Midnight Club Los Angeles on Xbox 360,PS3:

Midnight Club Los Angeles:

Rockstar's street-racing franchise has always lived in the considerable shadow of Grand Theft Auto, but Los Angeles, its fourth iteration, is the best game in the series. As the name suggests, it takes place in a lovingly crafted and thrillingly recognisable virtual LA. Races are generally point-to-point or around a circuit, with checkpoints marked by plumes of yellow smoke; in some, you can win your opponent's car, and cash and reputation points are always on offer. A certain amount of influence from Burnout Paradise is evident — notably the cars' arcade-style handling and resistance to damage, plus the Google Earth-style map. But Midnight Club Los Angeles differentiates itself cleverly, by offering real cars with vast customisation options and some interesting gameplay mechanics: slipstream an opponent and you will accrue a nitrous boost, and when you progress, you can earn special abilities, such as a brief burst of invulnerability or time slowdown. Graphically, it is simply stunning and in every respect it is vastly superior to the heavily marketed Need For Speed Undercover. The aficionado's choice of street-racer.