Customer Reviews

Midnight Club: Los Angeles

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a fan of just about every game that involves racing. From track racing games like Gran Turismo to more open racing games like Need for Speed and Burnout. I was excited at the thought of being able to play an open world recreation of Los Angeles. From everything I heard the graphics and environments would be based off of GTA IV. After giving this game a try I must actually say it exceeds my expectations.

There is a fine line in racing games. Having races that are not too complicated to traverse and then having competition that won't blow over you. Games like Burnout can generally be easy if you learn the dynamics of that game. With Midnight Club it can be a bit more challenging. Although I say that in a good way. The overall challenge in this game is excellent and keeps opponents close all the time. Learning how to drive is simple and the controls are tight. With Midnight Club you will find yourself getting frustrated a little at the close loses, that just makes winning all the better. Most of the races are based on checkpoints and you may have a single competitor or several. Everything in this game is dynamic. Meaning weather can change abruptly just as it may in L.A. and time of day is always changing. That creates added challenges to the game. The game will give you the opportunity to choose the difficulty of many races. I find it good to start off slow and learn your car while challenging lesser opponents.

Now let me talk about the graphics which are simply amazing. I found myself crossing many familiar landmarks which were neat to see. The game seems to have improved graphics over GTA. And for PS3 owners there is no install which makes getting into the game that much quicker. The game moves very smooth with no hiccups. I was quite impressed at the realistic environments they did create. Don't expect L.A. point for point. You will get a shrunk down version of the big city.

Customization is one of the biggest selling points of the Midnight Club series. This version won't let you down. You have the opportunity to skillfully upgrade your ride. From non discrete to an obvious racer. As you further progress in the game you will get more upgrades unlocked. Also you can customize your cars paint job. Once you think you have a great looking ride you can show it off online. This is really a nice bonus since it lets others rate your ride.

The extra goodies Midnight Club Los Angeles has are police chases. Thankfully your car has a radar which can keep you out of too many pursuits. If you pull over in a pursuit you can once again take off leaving the police to chase. Although you better be good or they will get you. The PS3 version also has added trophy support which is a nice addition for those who like extra challenges.

Overall Midnight Club Los Angeles is a top notch game. From the races to the customization. It's all here. I would not advise this game for everyone. If you like a challenge and consider yourself a race pro then give it a try. Just try not to enjoy the scenery too much. This game is the perfect package.

I spent the first couple of hours just cruising around and get familarize to the L.A city. The city appearences and environments really give you the West Coast feel. The characters and elements in the game resembles the city well.

The default controls are different from the previous installments. The car steering feel a little off balance and rough, you may find yourself jerking the car left and right in the race due to unbalance steering sensitivity. These are just things you can adjust in Options to your desire

Last but not least, the gameplay is very challenging toward the beginning of the game. However, it get easier as you unlock more cars, performance parts and increse your reputation. This game offered less cars and customization options than previous installments. In conclusion, my scores are as followed:

Fun 5/5
Controls 3/5
Graphics 4/5
Music 4.5/5
Extra features 4/5

As someone who never has purchased a driving game, this game is amazing. Everything from the graphics to the gameplay are well done. There has been some discussion on the high level of difficulty in the races, But for someone who has never played this series, this is just not true.

When I first started playing this game I thought that I had made a mistake purchasing it. Little did I know that would end up being so addictive. It is for sure the most I have played a video game since I was a child. Not only is it fun, but it has so many different aspects, that it does not get very boring. Everything from fixing up cars and bikes, to time trials, beach races, making delieveries, returning payback on cars, police chases, and mission tasks. Not sure if the game is your type, but it has definately got me hooked. Hope that you enjoy it!

First off, this is probably the best Midnight Club they have made so far. The city is open semi-realistic, but they have cut down the size of L.A. Also, the gameplay (car movements, crashes, etc.) is realistic for the most part. The game can get kind of challenging when you first start out and join the races. Secondly, getting away for cops can be challenging. For the people that gave it one star, the police and other races do make mistakes and crash. There not perfect.

This is a highly addictive and a must have game for all racing fans. The graphics on this game are rendered very reallisticly from the car deatails to the replica of the LA streets. The costomization options for the cars offer pretty much the same as the past games with a little more extras like the sparkle paint and the ability to custimize the interior of the car as well. The only downside it has is that it offers only a short list of cars compared to the past Midnight Club games. Overall MC LA delivers fast paced gameplay that will blow you off your seat.

As an avid fan of the series I had been waiting for this game for quite sometime and I can safely say it meets expectations and then some. However no game is perfect (of course) but it's still a very attractive game.

Car Selection

While it's true that the car list is shorter than that of MC3, it includes more cars that you would want to drive. This time around Rockstar was able to get more brands into the game including Ford and Mazda. That means you get your hands on an RX-8, Mustang, and the GT. It's also nice to see that they incorporated the differences in handling, making you drift more in muscle cars, and busting off the line faster in tuners.

Car Customization

There is a ton to customize and the in-car aspect is great. It's a shame you couldn't customize more inside but it's still great to have in-car camera angles. The new vinal editor is amazing, allowing you to craft your own designs all over the car. My only gripe about it is it's a little hard to get both sides to look the same and they tossed out the entire color spectrum, forcing you to choose colors from pre-selected options. There a bunch but I'd still prefer to have the absolute option.

Races

First off, I don't know what all the fuss is about regarding the difficulty, if you have any reflexes whatsoever you will easily dodge lightpoles and cars. While there is a huge rubber band effect, you can easily regain any ground lost if your car has the latest parts. That being said, races are a blast, going 130mph through LA is great feeling. There are different events to choose from, my personal favorite is freeway racing, flying by the traffic to reach the closest exit. The best part is that even if you don't win the race, you still a good amount of cash and rep, allowing you to progress no matter what.

The City of Los Angeles (Graphics)

The game is gorgeous, bar none. The map is large and diverse, offering a wide variety of pavement from alleyways to freeways, it's all there. When it rains the streets become wet over time and at night there is less traffic. Most of the city drives a Cadillac and the police are ridiculously smart. Every street is named and has a speed limit. Speaking of speed, it's great fun pulling over for the cop and peeling away as he walks towards the car. However as with most open world games now there is in-game advertising including Apple, Best Buy, GameStop, and Pizza Hut. And of course someone had to sponsor your phone so you will be receiving invites on your T-Mobile sidekick. In fact that is my only complaint about cruising, your phone will randomly open with a message, blocking the map so you have no idea where you are and you can't close it until message is over or you open the GPS.

Story

So weak and unimportant your character doesn't have a name. But who cares anyways about a story in a racing game anyways? With that I can say that the dialog is annoying, cheesy insults and brags keep it T-Rated. Would have been much more mature had it been M-Rated.

Sound and Music

The soundtrack is great and your car's engine is music to your ears. I have noticed however that sometimes my car sound effects will blank out, leaving me with just the music.

This game is great with the G25. The controlling is way easier to handle. The graphics are great and the also the sound. This is one of the best arcade racing games I played. The body kits are cool to customize your car. If you are a racer you should buy the game! Overall Excellent!

If you like racing games, this is for you. I was a MC3:DUB fan and had high expectations for this one, and it surpassed them. Customization is back, downloadable content, new fast cars...Whats not to like

Midnight Club Los Angeles is alive with soul & character unlike other next-gen racers that are too arcade & generic. Rockstar proves once again they are the king of gaming with a racer that feels like your driving in a real world environment which they are still upgrading with new free downloadable maps. I've played Burnout Paradise (which was a bore) and Midnight Club drives laps around it. Well worth it!!!