Midtown Madness 3
Midtown Madness 3 | |
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Racing | |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Midtown Madness 3 is a 2003
Like the first sequel, the game features two major cities in which events take place;
Gameplay
As with the previous games in the series, the player drives any of several different vehicles around
The game supported
Plot
Midtown Madness 3 has two stories in its Work Undercover mode, one set in Paris and the other in Washington, D.C.
Paris
Famous race car driver Dieter Kleinmann has arrived in Paris to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The player character's secret agency is tasked with protecting Kleinmann through unearthing potential plots surrounding him. They work undercover in various odd jobs, all with the end goal of protecting Kleinmann. Mathilda becomes a rival to the player. The player character and Mathilda regularly sabotage each other while on the job, and also have friendly races between them and coworkers. Three Scandinavians — Sven, Olle, and Inga, become persons of interest as they have recently arrived in Paris to see Kleinmann receive his award, and are all staying at the same hotel. Paris police reveal to the player character while they're chauffeuring Sven to the bus station that Sven is a wanted fugitive. They deliver Sven to his destination despite orders from the police to stop. Sven exits the limo and is arrested by the police. While driving an armored vehicle the player character learns that Sven is a kidnapper. They are tasked with transporting Sven to the bus station where the police will begin deportation. After the player character picks up Sven from the police station, Olle and Inga, who were waiting outside the police station, begin an assault on the armored vehicle in an attempt to immobilize it. They fail to stop the vehicle, and Sven is successfully deported.
Another piece of the Scandinavians' plans is revealed when the player is informed of a fake copy of Dieter Kleinmann's lifetime achievement award being delivered to a man a few days prior, a task that the player, while working as a delivery driver, personally carried out for Sven. Suspecting that the Scandinavians might attempt to switch the award, the player is then tasked with delivering the real copy of the award to a different location. As the player takes off, Olle and Inga target the player again in an attempt to stop the delivery of the real award and seize it for themselves. They fail and the player successfully delivers the award. Later, the agency boss reveals that Kleinmann was kidnapped after the award ceremony took place. The player character is assigned to be a paramedic, specifically to help those who were injured in the kidnapping plot. While transporting Klienmann's injured bodyguard to the hospital the exact details of the kidnapping would later be revealed: Olle and Inga smashed Kleinmann's limo, kidnapping him. With this information the agency devises a plan to stop the Scandinavians. The police agency receive intel on Inga's location, and the player character is tasked with immobilizing her van. They succeed and Inga is subsequently arrested. With Olle still on the loose, the police place roadblocks throughout the city, with the player character delivering officers to help reinforce several locations.
The player character tracks Olle's cell phone and follows him to the Scandinavians' hideout. They discover several more Scandinavian criminals are hiding that are working for Olle and Inga. The secret agency would later investigate the hideout, but there is no sign of Kleinmann. However the agency strikes a deal with five Scandinavian kidnappers to testify against Sven, Olle, and Inga in exchange for immunity. They are delivered to the police station. Their testimony helps reveal Olle's whereabouts, and his plan to escape Paris with Kleinmann in the back of his van. The player character pursues Olle, successfully immobilizes his vehicle before he leaves the city, and Kleinmann is rescued.
Washington, D.C.
The Washington, D.C. plot revolves around the Tortellini brothers, Michael and Stefano, who are filming and directing a movie, The Quick and the Slippery, in the city. The player character's role, whilst undercover as a private investigator, is to find out who the Tortellini brothers are secretly connected to by working for them in various ways, in part because a rival film producer is in town. Whilst undercover, the player character helps supply a variety of vehicles for filming or personal purposes, and runs personal errands for them. Angelina coincidentally continues to act as a rival for the player in the various businesses the player character works undercover for. The player character first meets Michael when delivering a replacement pizza to the brothers' apartment after Angelina made an unacceptable pizza delivery to them earlier. The player also makes a covert pizza delivery to Michael later in the day.
The player character and their boss quickly suspect that Michael is secretly dealing with someone in some way. Initially they suspect and then rule out screenwriter Mr. Pickie as a potential link. The player character, while chauffeuring Michael and a guest to the train station, overhears Michael signing a contract with the Hot Shot Producer, an unnamed individual who becomes contractually involved with the movie. As the player character continues working undercover, Stefano becomes increasingly suspicious of Michael's intentions, and with the assistance of the player character, identifies where Michael is meeting the producer, the same location where the player secretly delivered a pizza to Michael. The player helps film various stunts for the film. Whilst the player character is undercover as a police officer, the Tortellini brothers begin fighting amongst themselves. Stefano eventually tries to crash Michael's limousine in a car chase around the city, which is thwarted by the player character. Stefano was arrested, but later released. The police department later finds that Stefano was sending prank phone calls to Michael. The player character arrests four actors who stole vehicles off the set of the film.
The player character reprises their original role as a private investigator after finishing their police work. They attempt to get photo evidence of Michael meeting with the Hot Shot Producer to confirm Stefano's suspicions, and eventually discover that Stefano is also secretly working with the Hot Shot Producer. Now knowing that the two brothers both have connections to the Hot Shot Producer, the player character, posing as a personal driver for the Hot Shot Producer, secretly drives Stefano to a rendezvous point with Michael in an attempt to surprise the two, who both are expecting to meet with the Hot Shot Producer. The brothers determine that they were set against each other in a conspiracy to steal the end film. The player character chases after the Hot Shot Producer and stops him from escaping with the film. The producer is arrested, and the Tortellini brothers successfully release their movie.
Development and release
Midtown Madness 3 was announced as being in development in April 2002 as an Xbox-exclusive title, with a tentative release date of late 2002.
Mobile publisher In-Fusio released two versions of the game for cell phones made by developer BeTomorrow, entitled Midtown Madness 3 Mobile.
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 80.24%[17] |
Metacritic | 76/100[18] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.33/10[19] |
Eurogamer | 9/10[20] |
Game Informer | 5.25/10[21] |
GamePro | [22] |
GameRevolution | B[23] |
GameSpot | 8/10[24] |
GameSpy | [25] |
GameZone | 8.2/10[26] |
IGN | 8.7/10[27] |
Official Xbox Magazine (US) | 8.9/10[28] |
Entertainment Weekly | D[29] |
The game was met with positive reception, although slightly less than the first two games. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 80.24% and 76 out of 100.[17][18] It received attention from a staff member at motoring magazine Motor Trend, who stated that the game "belongs in your collection."[30]
Gameplay was generally praised by critics, particularly multiplayer over Xbox Live.
Opinions on the game's environments were varied.
Notes
References
- ^ GamesIndustry. November 4, 2004. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c d IGN Staff (October 21, 2002). "Midtown Madness 3 Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Microsoft Game Studios Turns "Midtown Madness 3" Loose on City Streets - Stories". Microsoft. April 24, 2002. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "First Look: Midtown Madness 3". Xbox Addict. May 16, 2002. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Midtown Madness 3 Xbox Gameplay". IGN via YouTube. May 23, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Interview (Legacy) - XboxAddict.com". Xbox Addict. October 26, 2002. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ jdkmedia (May 4, 2002). "Midtown Madness 3 Documentary Goes Behind the Scenes". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Feature: Midtown Madness 3 Behind the Scenes - featured on XboxGamer DVD 06, August 2003". XboxGamer. August 2003. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Release Date Madness!". IGN. March 4, 2003. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Bramwell, Tom (April 30, 2003). "Midtown Madness 3". Eurogamer. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Jenkins, David (October 24, 2003). "New Xbox Bundle In Europe". Game Developer. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ IGN Staff (November 25, 2003). "New Midtown Madness 3 Downloadable Vehicles". IGN. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ Buchanan, Levi (October 25, 2004). "Midtown Madness 3 Mobile". IGN. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ Calvert, Justin (May 17, 2006). "Midtown Madness 3 Hands-On". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ Warren, Tom (October 9, 2017). "Microsoft finally admits Windows Phone is dead". The Verge. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Midtown Madness 3 Mobile (2004)". MobyGames. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ a b "Midtown Madness 3 for Xbox". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Midtown Madness 3 for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b EGM staff (August 2003). "Midtown Madness 3". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 170. p. 119. Archived from the original on 10 March 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Bramwell, Tom (4 July 2003). "Midtown Madness 3". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Reiner, Andrew (July 2003). "Midtown Madness 3 (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 123. p. 115. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b Four-Eyed Dragon (17 June 2003). "Midtown Madness 3 Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on 8 February 2005. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Game Revolution. Archivedfrom the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b c Gerstmann, Jeff (18 June 2003). "Midtown Madness 3 Review (Xbox)". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b c Nutt, Christian (19 June 2003). "GameSpy: Midtown Madness 3". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Lafferty, Michael (16 June 2003). "Midtown Madness 3 - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d Carle, Chris (18 June 2003). "Midtown Madness 3 Review (Xbox)". IGN. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Midtown Madness 3". Official Xbox Magazine. August 2003. p. 84.
- ^ Robischon, Noah (18 July 2003). "Driving Forces". Entertainment Weekly. No. 719. p. 82. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Motor Trend Staff (June 1, 2004). "Midtown Madness 3". Motor Trend. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.