Video game review by ERIK LEIJON

Xbox Live will be the death of me. Sure, playing online against random opponents has its charm, but Project Gotham Racing 3 (X360/Microsoft, Bizarre) has fully converted me to the dark side of online gaming. Forget playing against other people, I want to know where I rank.

Allow me to explain. PGR3’s career mode allows for all of your races to be ranked in the online world. Based on how many “kudos” I get (which are earned by drifting/powersliding, getting air or by passing other cars cleanly), my scores are evaluated against every other PGR player on the planet (or at least North America). Although this certainly isn’t the first time these options have been included in a game, it is the first time they have been implemented so seamlessly. The result is one of the most addictive and rewarding career modes ever.

This mode would likely not be as fun if PGR were a mediocre racing game, but its mix of technical and arcade racing elements is less daunting than the ultra-realistic racers. At first, the drift elements are akin to a Sega Rally, where Bizarre created its own driving physics as opposed to mere re-creationism. The art of the drift is the most important element to master, and it requires a lot of practice.

I would also be remiss if I did not credit Bizarre for finally making a racing game with an easy-to-follow menu screen. In career mode, races are always available and it doesn’t require a convoluted map to find them. Getting online was also a breeze and my Ferrari was eating dust in no time (of course that merely encouraged me to return to career mode to get a better car).

It’s the small touches where PGR3 thrives, but Bizarre also ensured that it looked and felt like a next-gen game. The graphics are mind-blowing. Again, it was the little things, like the lighting effect coming off the bridge in the New York City level, where you truly get a feel for what the 360 is capable of graphically. The backgrounds are also extremely detailed, although you don’t really get a chance to enjoy them when you’re zooming down the street at 150 MPH. The only area of improvement I would like to see in the future is the inclusion of car damage—it looks strange to see your car emerge unscathed after plowing into a concrete wall.

Project Gotham Racing 3 is one of the most enjoyable racing games I have ever played, even though it’s not that much different from PGR2 on the Xbox. The soundtrack is also eclectically delightful, ranging from Beethoven to a lot of Ninja Tune artists.

Delicious brains

Lost amid a pile of holiday games, you may have missed Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse (Xbox, PC/Aspyr, Wideload). If you did, this Zombie game turns the tables; instead of killing the brain-eating creatures, you get to play as one (Stubbs), in his quest to turn the population of a futuristic town into an army of the undead.

Stubbs is more than meets the eye—past all the humour lies a great strategy action game. Since zombies aren’t the most flight-of-feet, you need to map out a game plan if you want all the sweet, succulent brains. This means using your severed head as an exploding bowling ball, beating people with their own limbs, throwing your gut (which doubles as a grenade) and assuming control of humans with your detached hand.

Stubbs is not only a funny game, but it’s also a rewarding strategy game.