So something showed up at the door today...you'll see pics on the right.

In one word, the new Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel is supreme.  Forget about the Burger King guy, this wheel will rule on your favorite racers on the Xbox 360.  One wheel to rule them all.

This wheel was tested only with PGR 3 (included with the Wireless Wheel).

Quality of Materials - 9/10
From the wheel itself to the table clamp to the pedal assembly, this entire unit is the most solid wheel built for consoles at the retail level.  I've used wheels in the past, most notible the Mad Catz MC2 steering wheel for the Xbox/PS2/Cube.  The first difference that you'll notice with this wheel over any other is the overall feel when steering the wheel from side to side.  You'll notice a level of resistance that doesn't make it feel phony.  The others I have used have simply felt too weak, to chincy and simply not satisfying on any level.  This wheel provides the level of resistance that feels just right.  Like you're really grabbing onto the steering wheel of a 400 horsepower beast, and not a toy.  The resistance on the pedals is wonderful as well.  With your foot resting on the pedals they won't quickly fall to the ground like it will with the others. 

While it's a small detail, you'll notice chrome at the bottom of the wheel, as well as a stainless steel ring around the center of the wheel.  You'll also spot the right pedal of the pedal assembly is also based in stainless steel.  While this doesn't advance the playability of any racing title, it's certainly flashy enough to keep out in the game room and not be ashamed to show with your setup by any means.  You'll also notice that the top of the wheel is completely coated in a full rubber suit with a grip pattern worked into it.  After an hours worth of play, even damp hands wasn't enough to detract from gameplay.  The grips kept the wheel well under control at all times.


Ease of Setup - 10/10
Absolutely nothing had to be assembled, other than the power cord to the steering wheel base (for force-feedback), and the RJ-11 cable from the pedals to the wheel base.  Other than that, everything was plug and play.  To connect the wheel to the system is the same procedure as connecting any Xbox 360 wireless device to the system.  Piece of cake.

Value 9/10
At $150.00, this is an absolute must for any hardcore racing fan, or anyone wanting to get the most out of their investment in a next-gen system.  If you're going to invest in an HDTV set, why not get the most out of your games?  This wheel does just that.  Precise control, great looks, and compatability with the most popular racers on the Xbox 360.

Features 9/10
This wheel has all the features you're going to need in any next-gen wheel.  The wireless capabilities are simply astounding.  Every turn was razor-sharp, and I noticed absolutely no delay with any control in-game.  The force feedback is my only complaint, if you want to call it that.  The overall force feedback feature is on par with any force feedback feature of any wheel on the market.  But what I expected was something closer to an arcade experience, where if you hit a wall or any other barrier the wheel is nearly taken out of your hands to one direction of the next.  This didn't happen.  That said, the force feedback was very noticeable and added a good measure of realism to the game.  With the force feedback on, the rumble effect of the wheel wasn't overly noticeable.  This may change with a different game being played.  The force feedback is automatically on with any force feedback enabled racer when the power cord is plugged in to the wheel base.  But a small feature that hasn't been noticed or talked about, is that this wheel will also act as a charging base for your rechargeable battery packs for your other wireless devices for the Xbox 360.  So when it is in use or not, this assembly will charge all your wireless packs, one at a time.

Overall 9/10
Simply, this is the best wheel ever produced for a home console.  It doesn't get much better than that folks.  Bottom line, if you want a true next-gen experience with all your games, get the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel for all your racers for a truly great experience.  I can't recommend this enough.


Josh

This review may sound extreme, but please bear with me...

This is by far, bar none, the most rewarding multiplayer game I have ever played. Period.

A little history of my gaming experiences, I am nearly 23 years old, and was raised on NES and the SNES. When I was able to start paying for my own games I bought a Nintendo 64 and had Goldeneye matches at my home, weekly. (who didn't?). I also played DK64 from start to finish in less than 40 hours over the course of 3 days. I then bought a Dreamcast. 25 games and 600 dollars of accessories later the Dreamcast was starting to die off. I then purchased an Xbox, and played every splinter cell, ghost recon, and halo 2 to death.

Then came the 360. I've played every major release, including but not limited to, PDZ, PGR, Madden 07, Kameo, Ghost Recon AW, SC:DA, CoD2, and many others.

What does Gears have that these other titles do not? Grit. Sheer exhilaration. Constant action. Forced teamwork. A new visual style all its own, never captured in any game before it.

This is the first and only game where I will be curb-stomped, shot in half, and cut down the midsection with a chainsaw and still have the time of my life. I always feel like everyone has a decent chance to make a difference for their team, which draws everyone out of the woodwork and into the action. Simply an unbelievable experience unlike anything you've ever played before. (And the ability to turn off the excessive gore and blood certainly makes this more appropriate in front of sensitive people, a great touch!)

Go out on foot if you have to, to add this game to your library. Take the time to really learn the cover system and find out what it takes to get around each map. I haven't played on every map yet (about 5 hours of multiplayer in so far) but I can honestly tell you there's not one stinker in the bunch that I've run into. Fantastic!! I can't wait to see what Microsoft Games Studios and Epic have in store for us next.

Josh

-Wireless headset review coming in a couple days!