Blur went from zero to must-buy in one multiplayer demo. Despite owning several of Bizarre Creations’ Project Gotham Racing games, I was never a big fan of the series or its Dreamcast spiritual successor, Metropolis Street Racer. The games were beautiful and super deep, but they were also sterile, punishing and, frankly, pretty damn dull.

But Bizarre Creations’ first racing game under Activision looks to have finally tapped into the developer’s Geometry Wars vibe, featuring the rich, vibrant colors, pulsing powerups and techno stylings of the downloadable hit. The result is the best racing/combat game since Wipeout with a surprising level-up system seemingly inspired by Modern Warfare 2.

The Gig crew spent several hours tonight playing multiplayer in a party, and it’s a blast. And with the game constantly doling out awards (Longest drift, Most Accurate, etc.) and rewards (new cars and mods), it’s hard to stop playing. And it’s even harder to imagine May’s other arcadey racer, Split/Second, being able to keep up.