Project Gotham Racing 3 is still the best racing game for the Xbox 360 console and I expect it will remain the standard by which others are judged until the sequel to Forza Motorsport is released.
The addition of a true in-car view is a welcome change and with the 360's graphical horsepower it really does add to the experience with a full interior – you can see the steering wheel, various parts of the dashboard, real rear- and side- view mirrows as well as various light effects on the car's very detailed windscreen.
Career variation is sufficient, with tasks including basic street races, one-on-one races, style challenges and more. You start at a low level, but that's still good enough for a pretty powerful car, and the likes of Ferrari won't take too long to achieve. Vehicle handling is distinctive depending on what you're driving and you'll find that a 4WD Skyline GT-R is a whole lot easier to handle than a rear wheel drive Corvette.
Xbox Live integration is really, really good, with scoreboards downloaded in real-time after you complete a given race so you can see how your score compares with other gamers around the world. Actual online racing is effortless and “Gotham TV” lets you tune in to and watch live races featuring some of the games best, if you're in to that sort of thing.
If the game is lacking anything it's the ability to upgrade your car through part purchases, as well as a genuine Gran Turismo-style career mode. Additionally, there is no real damage model in the game and the only real detriment to hitting walls is the loss of momentum. We'll have to wait for Forza 2 for that.