Project Gotham Racing 2

"Dude. This game rocks."

Graphics 10/10: Wow. The Graphics might just be the best on the Xbox. The cars look incredible, the cities are amazing. This game looks good enough to bring drool to your lip. Another good thing is the reflections on the cars. You can make out every single building as you drive by. The lighting effects are awesome, too. I just wish I could play it in HDTV, though. In conclusion, this game really utilizes the graphics power of the Xbox.

Sound 10/10: Listen to that baby purr! It just doesn't get any better than this in any game. The 5.1 Surround support is an incredible upper for the games sound. Rev it up at the beginning of the race with the sound turned all the way up. That ought to do it for ya. The music is catchy, and there are even some real songs that you have heard of, such as ''Stillframe'' by Trapt, and some kick-ass techno music. You can also use your own custom soundtracks. One thing that I don't understand how they do, is how they make all of the car sounds correspond to what is going with your car. They did it well here. This game's sound is amazing.

Gameplay: 10/10 This is where the game really shines. There's a certain joy in power-sliding around the corner, in the beautiful streets of Florence, Italy. The physics are done right, and the immersion factor is through the roof. When I play this game, I am totally immersed; in the zone. This game will drag you in, and practically make love to you. You'll never want to stop. No matter what, there's always that Platinum Medal to try for. The control is so easy, making the learning curve around 10 minutes. Basically, you have to earn Kudos for drafting, overtaking others, driving on two wheels, catching air, sliding, doing 360's, and driving cleanly. There are all kinds of game modes, such as Timed Laps, One on One Racing, Street racing against several other cars, and speed camera. There are over 100 cars in 14 classes, so pick your car, and roll out. On your break from driving, take a walk (yes, walk) through the fully explorable showroom, where you can test drive any car, at any time. Don't you dare forget about Xbox Live either. The game features Downloadable Content, online rankings (after every race, you see where you stand against everyone in the world), and of course some sweet multi player racing. The replay value is incredible.

Buy or Rent? Well, I bought this with the recommendation of a friend, and I was amazed, so take my recommendation and strut your butt to the car right now, drive up to the game shop, buy this game, and enjoy.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/27/04