Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Bizarre Creations

Release Date: November 2005

The basics: The latest installment in Microsoft’s snazzy street-racing franchise rolls onto the factory showroom as an audiovisual showcase for the Xbox 360.

Why it made the list: “Do you want a game that really shows off how cool your new Xbox 360 is?” asks PGR3 Project Manager Chris Lee. “Just look at the game—from both a high-end audio and high-definition video standpoint, it really pushes the boundaries.” Must be hard to be humble when your game looks like this. PGR3 aims to be the prettiest, fastest, and most accessible racer in the already competitive 360 lineup. “We believe that life begins at 170 mph,” states PGR3 Product Manager Kathie Flood. “We don’t give new players a mediocre car to start out with—nearly every single car is available from the outset, and they’re all fast.” It’s all about freedom: Take any car and race it on any track at any time. PGR3 will still offer unlockables, but Microsoft wanted to make sure that mainstream gamers could have a blast with minimal effort. “It’s still deep enough for hardcore racing fans,” says Flood. “But at the same time, it’s broadly accessible, with the perfect blend of realistic physics and thrilling arcadey fun.”

Microsoft also hopes that PGR3 will be a landmark title in terms of building a constantly evolving Xbox Live community. Eight-player online races and leaderboards are expected, along with an innovative spectator mode, in which thousands of onlookers watch the world’s top players compete in championship races.

What could possibly go wrong? Although Microsoft seems adamant that PGR3 will make it to store shelves within that mythical “launch window,” the version we viewed still had some slowdown issues to overcome.

Earning Cred

Microsoft plans to offer specific achievement awards for completing single-player challenges and races in PGR3 but couldn’t offer us any concrete examples. We’re hoping to get one for best donut.

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.