By Imran Rashid, "The Vid Kid"

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to cruise the streets of Los Angeles at high speeds in your favorite racing cars from brands such as Mercedes and Nissan? Well now you can in Rockstar Games'latest game in the Midnight ClubSeries entitled Midnight Club: Los Angeles, which is available on both the Xbox 360 and Playstation3 video game consoles.With this fourth installment in the popular racing series, the game has come a long way in distinguishing itself from other rival racing game franchises, such as Need for Speed and Juice.What makes Midnight Club different from its competitors is that it offers gamers a wide range of cars - from muscle to tuners to exotics --from a variety of popular brands, including Lexus, Nissan,Ford, Chevrolet, and Mercedes.

One special feature of the game is the "map view" of the city, which is so detailed and realistic that you feel as if you really are driving down the streets of Los Angeles.On the screen, other cars pass by and pedestrians walk back and forth, giving a sense of a living, breathing city.

Another of Midnight Club's best features is the customization "Auto Shop" tool, which enables you to have fun changing a variety of parts on your vehicle, ranging from the body kits to the rims, and even to the style of the lights. What's more, during the game play, when you are driving the car, the camera view seems to stay right behind you, even when you are making sharp turns, which is good for looking out at oncoming traffic.

The addition of police cars makes the game challenging as well as enjoyable, as you attempt to avoid getting caught up in a chase. But in case you find yourself with the police in hot pursuit, don't panic.Try to have as much fun as you can by trying to lose them in the intense traffic and sharp turns, so that your car doesn't get impounded.

Even though this is a racing game, don't expect to spend your time just racing cars. The game features a great story line that is filled with detailed characters with their own distinct personalities.As you progress through the game, more and more of the story line will be revealed, leading up to a final race you'll need to win in order to beat the game.

In the end, the car that you choose for yourself and the way you decide to play the game will be a reflection of your personality, because Midnight Club: Los Angeles offers so many options. If you want a game in which you can explore an open city with detailed effects relating to real life and want to know what it's like to drive at high speeds in your own personal car, then this game is the right choice for you.