Midnight Club Los Angeles from Rockstar Games

While I was at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) this year, Rockstar games had a very impressive display booth. While I was not really too impressed with Wii Table Tennis, they had an advanced display to show their newest game Midnight Club: Los Angeles. Rockstar had just shown this game at the E3 Video game convention earlier this year, and they transformed a curtained-off area of their PAX display into a small theater so they could show their demo.

In case you don’t know, Midnight Club: Los Angeles is fourth in a street racing game series that transports the player into the world of The Fast and the Furious. I was quite impressed with the demo that I saw as players drive through the streets of LA. The developers spent a lot of time making certain that all the details were genuinely authentic, and their hard work paid off.

The game includes a mapping feature that shows L.A. from the sky. I must confess that I have never driven in L.A., but I’m certain that after playing this game, I probably wouldn’t get lost. If a player gets lost in the game, there is a GPS so they won’t lose his or her way. I couldn’t help but notice that all the billboards were for authentic products with attractive female models. I’m wondering if that is what L.A. streets really have those billboards, but there is no way to keep those up to date.

Sure, it’s fun driving around virtual L.A. streets, but most gamers are interested in the competitive racing aspect of the game. Midnight Club: Los Angeles is designed to keep players on the road and racing as much as possible. Players have the option of quickly challenging, and even getting to the place where the race starts instantly. There are, of course, cops along the way who will want to spoil your fun.

Unfortunately, all they had available was video footage, nothing that PAX attendees could actually try for themselves. I have no idea how good the gameplay is, but I can’t imagine it being different from the other Midnight Club games.

I was told by the Rockstar representative that all the cars are completely customizable, down to the stitching in the leather seating. Players will also have the option of adjusting their views from a driver’s POV and third-person view. For the first time, I was also told that players have the opportunity to use motorcycles if they wish.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is expected to be out in March/April of 2008. From what I have seen, it should be quite a hit.