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MIDTOWN MADNESS 3 HANDS-ON - APRIL 2003

Previewed April / May, 2003 | Published Fri. May 9th, 2003 | Page 1

We take a look at a build of Midtown Madness 3 with Xbox Live™ functionality from April 11th, 2003. With this late preview, we try to get an impression of the final version of the game. Interested in the ins and outs of this highly anticipated racer for the Xbox? Read on!

Even though both Midtown Madness: Chicago Edition and Midtown Madness 2 sold very well and were played years after their initial release, it still came as a surprise when Midtown Madness 3 was announced. So far, this arcade racing series is the only one to receive a third installment in Microsoft's Madness series. After having Angel Studios develop the first two games in the series, the cup was passed to Sweden-based developer Digital Illusions C.E. While the name of the developer may sound unfamiliar to gamers, its recent projects -- Battlefield 1942 (PC) and RalliSport Challenge (PC & Xbox) -- received plenty of attention from the gaming community.

What's the fuzz?

Midtown Madness 3 features two new cities: Paris and Washington D.C. Both cities are huge and extremely detailed, something that has never seen before in the series or any other similar racing game. Recognizable landmarks, real street signs, a freeway and a subway all add to that WOW-effect you get when you see the cities for the first time. Anyone knowing the real thing should be able to navigate through the city easily.

The player will have the chance to take a seat behind the wheel of 32 vehicles, excluding some secret ones. The selection ranges from a fast Koeningsegg CC, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 or Lotus Esprit V8 to the more massive Freightliner Century Class S/T, Hummer H2 SUV or City Bus. Each vehicle comes with numerous paintjobs, including several that can be unlocked by finding hidden tokens in the cities. These tokens are spread all over both cities and can only be taken by the car they are meant for. Especially with the faster class of cars the stunts are insane. The player will start with a small set of vehicles -- new vehicles will be unlocked by completing missions and races. One way or another, any type of racer should be able to find a vehicle and a paintjob that fits his or her mood.

As usual, the game is split up into a Singleplayer and Multiplayer modes. The Singleplayer mode has been discussed frequently, but here is a summary of what you can expect. Singleplayer offers the gamer the 'Undercover' story, 'Cruise', 'Blitz' and 'Checkpoint'. 'Cruise' is the mode for sightseeing and getting to know the city and you will also find it useful to grab those extra paintjobs. In 'Blitz' races you simply need to follow a certain amount of checkpoints before time runs out. In 'Checkpoint' you can let your creativity flow and try to finish first by following all the checkpoints in an order you think is the fastest one. The 'Undercover' mode puts you in the seat of a policeman who needs to solve a case. The case changes for each city and you will work as a pizza deliveryman, limousine driver, paramedic, secret agent and a lot more. Some attention has been paid to the storyline, but it is not groundbreaking. All in all, the 'Undercover' mode adds a nice change of pace from the casual races.

Multi-Madness

Midtown Madness 3 will offer you three multiplayer options: split-screen, system link and Xbox Live™. Even though our build enabled Live play, we were not able to check it out due to the fact we wouldn't find anyone else to play with. Split-screen limits your multiplayer modes to the familiar 'Cruise', 'Blitz' and 'Checkpoint' while both System Link and Xbox Live™ offer you a total of five game modes.

'Cruise' and 'Checkpoint' are two real pick-up-and-play modes and are the same as in Singleplayer. 'Tag' sounds like the game we all have played when we were young. Actually, it is exactly like it. One player is "it" and is out to tag everyone. The last tagged player wins the game. It may sound easy to you, but trying to predict your opponent's next move, while doing 380 kmph in a Koenigsegg CC, is actually quite difficult.

'Hunter' is a nice twist on 'Tag'. One player is the Hunter and the others are Prey. As the Hunter tags Prey, they, in turn, become a Hunter. The last Prey tagged runs home with the imaginary golden cup. Then there's 'Stayaway': one player becomes the "rabbit". Everyone wants the rabbit, because rabbits are cute and fluffy. As the rabbit you should avoid being tagged by other players, because the players who has been the rabbit the longest time will win.

'Capture the Gold' is the mode that made the Midtown Madness series famous. At either a fixed or random location in the city a pot of gold will be dropped. It is your goal to grab the gold and bring it home. The player with the most amount of points wins.

Each mode comes with a good amount of settings. You can limit the car class, set a point or time limit, or limit the amount of players. Of course, the host can also choose to host a team game, which should be interesting for 'Stayaway' in particular. One of our largest fears was that Paris and Washington D.C. would be too large for 'only' eight players, which would make the whole gaming experience less intense and fun. Luckily, we were not the only one; Digital Illusions C.E. came up with a welcome solution. The host can block off certain parts of the city, simply by choosing a neighbourhood when setting up the game.

Midtown Madness 3 and Xbox Live™ seem to be destined for each other. With an easy to use interface and the low-lag networks, players should be up for a mad multiplayer experience. Eventually, players should be able to download new cars, races and more to satisfy their need for new goodies.

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North-American Release: June 17, 2003
European Release: June 27, 2003.