Reviewed by Nebagram, January 21st 2006

Thought there'd be a nice irony in the first review on GN being for just about the newest game out there right now. There's method to my madness, though, for the first time in ages- PGR3 is also the first game I bought for the 360 and a game I'd had my eye on for more than a little time. I'd pummelled the crap out of MSR on the Dreamcast (finished it around May 2001 with approx. 330 000 kudos- enough for a world top 100 spot, at the time!) and never owned an Xbox so missed out on PGRs 1 and 2 (and still am, hint hint Microsoft backwards-compatibility engineer bods).

Let's start with the obvious stuff- PGR3 is fast. SERIOUSLY fast. Fast as in Michael Schumacher going "ach das is sehr sehr unterhosen-scheissen!". The first car you're likely to buy has got a top speed of 160mph+. While this undoubtedly is a nice change to GT4 where you're mired pottering around tracks in a Datsun Cherry, winning the same race over and over until you get enough cash to buy a Vauxhall Cavalier, you can't help but feel that the guys at Bizarre are just on an adrenaline rush or something. Still, I'm of the opinion that racing games are all about speed anyway, so you won't hear any (serious) complaints from me!

Having not played PGR1 or 2 I have nothing to really compare the AI to, but from my narrow perspective of ten years' addiction to driving games, Bizarre seem to have nailed it pretty much on the head. No major calamities there- tha handling though, deserves a "could be better". Admittedly I don't know for sure that these 210mph penis-extension cars DON'T handle like greased pigs on an ice-skating rink, but it would have been nice to have some more drivable cars to compare them to. Same goes for damage- when I stack my Enzo at 215mph, I expect to see carnage, dammit! Not the boot flapping up and down a little.

Okay, I should've got the message of the cars across now, but here's where a racer really lives or dies- its tracks. Fortunately, Bizarre have played their trump card with, in my opinion, PGR3's best element- the track creator. Oh yes. It makes you realise just how little of the cities are available compared to, say, MSR, but seriously, the track creator rules big-time. The ability to upload and download tracks to and from Xbox Live really does add about 5 years to PGR3's already-impressive lifespan. Especially when you create tracks in Tokyo with its (no pun intended) kamikaze chicanes.

Career mode's not all bad either- okay, so starting out with a monster of a car does kinda negate the whole "build your way up from scratch" ethos usually present in these types of games, but on the flipside, it does mean you can dive right in and get your hands dirty, and most importantly, allows uninterrupted progress through the game. The challenges are a good mix too, with 5 separate difficulty levels so there really is something for everyone in there.

Graphics and Sound- come on man, this is the Xbox 360. Of course they're going to fucking rock. Default tracks could've been a little more upmarket, and they could've included a bit more Bhangra too while they're at it.

In conclusion, I'm glad I got PGR3 as my first 360 game. Well, I was until I played Kameo, anyway. If you're looking for a decent racer that you can hammer away at between meals or in hardcore 5-hour Live sessions, PGR3 is really the title you should look for in the shops. Recommended.

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