Forget the string-backed gloves and shades, there's a new definition of driving style making its way onto Xbox

Everybody likes to drive fast cars. Deep down, there's a Michael Schumacher in all of us, fighting to rev their way out. But although it may be the most prestigious, F1 isn't exactly the most exciting form of motor racing. No way baby, it's all about the streets.

Aside from the obvious Max Power petrolheads in lowered Renault 5s, give anybody a clear stretch of road and like bored housewives on their way back from the school run, they'll get delusions of grandeur that they're the next Penelope Pitstop. But we're not advocating tearing round your local town centre at ridiculous speeds, because salvation is found in the form of Project Gotham Racing 2, blasting onto Xbox with the hearty roar of a V8.

As every lad in a souped-up XR2 knows, when it comes to driving it's all about being stylish (ahem). This was where the original Project Gotham Racing brought innovation to the racing genre; that driving with flair and style was just as important as fast lap times. This feature has been given something of a polish in Project Gotham Racing 2, in fact something akin to a vat full of Turtlewax all over the bonnet. The whole game pretty much revolves around earning Kudos points, through a variety of stylish driving moves, like powersliding round corners, drafting (slipstreaming), good racing lines and completing a clean section of track. Link several moves together for a nice Kudos combo, but keep your eyes on the road because causing damage to your car, either from other vehicles or the surroundings, wipes these combos out.

They say patience is a virtue, but for all you unvirtuous types there's an Instant Action option that allows you to jump straight into an arcade-style race for a quick speed fix. However, look under the bonnet of this beauty and you'll find a huge and fulfilling career mode driving her along. Take your pick from Kudos World Series, Arcade Racing or Time Attack. The former two all help you build up Kudos points, while the latter is just for pride.

The World Series contains 14 different classes of car, ranging from Sports Compaq (Minis, Focuses), SUVs (BMW X5s) up to good ol' American muscle cars and the fabled Ultimate series (Enzo Ferraris and the like). A string of challenges must be completed in each class before advancing on to the next, and a handy option is that the player decides the difficulty of each challenge. Varying amounts of Kudos points, related to the difficulty setting are awarded on completion of the task, then these in turn are exchanged for tokens which allow you to buy more cars. Phew.

Now that's all the technical stuff out the way, so how does the game actually play? Well, bloody brilliantly to be honest. It's always hard for programmers to get the right combination of speed, handling and realism, but we're pleased to say Bizarre has got things bang on the money. Each model of car has distinctly different handling abilities, and it's surprisingly realistic for an 'arcade' racer. How would you know, I hear you cry? Well, from personal experience of Mini Coopers, VW Beetles, TVRs and Z4s this reviewer can attest to the realism, and whilst he's yet to rag a Ferrari round a circuit, he'd put money on it feeling something like the way Project Gotham Racing 2 portrays. Any doubts about speed are put too rest too, as when you're going balls out at 140mph, believe you me, it really feels like it.

In the vain society that we live in, looks are everything, and Project Gotham Racing 2 comes off as the handsome and popular kid at school who always got the cute girl. The cars are amazingly detailed and realistic, and there are 105 to unlock. Take a trip to the garage to see which models are presently unlocked, and just like an arranged marriage, feast your eyes for the first time upon the veiled beauties within that have just become available. Real-time lighting is used to great effect, both in the reflections off the cars' bodywork and the shadows they cast in the setting sun.

The environments, too, look gorgeous. Take in 11 different cities around the world, all accurately and photo-realistically recreated. Each has its own unique atmosphere and style, and you'll spend more time looking at the scenery than the road. Not good when approaching a hairpin at over 100mph, or taking a shunt from an over-aggressive AI driver.

So single-player mode seemingly has everything a budding racer needs, but multiplayer makes the considerable racing upshift from second to fifth without even breaking a sweat. As well as split-screen action for four players, eight mates can now enjoy a bit of full-screen action via System Link, a welcome addition. Full Live compatibility is also available, with up to eight players simultaneously racing, as well as leaderboards and downloadable 'ghosts' to race against and improve your single-player ratings.

It's a tough old market out there, where racing games are two for a penny on Xbox (not literally, that would be ridiculous), but Project Gotham Racing 2 returns as the leader of the pack (broom broom), storming over the finish line whilst other racers stall at the grid. Outstanding.

1. Visually amazing
2. Tons of cars
3. Head-to-head on Xbox Live
4. Great sense of speed
5. Realistic handling

1. The AI drivers are a bit aggressive

Power
Astounding graphics and hugely detailed tracks demonstrate the speed and power of Xbox.

Style
Gorgeous to look at, even better to play. There's a great sense of individuality to each city.

Immersion
Instant race for a quick fix, but the Career mode is intuitive and addictive.

Lifespan
A hefty single-player mode complemented by virtually limitless enjoyment on Xbox Live.

Overall The most complete and best-looking street racer steals pole position - the consummate and definitive driving experience.