Project Gotham Racing 4
Encyclopedia
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
.
press release for a competition for a car designed by a contestant to be featured in the game before the official Bizarre announcement. 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. The trailer was also made 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
remixed by Chris Chudley from Audioantics
.
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.
Having since been acquired by Activision
, Bizarre announced that PGR4 will be their last game produced for distribution by Microsoft Game Studios
. There is however a possibility that Turn 10 Studios may oversee development of future installments in the series.
Microsoft re-released the game under its "Classics" banner on 20 March 2009.
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.
Bizarre Creations has released two videos showing the weather effects; one of the rain effects in St. Petersburg and one showing the snow in the Nürburgring.
, 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.
PGR Nations was also launched with the release of the game. Players connected to Xbox 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.
, including cars and — new to the franchise — motorcycles
The game marks a return to the car balance of PGR2, with cars ranging from low-performance hatchbacks to high-performance supercars. PGR3 emphasized supercars and special models, but did have a few high-performance production cars.
.
Along with an ad campaign Microsoft also released various promotional items, the biggest being PGR: Mobile
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.
PGR 4 is also included as part of the Xbox 360 Live 12 Month Messenger Gold Pack, which includes the game, a 12 month Xbox Live Gold subscription card, a wired headset, and a chat pad controller attachment.
packs were released on February 14, 2008. The two packs add a total of ten new achievements to the game.
, 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. Tourist mode is only available in 'Multiplayer' and online with at least one other 'friend'
, 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. From 9 March 2009 to 16 March 2009, the pack was included as part of Xbox LIVE's Deal of the Week promotion where the pack was temporarily available to Gold members at a discounted price of 240 Microsoft Points
, 40% off the normal price of 400 Microsoft Points
which it returned to a week later. It now costs 80 Microsoft Points.
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.
Project Gotham Racing series
Metropolis Street Racer ' & Project Gotham Racing ' is a series of racing video games developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft , Sega...
, developed by Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations was a video game development studio, best known for their racing titles: Metropolis Street Racer and the followup Project Gotham Racing series . The company has also developed games in other genres, including the Geometry Wars arcade series, plus third-person shooters Fur...
and published by Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
.
Development history
Project Gotham Racing 4 was accidentally leaked by a PeugeotPeugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
press release for a competition for a car designed by a contestant to be featured in the game before the official Bizarre announcement. The competition was won by Mr. Mihai Panaitescu with the Peugeot Flux
Peugeot Flux
The Peugeot Flux is a concept car from Peugeot that won the 2007 Peugeot International Design Competition. It is intended to be a sports car, but is flexible enough to be used for light off-roading. It was designed by Mihai Panaitescu, a 20 year old Romanian. The Flux was first unveiled at the 2007...
.
Shortly after, the game was then officially confirmed at X06, with a trailer titled Eclipse shown. The trailer was also made available to download on the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
. The car featured in the trailer is a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
The 599 GTB Fiorano is an Italian gran turismo produced by Ferrari. It is the brand's two-seat flagship, replacing the 575 M Maranello in 2006 as a 2007 model....
. The song in the trailer is "Shadow" by The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
remixed by Chris Chudley from Audioantics
Audioantics
Audioantics is a UK based video game audio production company.-Selected works:*Blood Stone - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC Audioantics is a UK based video game audio production company.-Selected works:*Blood Stone - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC Audioantics is a UK based video game audio production...
.
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.
Having since been acquired by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, Bizarre announced that PGR4 will be their last game produced for distribution by Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
. There is however a possibility that Turn 10 Studios may oversee development of future installments in the series.
Microsoft re-released the game under its "Classics" banner on 20 March 2009.
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 LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
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.
Bizarre Creations has released two videos showing the weather effects; one of the rain effects in St. Petersburg and one showing the snow in the Nürburgring.
Tracks
PGR4 includes many of the tracks of the series' previous installment, including TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
; plus five more cities and tracks: Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and the Michelin Test Track.
New online components
PGR4 introduced 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 is played in an open section of a city, allowing the players to turn on to any street they want. Both cars and bikes are allowed to play in this mode simultaneously.PGR Nations was also launched with the release of the game. Players connected to Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
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
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
" feel.
Vehicles
PGR 4 features more than 130 vehicles, including cars and — new to the franchise — motorcycles
The game marks a return to the car balance of PGR2, with cars ranging from low-performance hatchbacks to high-performance supercars. PGR3 emphasized supercars and special models, but did have a few high-performance production cars.
Geometry Wars: Waves
The game debuted with a bonus mini-game Geometry Wars: Waves, which would later be included in Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved² is a multidirectional shooter video game created by Bizarre Creations, released on Xbox Live Arcade on July 30, 2008 as a sequel to Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved....
.
Along with an ad campaign Microsoft also released various promotional items, the biggest being PGR: Mobile
Project Gotham Racing Mobile
Project Gotham Racing Mobile is the first mobile phone game in the Project Gotham Racing series developed by Glu Mobile.-Locations:...
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.
PGR 4 is also included as part of the Xbox 360 Live 12 Month Messenger Gold Pack, which includes the game, a 12 month Xbox Live Gold subscription card, a wired headset, and a chat pad controller attachment.
Downloadable content
Two new downloadable contentDownloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
packs were released on February 14, 2008. The two packs add a total of ten new achievements to the game.
Free Challenge Pack
The Free Challenge Pack introduces the hydrogen-powered 2007 Peugeot FluxPeugeot Flux
The Peugeot Flux is a concept car from Peugeot that won the 2007 Peugeot International Design Competition. It is intended to be a sports car, but is flexible enough to be used for light off-roading. It was designed by Mihai Panaitescu, a 20 year old Romanian. The Flux was first unveiled at the 2007...
, 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. Tourist mode is only available in 'Multiplayer' and online with at least one other 'friend'
Premium Challenge Pack
The Premium PGR 4 Challenge Pack adds seven new cars - the 2008 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept, 2007 Volkswagen Golf GTI W12-650, 2007 Peugeot FluxPeugeot Flux
The Peugeot Flux is a concept car from Peugeot that won the 2007 Peugeot International Design Competition. It is intended to be a sports car, but is flexible enough to be used for light off-roading. It was designed by Mihai Panaitescu, a 20 year old Romanian. The Flux was first unveiled at the 2007...
, 1987 BMW M3 E30 DTM, 2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 2008 Honda S2000 CR
Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car was first shown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, following which it was launched in...
, and 2008 Callaway C16 Speedster, and three new bikes - the 2007 Yamaha YZF-R1
Yamaha YZF-R1
The Yamaha YZF-R1 is an open class sport bike, or superbike, motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha Motor Company since 1998.-1998–1999:Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the crankshaft, gearbox input, and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine made the...
, 1995 Aprilia RS250
Aprilia RS250
The Aprilia RS250 is a 2-stroke 249 cc sport bike made by Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia.The Aprilia RS250 features race oriented motorcycle with technology derived from Aprilia's racing experience...
, and 1998 Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R
Aprilia RSV Mille
The Aprilia RSV Mille was a sport motorcycle manufactured by Aprilia from 1998 to 2003. It was offered in three versions, RSV Mille, RSV Mille R, and RSV Mille SP....
. It also adds the World Challenge Arcade Mode which is 20 new arcade events. From 9 March 2009 to 16 March 2009, the pack was included as part of Xbox LIVE's Deal of the Week promotion where the pack was temporarily available to Gold members at a discounted price of 240 Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
, 40% off the normal price of 400 Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points
Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery, and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and to reduce the number of small credit card transaction fees, which Microsoft would...
which it returned to a week later. It now costs 80 Microsoft Points.
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 MagazineOfficial Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
UK rated the game a perfect 10/10, GamesMaster magazine
GamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
awarded it 93% and Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
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.