The National Voices section features commentaries and reports on PGR 4 action throughout the world. The contributors have been chosen from the most active members of the PGR community and will provide a unique voice for current and upcoming events.

You know those spoiled kids when you were younger, the ones who got all the best gifts on Sinterklaas* or on Christmas Eve? The next day on the school playground they would brag about the cool presents they got, while you were wondering if you weren't "good" enough to get the cool stuff.

Fast forward some 20 years and this time we're the spoiled ones. The number of great games this year, especially in the last two months, is staggering. Every month at least three new triple-A games get released. Working full-time means I can afford most of them, but that just brings another problem: finding time to play them all.  Bioshock, Heavenly Sword, Assassin's Creed, Ratchet & Clank Future, The Orange Box, and Mass Effect...the list just goes on. It almost makes me relieved for not owning a Wii as well.

Project Gotham Racing 3 was one of the Xbox 360 launch titles. It was head and shoulders above the rest and, therefore, it got all the attention it deserved. However, Project Gotham Racing 4 was released at around the same time as 10 other triple-A titles. In a short period of time, I played the game a lot before having to move on to the next title. However writing articles for PGRNations.com has its advantages as well, as it forced me to revisit the game.

So last weekend it was time to play some PGR 4 again. Just going through the menus I realized how big this game really is. I started in Arcade mode, upgrading my medals, before returning to Career mode so I could reach the number 1 rank. I got close, but I'm still not there. What really stood out was the gameplay. The cars are fun to drive while still having some feeling of realism. Bizarre Creations really perfected this with this installment.

The new cities bring a lot more variety compared to its predecessor. So does the car selection, even though I miss some "slow" sports cars like the Honda S2000. In that sense, Project Gotham Racing 2 still reigns supreme. Still, I had a great time blazing through St. Petersburg while a rainstorm was hammering on my car. It's just a shame that I don't have enough time to fully enjoy the game for what it's worth, as there are so many other great games waiting to be played.

So when you only get one big present this year, just remember that being the spoiled kid isn't all that it's hyped up to be, either. 

* The Dutch version of Santa and Christmas celebrations, held throughout Europe on December 5 (December 6 in Belgium).  Some even claim that Sinterklaas was the inspiration for Santa.

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