I normally don't care for racing games, but rented this one on a whim.
Its pretty kick ass.
You basically go through different street races of various types based on what city, what type of vehicle you have, etc. Doing well gives you cash and unlocks more vehicles and more stuff for your vehicles.
The game looks great and the illusion of speed is very well done. The game says that my top speed was 295 MPH and it looked and felt like it.
You can customize your car is pretty much any way you want. So if you've always dreamed of owning a 68 GTO that was hot pink, here's your chance.
The single player campaign is long enough, and can be challenging at times. Some of the course designs are a bit frustrating as there are obstacles placed where the designers knew the player would have problems, but the AI knows is coming. Still, while frustrating the gameplay keeps you coming back for more.
The only negative I'd really say about the game is the bikes. GTA did motorcycles the right way. This game makes them a bit too difficult to ride, not to mention that they're at a huge disadvantage when racing cars because the cars can easily knock you over, plus your recovery time from crashes is longer.
The mutliplay is a lot of fun too. Although it'd be better on a LAN so I didn't have to play via split screen. Also, I'd love to see a "Cops and Robbers" game like Midtown Madness had.
Still, this is a MUST for fans fo racing games. I'd also recommend it to non-racing fans looking for an adrenaline fix like I was when I rented it.
8 out of 10.
I knocked off 2 points for the poor bike controls, the circuit races (these weren't as fun, but were few in number), and the lack of a true storyline other than just racing to become a street legend. Side races could have had more reward and side jobs could have been included to help players learn the streets of the cities.