Perhaps Bizarre Creations got bored with making simulation style racers. Maybe they just wanted to give a big middle finger to the Forza Motorsports and Gran Turismos of the world. How else do you explain Blur, a new racer that brings realistic handling and combines with crazy weapons and over the top theatrics.

Their goal with the game was 3 fold; to make the game more fun, more accessible, and to bring the gamer intense wheel to wheel racing. Based on our hands on time with the game at Activision's booth, we can attest that these mandates are well on their way to being accomplished.

The game features over 60 real world cars (subject to change), doing things that you've never seen real cars do. The cars go at breakneck speeds while also collecting and dropping weapons. Amongst these weapons are mines, nitro boosts, barge attacks (from the sides of the cars), shunts, and electric shocks. These weapons are helped by a handy cursor over your opponents that flash when it's the best time to use a given weapon.

Also, like PGR's Kudos system, Blur rewards skilful driving and won races by giving you "fans". The more fans you get, the more you can upgrade your vehicles.

As you're reading this, you're probably thinking that this game sounds like Burnout with weapons, but that would be doing both games a disservice. Unlike the Burnout series, Blur's cars feel weighty and realistic, without resorting to a full out sim feel. The Bizarre Creations Rep who demoed the game for us called it an arcade racer with a strong simmy feel. You'll be able to power up and tune your cars as well.

The game also features impressive adaptive AI that will adjust their tactics based on the way that you drive. You'll also be able to interact with the AI in the form of text message challenges. It seems that every driver has a bit of a different personality.

The tracks and environments are actually based on real world locations, albeit somewhat modified ones due to gameplay purposes. The tracks offer significant choice in terms of routes, jumps, and shortcuts.

Multiplayer and online gamers will also be pleased to hear that the game supports 20 racers per race, and up to four via split screen. The game features a full out seamless social network that blends the single player and multiplayer modes. Multiplayer races are fully customizable to have either a sim or arcade like feel,

Blur is due out in the fall and will be released on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.