'Project Gotham Racing 3' shows off its curves on the Xbox 360

"Project Gotham Racing 3" gets your motor running with sex-on-wheels seduction. It's like the Victoria's Secret model of racing games -- sleek, high-gloss and all curves.

Just as an Xbox 360 game should be.

The environments look like blueprints for a Matrix world. Spectators are not mere smears of color; they're individuals with skin tone. Buildings have bricks, trees have leaves, streets have grit.

And the cars• In real life, you wouldn't even be allowed in the showroom -- not a single clunker parked among the luxury and concept cars.

The gameplay ain't too shabby, either.

New to the PGR series, I quickly got a handle on the controls, and, before long, I was racking up "kudos" points for stylish power slides.

Racing games can get repetitious fast, but at least PGR3 changes it up with timed, elimination, obstacle, style and top-speed events, and difficulty can be adjusted for each race.

Then there's the extensive soundtrack that goes beyond rock and hip-hop to include Bhangra, J-pop and classical. Or, plug in your iPod for total customization.

The 360's potential has yet to be fully realized, but PGR3 puts next-generation gaming in the fast lane.

Additional Information:

'Project Gotham Racing 3'

Developer: Bizarre Creations

Publisher: Microsoft

Platform: Xbox 360

Category: Racing

ESRB: Everyone 10+

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