Midtown Madness 3

Midtown Madness 3 leaves the series’ traditional PC background behind in favor of a new, more mechanically impressive venture into Microsoft’s first gaming console. Larger in scope than any of its predecessors, this title aims to deliver a redefined open-world racing experience that can be enjoyed by both newcomers and series veterans.

In this reckless racing game, players are free to explore virtual renditions of two of the most recognizable cities in the world. However, does the transition to a new platform agree with the Midtown Madness series, or was something lost in translation? Let’s find out.

Non-Stop Driving

Much like its predecessors, Midtown Madness 3 has the player driving around cities as they search for new races and generally raise chaos everywhere they go. Is an extremely cathartic formula that invites players to sit back and explore the rich world at their own pace.

The two cities in this entry in the series are Paris and Washington D.C. While it would have been fun to see some more exotic locations added to the mix – think Cruisin’ World but with an open world – the maps are richly-detailed, including some of the most prominent landmarks in the area.

There’s never a dull moment in Midtown Madness 3. There are a good deal of tasks to fulfill, which include working as a cab driver, a pizza delivery man, and even as an ambulance driver. It feels as if Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had become a driving game, with the only exception being that there’s no over-the-top violence to be found in Midtown Madness 3.

Players will also have to complete several different missions and unlock new vehicles as they race through these gorgeous environments. The feeling of satisfaction that comes from unlocking everything, especially after a tough race, is immense and makes the whole experience that much more entertaining.

Online World

One of the new elements that this third entry brings to the table is the revamped online multiplayer mode. This is an area where the game easily beats its closest competitor, Midnight Club II.

Players can join other racers online as they engage in frantic runs all over the cities. In fact, you could easily lose yourself in this massive, realistic cityscape thanks to the endless amount of things to do in Midtown Madness 3. The only problem is that, due to the frenetic pace of the game, it can be sometimes hard to properly enjoy everything that the multiplayer modes have to offer. Players shouldn’t expect long races here since the entire focus is on speed and the occasional crash.

In some regards, the game actually feels like a less focused experienced compared to Midtown Madness 2. Fortunately, Midtown Madness 3 makes up for its gameplay shortcomings with a much cleaner presentation and pristine 3D visuals. The audio design is also excellent, providing enough noise to keep the sound effects from fading into the background. And while there are a few times when the music is slightly repetitive, it still manages to fit the overall atmosphere quite well.

Pros

• Innovative open-world racing experience
• Beautiful graphics
• Tons of side activities

Cons

• Multiplayer mode can get rather chaotic

Microsoft Fall 2002--Think of Midtown Madness 3 as a watered-down GTA3--without the sex and violence. The game is primarily an arcade, street-racing affair with a crapload of real vehicles to choose from, plus all the traffic you can dodge. The two featured cities, DC and Paris, are modeled after the real deals and include plenty of pretty parks and neighborhoods for you to abuse.

Bringing the madness to Xbox Live is Midtown Madness 3, which, for lack of a better term, is your father's racing title. Taking whole cloth from the look and feel of the previous Midtown Madness titles, you can once again drive through the streets like a madman, reveling in arcade racing glory. While the physics are far from perfect, it's a combination of strong multiplayer gameplay and excellent graphics that make this a title worth getting, if only just so.

First, let me warn you away from the single player mode. Without a doubt, this is the game's biggest weakness, featuring boring, repetitive missions, and the worst voice action this side of Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure. You'll be able take jobs in Washington DC or Paris, and all along the way, be forced to sit through terrible scripted dialogue. After the mission where you've got to chauffer around an old lady in Paris, you'll want to sell your copy of the game.

That said, if you can manage to keep your hands away from single player, there's a lot of fun to be had here. This title is completely Xbox Live compatible, which means you'll never have want for serious competition. The gameplay modes vary from 'It'? to 'Huter'? to 'Steal the Gold.'? Furthermore, when you use the cruise mode, you'll be able to explore every nook and cranny in Paris or Washington DC, and find some truly awesome jumps along the way. You'll have to explore the level thoroughly, though, as the stunts are hard to find, and difficult to use with the starting vehicles.

Finally, this game looks really nice. The cars are all exquisitely detailed, and the levels themselves are quite attractive. Combined with a simple soundtrack and the ability to use the Xbox hard drive to play custom soundtracks, all in all it's quite the audio/visual treat. I'd only say I hate the audio because of the aforementioned voice acting. This is a fairly good title overall, as long as you can get around how crappy the single player mode is.