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Xbox Live DLC Roundup Review
Xbox 360 Review by Dan Whitehead
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Everyone likes cars. Even the greens have got their favourites, made of regenerative braking systems, Atkinson cycle engines, old yoghurt pots and bits of rhubarb. And it seems that videogames about cars are just as susceptible to a bit of the old premium downloadable content as anything. Not at all surprised by this, we decided to take a spin round some of it so you don't get run over by poor value. Rev your feeble metaphors and join us.
Project Gotham Racing 4
- Challenge Pack - FREE
- Premium Challenge Pack - 400 points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80)
Trust Bizarre Creations to come up with an interesting way of solving the downloadable content conundrum. There are two batches of new stuff for the throbbing crimson beast we call PGR4; one that costs you precisely nothing yet delivers a generous spread of new events and game modes, and one that tops up the freebie offering with seven new cars and three new motorbikes. Of the 250 new Gamerpoints available through this DLC, 170 of them require the premium pack, a decision which will either sweeten the deal or irreparably sour it depending on how much of an Achievement whore you are.
The new challenges, then. Whichever pack you choose, a new single-player option appears in the menu - World Challenge Mode. Beneath this umbrella lurk three new chapters, comprising 20 new events. Arcade Challenge is pretty self-explanatory, and should come as a welcome treat for those who have exhausted the existing arcade options. DLC Challenge requires the new cars, and will only let you race those, while Platinum Plus is strictly for the hardcore - a super-tough mode for those expert drivers hankering for something to make them sweat a little. While there's nothing here that deviates from the established formula, a spread like this would be more than enough to warrant a download - paid for or not. If you've been drifting away from the game, it's certainly enough to drag you back in to burn some more rubber - which is surely what these things are designed to do.
Ah, PGR4. That isn't rain - it's our tears of happiness.
Yet the download keeps on giving, with two new online game modes as well. Tourist is a curious one, allowing you to take time-limited cruises around the cities, taking in the sights and familiarising yourself with their quirks and tricky corners. Kudos can be earned in Tourist mode, but mostly it's just for fun - get some mates together and go for a drive, play hide and seek or something. For me, Cat and Mouse is the highlight of the set - a team game where one player drives a slow "mouse" car while the others are in fast "cats". Mice earn kudos for every two seconds they avoid being smashed, while cats earn kudos for crashing into the other team's mouse while defending their own. It's a concept that nudges PGR4 a little in the direction of Burnout Paradise, which isn't a direction we'd want to see continued for PGR5, but as an optional bit of online fun, it's devilishly addictive and - with the right crowd - absolutely hilarious. At the very least, it shows that Bizarre Creations is continuing to treat its figurehead series as a constantly evolving source of vehicular entertainment rather than a rigid and predictable track racer.
And what of the new cars? The free download offers just one - the hydrogen-powered 2007 Peugeot Flux, taken from the podium of the 2007 Peugeot International Design Competition. Those with 400 Points to spare also get a 2008 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept, 2007 Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650, 1987 BMW M3 E30 DTM, 2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 2008 Honda S2000 CR, and the 2008 Callaway C16 Speedster. Bike fans can choose from the 2007 Yamaha YZF-R1, 1995 Aprilia RS 250 and the 1998 Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R. It's a nice varied line-up, covering sexy new sports cars and in-demand classics, and considering the price of additional vehicles for rival racing franchises, 400 Points represents excellent value.
8/10
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Comments: 1-22 of 22 in total
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CreepinJesus
01/04/08 @ 06:43
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I thought you said this was a new PGR download? Its been out ages! Shame on you for exciting me.
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The_Programmer
01/04/08 @ 08:34
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"Maserati Gran Tourismo... yeah cheeky but that's as close as they can get to Gran Tourismo 5."
No. I think you'll find that Forza 2 is NOT a demo and was indeed out a long time ago. By the time a full version of GT5 is out we'll probably be on Forza 8. |
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Forza2 is aging well. Its a fantastic game that puts the focus on driving/racing/online fun! GT5 will be good, its just taking far too long to arrive and I think everyone should bash Polyphony for that - they have no excuses!
Anyway... I wish those not interested in buying the DLC car packs for Forza2 could still download so that they were able to 'see' the cars in all their glory when competing against those using them. "I'm tired of hearing 'ooh, your car is ghost like what is going on?" The End. |
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How about a couple more trackpacks for Forza 2? I'd even happily take a few revamped courses from Forza 1 - the game's great - and it's still the best out and out racer on the 360 - but it's getting a little tired without new content.
Besides, once you've found the cars you like, additional carpacks always seem a little redundant. Give me a decent R3 over some Audi roadcar any day... |
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Rev. Stuart Campbell
01/04/08 @ 10:27
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New cars? Who gives a crap? GIVE US GEOMETRY WARS WAVES, YOU TOOLS.
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BillyBrush
01/04/08 @ 10:42
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@Stuart
Geometry wars waves is already in PGR4 ???? you have to go in your garage and walk up to the arcade machine but it's there I got the free PGR pack but no sign of a new singleplayer option (the extra arcade chapters) when i login...all i can find are the multiplayer extras like tourist mode..not sure why.. |
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@ myke6699
Forza2 might not be aging very well in the looks department, but in my opinion it still wears the crown as far as console driving sims go. As much as i LOVE GT5P it does feel like an arcade game, even on the hardest settings and all assists turned off, specially noticeable in the braking department, braking is far too easy and forgiving, slamming on brakes on a bend at high speed has very little consequence. Handling in Forza2 just feels more advanced. Having said that, Polyphony have hit a sweet spot when it comes to balancing realism with fun, and I guess thats what games are for right? having fun :) |
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@T4RG4
They've got their work cut out trying to get all of the complex tracks to run at more than 15fps @ 1/2 1080p Optimize, optimize, optimize. Then they've got to get it to fit in RAM... more optimizing. Then they wonder what the Blu-Ray is for - as the tracks aren't exactly huge data-wise and now stream from the HDD. It'll be interesting to see how long games continue to take to optimize for the PS3. How will we ever see a ton of releases while they take this long...? /hugs PS2 & 360 |
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Perjoss
the problem i'm having is that fans of forza couldn't accept that GT5 is as good as Forza 2. To me, it's actually better, but that's just my opinion. I've played both and both with steering wheel- the MS for Forza and the G25 with GT5. with forza, I just couldn't get over how crappy the cars looked. The game may be great (I never had that much time to play it) but the reason i play these games is because I love cars- the way they look, the way they sound, how they move, and how it feels to be behind the wheel of the cars. I commend turn 10 for being persistent with the DLC and all. but had they spent more time developing the game and make sure that the cars look stunning, then I would've bought an xbox but after playing forza2 at around christmas (while deciding on which console to get), i was disappointed with the game especially after all the thing i'd heard about it. i have to say i'm glad i decided to wait for GT5 Prologue and bought a PS3. It is car porn at its best. |
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How much of the car do you see if you're driving with a wheel. Surely, from my experience, steering the car in the 3rd person is pretty worthless. I don't even bother with cockpit or bonnet views normally. Just the track and speedometer is best with wheel. And it's not like your gazing lovingly at the cars ahead of you if you're racing and trying to win the race.
Forza has no tearing and is smoother than GT5p (but still time for optimisation though). One thing Gt5p destroys forza on though is the replays. Much much better.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 01/04/08 @ 23:20
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in gt5p, for the first time I can recall in any driving game (inc PGR3 and Forza 2) the quality of the cars DOES actually count for something while racing. When you are stuck up the back end of X car - the detailing is so accurate that it enhances the entire 'feel' of the race, you feel like you MUST overtake that car as if it was real life... in most games it's more of a cartoon version of the car (even PGR4 which looks amazing and is overall more consistent than GT5p in cars+environments) but those cars on track do look as good as in the front end to all intents and purposes.... even your own ghost (semi transparent) on time attack looks damn good, then you can see the car you are obsessed with (if you are slower than your ghost ;) )
I've also got to say that this is the only driving game where the in car view actually felt natural/enhanced the immersion/gameplay. I still prefer 'bumper cam' because I like a clear shot of the road but if any in car view can pull of the 'real feel' it's GT5p... previous best imo was DiRT and before that PGR but GT5p is much better, not just in looks/reflections/effects but in driving position. It also doesn't seem to simulate an actual windscreen which sounds bad on paper but is a big reason that it's so playable in reality (virtual), as it doesn't ever hinder you... ALSO i'm glad that damage isn't included!!! because as someone said above, this is CAR PORN and these cars wouldn't be half as nice to watch in replays if they were completely battered after the first corner... though it could do with a better collision response other than the unatural one it has now I wouldn't call for full on damage.. .. you want damage play Burnout or Motorstorm cos those rock for destruction (especially Motorstorm!!) |
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homerramone
02/04/08 @ 07:56
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I really cant believe they are release car packs for Forza with cars that are already in the game !
Are you really going to notice the difference between the '90 F40 and the '89 one ? (And there are others - im sure theres a pile of 911's in there, and theres definatley an F50) Theres already a mountain of cars in the game - why not at least put some in that arent there already ! (Yes I know - I dont HAVE to buy the pack - and I havent. I mightve been interested if there was something NEW in it !) Oh and as for GT5 bieng as good as forza... Maybe when they put the option private lobby in there, and ingame chat. It certainly looks better, and plays at least as well. And OK its the 'prologue' but it needs at least the facility for proper online !
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 02/04/08 @ 08:58
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Comments: 1-22 of 22 in total
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