Project Gotham Racing 4 (PGR4) is not so much a racing game as it is a lifestyle. From the moment it boots, the game assaults you with a stylish cut scene showcasing the game engine at its finest, with expensive cars screaming around tracks and motorcyclists pulling off cocky tricks set to a body thumping beat. Delve a little deeper and you'll discover more modes and features than you can handle, and that doesn't include the hidden gem buried in Gotham Career, Geometry Wars: Waves.

Much like previous Project Gothams, PGR4 allows you to step behind the wheel of some very expensive rides from numerous real world manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Honda Ford and BMW. All of them look amazing and (if you believe developer Bizarre Creations) handle like their real world counterparts. The developer offers plenty of dynamic views, including the exquisite driver's seat perspective. However, you don't have to settle for cars. This year's games adds bikes into the mix, allowing you to pit a Harley Davidson against a Mercedes, as well as bust out motorcycle specific tricks, such as the wheelie and the Endo.

Being that this is PGR, the goal is to not only defeat your opponents but to do so with style, earning valuable kudos by successfully pulling off fancy moves (power drift, power slide, e-drift, overtake, among others) without slamming into walls or other racers. Kudos get transferred to a bank account, and you'll use this currency to unlock custom parts for your driver (helmets and what not) as well as other game modes. But Bizarre Creations takes the system even further with Kudos Stars. You receive these depending on how long you sustain the aforementioned moves, and some modes require you to earn stars in order to win. This adds even more depth to the experience, as you'll constantly test yourself. Sure, you managed to successfully drift through that hairpin turn, but perhaps you can continue drifting just a second more. That's what Stars brings to the game.

In addition, the game packs so many modes and race types that you'll probably get stuck figuring out what to play next. Gotham Career, PGR4's heart, is where you'll spend most of your single player existence, as you race to beat the artificial intelligence and climb the racing ladder, that is, if you can get past 46 championship series and numerous other events. But then there's a ten chapter Arcade Mode, Time Attack, Custom Match, ghost races and 14 different events, such as Super Cone Sprint, Timed Run, Eliminator and Time Vs. Kudos. Now factor in purchasing new vehicles and storing them in your garage (along with taking pictures with the game's camera); there's always something to do.

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