If Midnight Club: Los Angeles was
only a simulator – a vehicular version of Google Earth designed to explore a
tighter, cooler version of LA, it would be an awesome creation. But it is
actually a fully-developed sequel to Rockstar’s hit street racing series. Made
specifically for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the game is drenched in visual
beauty that surpasses the realistic roadways and city structures of Grand Theft
Auto IV.
Despite the number of racing games
out there (and how many of them felt the same on PS2), Midnight Club: LA is
distinctly different from its predecessors. It also stands apart from GRID, Gran
Turismo, GTA, and others with definitive driving mechanics. LA has never looked
so good or been this exciting before, which is why upon entry, it will become
the city you won’t want to leave anytime soon.
Speed Demon
Using specific camera angles, a
slight camera shake, controller vibration, and other graphical tricks, Midnight
Club: LA is instantly intense. You really feel the power of your engine as it
starts up, even if it belongs to a piece of junk vehicle whose rustic appearance
and mismatched door repair clearly don’t belong. As you pull away, accelerating
as fast as your initial vehicle (1988 Scirocco, 1998 240SX or 1983 Golf/GTI)
allows, the game feels as good as it looks. Later on you’ll be able to purchase
better rides, including motorcycles, modern and classic Mustangs, the new Chevy
Camaro, Pontiac Solstice, the Shelby Cobra concept, a slick Nissan roadster and
many others.
The steering is tight, though not so
tight that you’ll be able to weave in and out of traffic with ease. But this is
very much the arcade type of experience street racing fans desire, with hints of
Burnout 3 and Need For Speed Carbon thrown in – not as a knock-off but as a
subtle influence that shows how the genre is evolving.
Globally Positioned
In the beginning, players may be
tempted to ignore the races and just cruise around the city. It’s easy to lose
yourself in the wonder of it all, but thanks to the realistic implementation of
streets and landmarks (including the LA Convention Center, the official home of
E3 2009), players won’t be physically lost. To help us in our quest to become
the street racing king, the developers created one of the best map systems ever
conceived.
At any time in the game, during any
race, players can tap the select button to bring up the GPS map. This highly
detailed device pulls the camera away from your car, out past the city, and up
to a top-down view high above LA. The visual transition is not perfect – if you
look closely, it does appear that the map is separate from the city you actually
race in, but is designed to look the same. The game quickly swaps the physical,
gameplay city out for the map view when switching to GPS, and vice versa when
going back.
Regardless, the transition – and
most of all the map itself – is very impressive. Streets can be highlighted with
the tap of a button, and like GTA, you can plant a marker on the mini-map for a
guide to your next destination. But even without all that, this is not a game
where you will be confused or annoyed. The developers purposely added shortcuts
– likely wider and more obvious than in the real LA – to make navigation much
more intuitive. The city is very vibrant, even at night, and looks gorgeous no
matter where the light is coming from.
Population: Enormous
Midnight Club: LA is heavily
populated. Pedestrians are harmless – you can’t run them over, and they won’t
hurt your progress. In every situation they’ll manage to evade your vehicle just
before an accident could occur. Other vehicles, however, are a whole other
story. Taking a cue from the Burnout series – and pumping it up with Midnight
Club’s own brand of exhilaration – Midnight Club: LA is a racer where crashing
is inevitable. If you thought you were good at maneuvering out of harm’s way in
Crazy Taxi or any other driving game, think again. Civilian vehicles are not
forgiving. You won’t necessarily burn out or lose the race for a minor
collision.
But a serious crash spells instant
trouble. Your vehicle – or motorcycle – will crunch, spin and thrash its way
across the pavement. If you’re on a bike, expect to see a cringe-worthy
animation (nothing too violent; this game is rated Teen). No matter how severe
the crash, the most cringe-worthy thing of all is watching your opponents pass
you by. It’s a truly painful experience, especially when you’ve just spent the
last several checkpoints gaining enough speed to finally pass the bunch, only to
have it lost in the blink of an eye. That’s the story of today’s racing games,
which are more immersive with realistic traffic, but that addition comes at an
obvious price. It is, however, a price worth paying. Over time we’ll get used to
driving through heavy traffic and be able to conquer these games without issue.
Until then, it’s a wonderful challenge to embrace.
Check Your Points
Though you will have no difficulty
finding your way around the city, it is hard to keep up with the checkpoints –
which could be dispersed in any direction – when competing in the first chunk of
races. Checkpoints come up fast, and there isn’t much time to look around and
figure out your next destination. This is especially true when using a nitrous
boost, which accelerates your vehicle so quickly that it may be impossible to
make the next turn – should one come up.
The best way to tackle a race is to
start it by accessing your GPS, which provides a clear view of where all the
checkpoints are located. It won’t help you much if you boost past one of them
(the time it takes to turn around and hit the missed checkpoint is likely to
cost you the race). But they become much easier to see and anticipate with every
race. Still, expect to enter 20 to 30 races (many of them repeats because you
lost) before the semi-overwhelming feelings are lifted.
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Gameplay: 8.7
The controls are excellent and feel distinctly different from other racing
games (including the previous Midnight Club titles), the streets are bustling
with vehicles, and the sense of speed is truly joyous.
Graphics: 8.8
Extremely impressive. The crashes are a tad weak (you can’t demolish
licensed vehicles without upsetting car manufacturers), but the game is super
quick, looks gorgeous, and is an excellent way to enjoy LA driving. (Who knew
that was possible!?)
Sound: 5.9
Expect to endure a bunch of repeated lines from competitors who insist
there’s no chance you can win. Likewise, the music is repetitive, a tad
distracting, and not very memorable. It can be turned down, thankfully, allowing
you to get rid of the music without sacrificing the sound effects (which are
quite good).
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
You’ll feel like a failure when you lose (a frequent occurrence), but feel
like a champion when you win.
Concept: 7.8
Midnight Club: Los Angeles is a wonderfully polished game that pushes the
series forward. But it doesn’t break any new ground.
Multiplayer: 8.5
Loads of race types for up to 16 players, as well as the option to sit back
and watch while others compete.
Overall: 8.5
An exhilarating blend of Burnout 3 and Need For Speed Carbon, Midnight Club:
Los Angeles is an intense street racer where everyday traffic is your biggest
threat.
