Project Gotham Racing 4

Infobox VG
title = Project Gotham Racing 4


caption =
developer = Bizarre Creations
publisher = Microsoft
distributor =
designer = Martyn Chudley, Ged Talbot,Gareth Wilson
series = "Project Gotham Racing" series
engine =
version =
released =
genre = Racing
modes = Single player, Multiplayer
ratings =
platforms = Xbox 360
media =
requirements =
input = Gamepad, Steering Wheel
footnotes =

"Project Gotham Racing 4" is the fourth title in the main Project Gotham Racing series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft Game Studios.

Development history

"Project Gotham Racing 4" was accidentally leaked by a Peugeot press release for a competition for a car designed by a contestant to be featured in the game before the official Bizarre announcement. [ [http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/08/pencils-ready-peugeot-announces-2007-design-contest/ Pencils ready? Peugeot announces 2007 Design Contest] ] [ [http://www.peugeot-concours-design.com/ Bienvenue sur le site du Concours de Design Peugeot] (in French) ] The competition was won by Mr. Mihai Panaitescu with the Peugeot Flux.

Shortly after, the game was then officially confirmed at X06, with a trailer titled "Eclipse" shown. [ [http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/27/x06-press-conference-liveblogging/ X06: Press conference liveblogging (update 28)] ] The trailer is also now available to download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The car featured in the trailer is a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. The song in the trailer is "Shadow" by The Prodigy.

Microsoft announced at the 2007 E3 that PGR4 would be released in September 2007. However, Bizarre subsequently said that game wouldn't be released "until it's done" citing reasons that they had spent a substantial amount of money and time on the game. "We feel like we've got more time [on PGR4] . Last time round, we feel like we got the game ripped away from us" said Brian Woodhouse of Bizarre Creations. [ [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26918 Project Gotham 4 won't be released "until it's done" // GamesIndustry.biz ] ]

Having since been acquired by Activision, Bizarre announced that PGR4 will be their last game produced for distribution by Microsoft Game Studios. [ [http://www.developmag.com/news/28531/Activision-acquires-Bizarre-Creations Activision buys Bizarre - News - www.developmag.com ] ] There is however a possibility that Turn 10 Studios may oversee development of future installments in the series. [ [http://kotaku.com/tag/project-gotham-racing/ Project Gotham Racing - Kotaku ] ]

New features

Weather

The most prominent addition to "PGR4" is advanced weather effects that affect the look of the game and the physics of the cars on the track. The weather can change from sun to rain to snow to hail within a single race. A system logged on to Xbox Live will download weather data from The Weather Channel, allowing users to set in-game conditions to mirror current weather in their respective cities.

The game simulates ten types of weather, including clear days, clouds, light to stormy rain, fog, snow and even ice. In user-created races, weather is fully customisable along with all the other race variations. In the game's expanded and improved career mode, weather is predetermined, which adds an extra obstacle for players to overcome.cite web |url = http://www.nzgamer.com/hub-x360-previews-471 |title = Project Gotham Racing 4 Preview |accessdate = 2007-07-31 |author = Daniel Needham |date = 2007-07-05 |format = HTML |publisher = NZGamer.com |language = English ]

Bizarre Creations has released two videos showing the weather effects; one of the [http://www.xbox.com/NR/rdonlyres/3EF19FAE-3295-4F92-85A9-2747D734EA75/0/vidpgr4stpetersrainHi.asx rain effects in St. Petersburg] and one showing the [http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/4836/Project-Gotham-Racing-4-A-Sneak-Peek-Part-2-The-Snow/ snow in the Nürburgring] .

Tracks

"PGR4" includes all of the tracks of the series' previous installment, including Tokyo, New York, the Nürburgring, London and Las Vegas; plus five more cities and tracks: Shanghai, St. Petersburg, Quebec City, Macau and the Michelin Test Track.cite web |url = http://www.bizarrecreations.com/article.php?article_id=5256 |title = Let's talk PGR4 locations |accessdate = 2007-07-31 |author = Ben |date = 2007-07-30 |format = HTML |publisher = BizarreCreations.com |language = English ]

New online components

PGR4 introduces a new online game mode, called "Bulldog". One player starts out as the Bulldog, whose job is to tag every other opponent in the game, thus creating new bulldogs as he goes. This mode will be played in an open section of a city, presumably allowing the players to turn on to any street they want. Both cars and bikes will be allowed to play in this mode simultaneously.

PGR Nations was also launched with the release of the game, players connected to live would race on behalf of a certain country, their average stats would be added to the total of their country's through a leaderboard giving the game a certain "Olympic" feel.

Vehicles

PGR 4 features more than 220 vehicles, including cars and — new to the franchise — motorcycles. [ [http://www.bizarrecreations.com/games/pgr4/vehiclelist.php Project Gotham Racing 4 - Bizarre Creations ] ]

It is a return to production based vehicles after the third installment emphasized supercars. Unlike the second, however, there are no SUVs or pickups save for the GMC Syclone.

Geometry Wars: Waves

The game debuted "Geometry Wars: Waves", which would later be included in "".

Marketing

Along with an ad campaign Microsoft also released various promotional items, the biggest being which contained a code that unlocked a sneak peek trailer via the official PGR 3 site. A desktop calendar was also released via the official Xbox page [http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/p/projectgothamracing4/] .

Downloadable content

Two new downloadable content packs were released on February 14, 2008. The two packs add a total of ten new achievements to the game. [cite web|url=http://www.bizarrecreations.com/article.php?article_id=5301|title=PGR4 Challenge Pack DLC Announced!|date=2008-02-08|accessdate=2008-02-08|publisher=Bizarre Creations]

Free Challenge Pack

The "Free Challenge Pack" introduces the hydrogen-powered 2007 Peugeot Flux, winner of the 2007 Peugeot International Design Competition and two new game modes - Tourist Mode which allows the player to roam around any city in the game and Free Roam Cat and Mouse where a slow mouse vehicle must avoid enemy cats.

Premium Challenge Pack

The "Premium PGR 4 Challenge Pack" will cost 400 Microsoft Points and add seven new cars - the 2008 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept, 2007 Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650, 2007 Peugeot Flux, 1987 BMW M3 E30 DTM, 2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 2008 Honda S2000 CR, and 2008 Callaway C16 Speedster and three new bikes-the 2007 Yamaha YZF-R1, 1995 Aprilia RS250, and 1998 Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R. It also adds the World Challenge Arcade Mode which is 20 new arcade events.

Critical Reception

Project Gotham Racing 4 was met with generally favorable reviews, most criticism emphasized on its lack of departure from Project Gotham Racing 3's formula. Official Xbox Magazine UK rated the game a perfect 10/10, GamesMaster magazine awarded it 93% and Edge 9/10. TeamXbox gave the game an 8.4 citing it was more of "the same" and Bizarre should move on to bigger and better things. GameInformer scored PGR4 an 8.75 and a 9.25 as a second opinion.

References

External links

* [http://www.bizarrecreations.com/games/pgr4/ "PGR4" official site]
* [http://www.pgrnations.com/ Official "PGR4" community site]
* [http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/p/projectgothamracing4/ Xbox.com | Project Gotham Racing 4]