GTP Video Game Cool Wall: Project Gotham Racing 4

[Cowboy]

Project Gotham Racing 4, nominated by @JASON_ROCKS1998

Release Date: October 2007
Platform: XBOX 360
Developer: Bizzare Creations
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Racing

Spoiler: Information

Project Gotham Racing 4 (Commonly known as PGR4) is the fourth, and final, game in the PGR series. PGR4 was the first in the series to feature varied weather and is one of only 2 games to have snow and ice on the Nurburgring (the other being Project CARS 2). Other tracks include Tokyo, New York, London, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Macau & The Michelin Test Track. PGR4 features over 130 vehicles ranging from the Mazda MX-5 and Pontiac Firebird to the McLaren F1 LM and Ferrari F50 GT, and is also one of the only games to allow bikes and cars to race side-by-side.

While PGR4 was well received, there was never a 5th PGR game, mainly due to Bizarre Creations closing in 2011.

 

[nick98]

One of my personal favorite racing games of the seventh generation of consoles, if not of all time. Great car list, beautiful locales (my favorite being Quebec City), fun gameplay, and a sleek presentation for the time are a recipe for victory. And the theme song is by the Prodigy!

A. No question.

 

[Brend]

No brainer. Definitely an A.

 

[Joey D]

The PGR series was always fantastic. I really hope it gets backwards compatibility on the Xbox One.

 

[NoGoodNames]

If there was a way to finish out a game series, this would be it. At the time, Activision had acquired Bizarre Studios, but did not buy the rights to the PGR series, meaning that Bizzare knew this would be the last entry in the franchise.

This game was one of my favorites as a child, and probably my favorite game period until I was introduced to Forza. I recall great memories of me playing this game with my brother when I was like, 7, just crashing the bikes into the wall on every corner because for some reason when I was younger, I used to love doing that.

But this game is still great even today, for many reasons.

First reason: I kinda just mentioned it above: the inclusion of bikes. PGR4's car list was already amazing, with wonders such as the Light Car Company Rocket, and Caparo T1. But including bikes takes it to a whole different level. Not only that, but you can even combine bikes and cars and race them together! Has there ever been any other game that's done that!?

Second reason: the weather. PGR4 was the first game in the series to feature weather, but in my opinion, it was the one of the first games where you felt the difference. For instance, when driving through a deep puddle, it actually felt like you could've spun out. Forza didn't feature this until FM6. And snow as well, not many racing sims have featured snow...

Those are two of the main reasons why I still like this game today, and why many other people like it as well.

A.

 

[Wolfe]

I never found PGR4 to be as charming or engaging to drive as PGR2, but it's the second best of the series and was a worthy game for splitscreen racing on XB360.

 

[Silver Arrows]

If you don't vote A in this poll, GTFO.

I seriously believe that 4 is the best game in the series, much more then 2 was. I only believe people rate 2 so highly was because it came right at the dawn of Xbox Live and the birth of mass console online gaming. For pure, racing adrenaline and fun, nothing beats 4. The bikes especially have a fantastic handling model, and no game comes close to matching it in my mind.

Give me the GSXR-1000 and the long version of Macau and i'll be a very happy camper.

 

[Michelin Man]

PGR4 always looked like a very well made, and really rather good game. The car list was very impressive, and generally people seem to say that the physics model was really rather impressive too.

In the end I gave it a B, simply because I've never played any of the PGR series, having never owned an XBOX (which I don't plan on changing BTW), so can't give an accurate, representative opinion myself. But a great game it'd seem nonetheless, perhaps somewhat ahead of its time.

 

[Vic Reign93]

As someone who awhile back completed what were quite simply, the 2 toughest events in PGR4 which were both at the Nurburgring and involved bikes and a platinum medal, This game was WAY ahead of its time.

Great weather visuals(actual puddles and ice patchs to effect grip anyone?), great list of cars, many places to race and numerous game modes (Cat and Mouse and Bulldog) and the sounds....

Well here's a showcase of the turbocharged cars of PGR4..



And remember, this was 2007, still good even by today's much higher standards of sound.

Easy A 👍

 

[Michelin Man]

As someone who awhile back completed what were quite simply, the 2 toughest events in PGR4 which were both at the Nurburgring and involved bikes and a platinum medal, This game was WAY ahead of its time.

Great weather visuals(actual puddles and ice patchs to effect grip anyone?), great list of cars, many places to race and numerous game modes (Cat and Mouse and Bulldog) and the sounds....

Well here's a showcase of the turbocharged cars of PGR4..



And remember, this was 2007, still good even by today's much higher standards of sound.

Easy A 👍

Aside from the turbo, and the car's themselves, sounding really good, what I think's really neat little touch, is how every car has their own unique instrument cluster.

 

[Terronium-12]

Saw Project Gotham Racing in the title, rushed in to see what was going on. Definite A.

Who voted B? I want names.

 

[Cowboy]

Saw Project Gotham Racing in the title, rushed in to see what was going on. Definite A.

Who voted B? I want names.

I voted B because I've never played the game (which gets a C by default), but the game looks good and look hella fun to play, thus getting a B.

If I had actually played the game, it probably would've gotten an A from me.

 

[Northstar]

Easy A.

It really is a shame how Microsoft let this franchise go considering all 4 were well liked and it's not like they have 1st party franchises in abundance. I also would have loved to see T10 take advantage of the talent that Bizarre had.

 

[Wolfe]

@Northstar -- My understanding is that a chunk of Bizarre Creations went to PG to work on Forza Horizon.

If you don't vote A in this poll, GTFO.

I seriously believe that 4 is the best game in the series, much more then 2 was. I only believe people rate 2 so highly was because it came right at the dawn of Xbox Live and the birth of mass console online gaming. For pure, racing adrenaline and fun, nothing beats 4. The bikes especially have a fantastic handling model, and no game comes close to matching it in my mind.

Give me the GSXR-1000 and the long version of Macau and i'll be a very happy camper.

To me PGR2 had better circuits, a better car list and categories, and somewhat more natural handling. The early days on XBL were something to experience, but me and my friends also exploited the four-player splitscreen.

In PGR4 I thought the bikes were marred by the extremely twitchy lean/steering control, IMHO. The cars also handled a bit too weird (all the PGR games were a little strange to drive), making for extra corrections and generous use of the handbrake button as cars frequently wouldn't drift the way I expected (drifting being obligatory, of course, for Kudos). Then the inclement weather introduced multiple levels of weird drifting to grapple.

More than anything it's the handling that made me give it a B (@Terronium-12 ), followed by the car list/categories which just didn't appeal like PGR2's. But I'd also give PGR2 a B.

I'm curious what you think of PGR2's shortcomings compared to PGR4, because it has been an awfully long time since I've played PGR2.

 

[Silver Arrows]

I'm curious what you think of PGR2's shortcomings compared to PGR4, because it has been an awfully long time since I've played PGR2.

I honestly feel that compared to what PGR4 brought to the table, PGR2 feels lacking. Granted, this doesn't mean that PGR2 is a bad game, oh no, I just believe that with regards to 2, most people's perceptions are colored by the fact that is was one of the first racing games to really take advantage of the nascent Xbox Live. Meanwhile, PGR4, even ten (!) years after it's release, still feels fresh and great to play, either in the career more or arcade, due to the bikes being added.

I do believe that PGR4 also has the better list of cities, if only by a hair. Macau and Quebec City bring it over, but Edinburgh and Hong Kong from 2 are quite close.