Video games can often be as engrossing in their creation as they are in their play, with Metropolis Street Racer (MSR) for the Sega Dreamcast providing a remarkable tale. Created by a small team known for their strengths in 2D platform games, Bizarre Creations, helmed by Martyn Chudley, successfully managed to pivot to 3D racing games. Riding on the success of their PlayStation Formula 1 titles, Bizarre Creations caught the eye of Sega.
Sega, then developing their next console (which would be the Dreamcast), sought out Bizarre Creations for a new project. This occurred through a rather unconventional critique by Katsuhisa 'Kats' Sato, who crashed a PlayStation F1 game demo to discover its developer's identity. Chudley and his team, disenchanted with Sony's treatment and eager for new opportunities, decided to partner with Sega.
Initially, the Dreamcast's development landscape was uncertain, especially concerning rumors of it using Microsoft's OS. Bizarre was concerned about this since they took pride in their programming capabilities. They wanted to 'hit the metal' directly, maximizing performance. It was a relief to find out they could work with the PowerVR chipset without going through Windows CE.
Choosing what game to make with Sega was collaborative and inspired by the personal vehicles the team drove. They shifted towards a racing game focused on aspirational but affordable sports cars, giving birth to Metropolis Street Racer. A game that represented a new direction with a unique blend of realism and accessibility.
Acquiring the rights to real cars, which had become more prevalent in racing games, was a task Sega undertook. Meanwhile, the Bizarre team focused on creating lifelike handling for these vehicles. They collected extensive data, blew out a rented car's engine in the process, and developed a comprehensive editor called MetGP to feed the data into their game physics engine.
One of the game's standout features, which arose fairly late in development, was the Kudos system — rewarding players for stylish driving rather than just speed. This system was inspired by a real-life driving incident experienced by Chudley and would later become a hallmark of the Project Gotham Racing series.
The dedication extended to MSR's audio, with composer Richard Jacques contributing a soundtrack that celebrated each in-game city's character. In a fun anecdote from the audio recording sessions, an adult-themed song that humorously involved an associate producer never made it into the final game.
Metropolis Street Racer's development faced significant challenges, including disagreements on the direction, harsh workload, and development decisions like disabling in-game music. Missing the Dreamcast's western launch, Bizarre Creations regrouped, requested additional development time from Sega, and overhauled the project at their own expense.
Shipping in late 2000, MSR received positive reviews but sales did not meet expectations, impacted by the Dreamcast's decline. Sega's decision to discontinue hardware production marked the end of Bizarre Creation's relationship with them, but the rights they retained for the game allowed them to engage with Microsoft for what would become Project Gotham Racing on the Xbox.
Despite the obstacles and strain, Bizarre Creations persevered, creating a celebrated game that set the standard for racing titles to come. MSR was a testament to their commitment to innovation, even under the direst circumstances. While Bizarre Creations went on to create several highly acclaimed games before it closed, the story of Metropolis Street Racer remains a valuable lesson in game development—the pursuit of an idea through thick and thin, driven by passion and a spirited team unwilling to compromise on their vision.
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