I think it’s time for a true modern Midtown Madness revival. The focus shouldn’t be constant racing or constant pursuit – if there’s no race going on, there should be no police chases at all. Most races could remain clean, without cops, while some special high-stakes events could feature dramatic police chases, even helicopters. But these should be limited to the races themselves, because having them in free roam would only hurt the open-world experience.
Another important aspect: no car damage for the player’s car. Damage in free roam or during casual driving takes away the fun. NPC vehicles should be destructible, of course, but player cars should keep the pure arcade feel. The environment should also be interactive – trees, lamp posts, signs – not just disappearing on impact, but reacting in a believable way.
The world should be mostly downtown city areas, full of traffic, pedestrians (with the same lighthearted vibe as in the original Midtown Madness), and detailed streets. Around the city, there should be highways and outer roads for high-speed runs. Lighting is also key: most street lamps should use warm-white tones, but some areas could have cooler lights, giving variety.
For inspiration, I’d suggest looking at the snowy night scene in Detroit: Become Human (the mission where Markus frees the androids from the store). That type of snowy downtown atmosphere would be perfect for a modern Midtown Madness experience.
Vehicles could even bring back some fan-favorites, like the bus and a modern version of the VW Beetle. The menu system of the original Midtown Madness should also be studied – it had a simple but memorable charm.
Finally, the game should allow free roaming between races, just like in the old titles. Weather and time of day should not have to match between free roam and races – race setup parameters could define them independently. And one last request: add interiors with breakable windows, something that would really make the city feel alive.
All in all, the goal is a fresh game that carries the soul of Midtown Madness, but enhanced with today’s technology.
