love PGR3 it was my first 360 game
3cubedminus3squared @ Jul 9th 2007 2:37PM
I hope this racing series is better than Forza.
I bought Forza 2 hoping it would be like Gran Turismo and it wasn't even close.
Hopefully this will make me happy.
sheppy @ Jul 9th 2007 2:55PM
Ummm, Forza is their sim series, PGR is their arcade racer.
Thomas Crymes @ Jul 9th 2007 2:55PM
I never much cared for GT. I thought Forza 2 would be too sim-y for me, but I was wrong. Forza 2 is the best pure racing game I've played on a console. Their attention to detail is meticulous and the cars behave so realistically.
It is obvious to me that Forza 2 traded graphics for physics and it shows. Not as pretty as DiRT, but the nuances of the game really make up for it.
The braking line is also a crucial addition. it makes sim driving games actually fun.
The fact that you can actually feel and hear each upgrade is just great.
It think PS3 GT wll be goregous (and hopefully fun), but I don't think the dev team will be able to sacrifice graphics for physics (since most people don't care).
Myrpok @ Jul 9th 2007 3:27PM
currently GT5 has been shelved due to the price point being 1 car and 1 track, with the option of buying the rest of the tracks and cars for $1500. Again, the game has been currently shelved. oh shi-
Zeiss @ Jul 9th 2007 3:23PM
Looks nice, lets wait for a demo.
rfom @ Jul 9th 2007 3:45PM
So Forza 2 out at the same time as Dirt, PGR4 with Burnout, Halo 3 out same time as 7-8 other good-great console shooters, and driving the equally good Haze into PS3's arms - see a pattern here?
The biggest problem, ironic given the "PS3 has no games" statements, is that MS were late with almost ALL their frontline games - while Sony is out with 6-7 good exclusives in its first year (ratchet, heavenly, Lair, R:FOM, Motorstorm, Uncharted), the only great exclusive for 18 months on 360 is Gears (even that is out on PC soon).
So MS failed to take advantage of its lead, and now its best titles are getting crowded with at least 20 good non-eclusives, and the first wave of Sony. They better pray Halo 3 and Mass Effect swing a few votes, because 2008 is almost a a total blank - versus MGS4, FF13, KZ2, Little Big Planet, SOCOM, GT5, the list just goes on.
Digi Smalls @ Jul 9th 2007 4:07PM
rfom, please. give it a rest.
we're talking about PGR4 and racing games in general; not console exclusive lineups for 2008.
all you're doing is exposing your *brand*boy quivering by dropping your meaningless lists across every topic.
yes, meaningless. you don't know everything that's coming for what in 2008. not even after E3. did you even know about Haze last year? no, so save your childish wishlists for Santa Claus.
(should i tell him?)
.
RedJoggindSuit @ Jul 9th 2007 6:15PM
Media Title. Nice if you use it.
This is the description of the image. Wow, look at this fancy image how awesomely fancy it is.
XesBOX @ Jul 9th 2007 6:58PM
Still no Houston. :( It is my dream to create an arcade racer based in the city of Houston. The freeways and urban roads are just sublime for racing.. mmmm.. 110 on Memorial drive..
Ryan @ Jul 9th 2007 7:02PM
I love the level of customization in Forza, so if PGR4 can match it to some degree, then I'll give it a shot.
Purple Haze @ Jul 9th 2007 10:55PM
Anyone got any idea what kind of motorbikes will be in the game?
Rususeruru @ Jul 10th 2007 2:24AM
Fast ones... sorry I had to.
Chris @ Jul 10th 2007 10:29AM
I soo want to try this game out. It's not everyday you have Quebec city in game, my hometown. Too bad I don't have an xbox360. Between, they reproduced the city quite well from what I've seen in the gallery.
waffleEater @ Jul 10th 2007 11:48AM
I bought PGR3 and i think its pretty much the worst game in my collection.
It is so boring, its like NASCAR, seriously.
I dont know why i hate it, its one of those things you cant explain why you hate it.
Most Wanted was way better than PGR3, atleast you had a freggin purpose in that game.