Gamers

Fan runs, boss battles, and an achievement system dubbed "stickers" are just some of the features found in Blur's single-player Career mode.

While we've already seen some of what Blur's multiplayer has to offer in the beta, much less has been seen of the single-player campaign. Many of the core gameplay features, such as the ability to shoot other drivers with power-ups, the fan-leveling system, and challenges, all seem geared toward the multiplayer experience. Does the single-player offer enough new features and challenges to keep racers interested? We went hands-on with an updated build to find out.
The heart of Blur's single-player is in its Career mode. It's organized into nine groups, each consisting of seven challenges. When you start the game, only the first group called Proving Grounds is available. The others are unlocked as you work your way through each group. The seven challenges in a group consist of one of three types: race, destruction, and checkpoint. Race is a simple 20-car competition to reach first place, though you are able to progress as long as you place third or above. Destruction is a points-based challenge, requiring you to shoot your opponents with a specific power-up, such as bolt or shunt. You're given a score target at the start of the race and a time limit with which to reach the score. Points are awarded for successful hits, and bonuses are available for multiple hits on the same target or for skillful shooting. The final challenge is checkpoint; a timed race around the track, where you must go though gates at specific points on the map in a limited amount of time. More time can be acquired by picking up stopwatch power-ups, which are scattered across the track.

Though there isn't a narrative that ties the challenges together, each group ends with a final boss battle. This takes the form of a one-on-one race against an opponent with a special mod. For example, an opponent's car may have the ability to launch unlimited bolts or have an increased resistance to damage. Each boss has a set of requirements that you must fulfill from earlier challenges, such as completing a race in an allotted amount of time or pulling off a number of drifts on a track. Each of the requirements is listed so you can easily check on what you have to do in order to take on the boss and keep track of your progress. Boss battles are much harder than regular races, but you are rewarded with the car and its special modification for beating them.
After finishing a course, you're given the option of challenging a friend to best your time or score via Xbox Live or Twitter. This sends a message to friends asking if they wish to accept your challenge. You can customise the challenge before sending it, changing such attributes as the time it takes to complete the course or the power-ups available. If they manage to beat it, they have the option of sending it back to you, complete with even more difficult conditions. This works much like a turn-based game, allowing players who might not necessarily be online at the same time or those without an Xbox Live gold subscription to compete. It also gives your friends who are new to the game the opportunity to experience more difficult tracks further into the Career mode.