Blur Review for PC

System: X360, PS3, PC	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Bizarre Creations	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Activision Blizzard	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: May 25, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-4 (20 Online)	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Besides, doing the secondary and optional challenges carries heavy rewards, including high-performance vehicles, so it is definitely in your best interest to take the time to complete these extra facets of the game in order to round out your vehicle list. The vehicle roster includes models from BMW, VW, Ford, Chevrolet, and more. In addition, there are also different styles of car to unlock. For example, you can unlock the ubiquitous VW beetle in both a Rat (untuned) version, or an off-road version (which boasts a much sturdier construction). Unlocking all the game's 50+ vehicles is definitely no easy feat, but if you are committed to all the game's numerous challenges, then you'll be able to complete your garage in no time.

Blur screenshot

As far as handling is concerned, you might expect Blur to be a straight-up arcade affair. However, this isn't exactly the case. Though the game certainly handles speed and drifting in a fast-paced arcade manner, there are some sim elements to the game, and you'll notice that your car's steering radius and braking strength will vary widely depending on your car's model, so you will need to adjust your driving style quite a bit if you are jumping between the aforementioned VW Beetle and something larger, like a Land Rover.

Of course, like any good automotive title, the experience in Blur is not limited to just offline play. The online mode in Blur is quite expansive, and it allows you to continue your progression in the game with regard to fans and earned lights. The online mode uses the same social networking interface that the career mode uses, and you can identify friends and rivals in the online sphere and keep track of their progress. In addition to the regular online race modes, there is also an online mode creator that allows you to customize the way you play online. There is plenty to unlock and discover in Blur's online mode, and though it does not feel as extensive as the career mode, you'll still have plenty of fun taking down rivals and unlocking cars online.

Blur is certainly an expansive title, and the more you play it, the more you get lost in it. I expected a lot from Bizarre Creations, considering the Project Gotham Racing series is considered to be one of the best automotive franchises of the past. However, in many ways Blur surpasses its predecessor, both in terms of scope and in accessibility. Blur's mix of strategy-based power-ups, load-out menus, and largely varied challenges really make this game a must for all automotive fans. In a genre this oversaturated, it is good to know that there is still some innovation left. Though Blur borrows some of its biggest ideas from pre-existing games, it blends them together in a way that feels completely natural. It may sound clichéd, but Blur is a title that is easy to pick up but hard to put down, and it is a must-buy for all automotive fans.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.3

Graphics
Cars look great and tracks are highly detailed. Crash animations are good, but not the best we've ever seen.

4.5

Control
Arcade controls are very easy to pick up, but subtle control nuances for each vehicle keep you actively engaged.

3.7

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Background music and car sounds are passable, but not spectacular.

4.9

Play Value
The career mode has an amazing amount of depth, and unlocking all the cars and completing all the challenges will take at least twenty hours (if not more). Add an expansive online mode, and you've got a game that will keep you busy for quite some time.

4.6

Overall Rating - Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

The game drops players into heart-pumping, electrified racing action with 20 cars on a track all targeting the finish line and battling each other as they trade paint and collect intense power-ups, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost their speed, and more. While controlling photo realistic cars, gamers can use offensive and defensive attacks as they battle for the lead and careen through real-world track locations ranging from L.A. and San Francisco to the streets of Hackney, UK and the treacherous roads of Barcelona, Spain.

Beyond the action-packed racing filled with fast curves, sneaky alternate routes, hair-raising jumps, and fully realized damage models that provide for spectacular crashes, Blur's narrative is presented through Bizarre's innovative new community-based interface, reaching far beyond the game itself. This unique story-driving social network evolves dynamically as players compete in different races, make new friends, rivals and fans, and connect with other racers both in-game and in real life.

Looking beyond Blur's single player story, gamers can engage in competitive and team-based multiplayer races with up to 20 players online, or on a single console via four-player split-screen.

Bizarre is especially excited to introduce Blur's original social gaming experience - Custom Groups, where anyone can create unique multiplayer modes based on their favorite ways to play the game. These new modes are immediately shared through Blur's social network, expanding the game in ways that are only limited by the gaming community's creativity.