Although I pretty much have the same thing to say as everybody else, it can't be said enough. It is by far one of the best modern games I've played. The storyline, characters, and the general feel of the game sucks you in.
Technically it's amazing as well. The city actually lives, and believably so. Many compare it to GTA3 and such, but the feel is much different. Having to do such things as obey the speed limit and traffic lights essentially forces you to view the city in a more realistic fashion, which I believe heightens the immersiveness of the game. I could almost go on for hours about this game, though probably in a more sensical manner then the above post.
Just make sure you have a decent computer to run it. Finally, if the race level is giving you problems, just slow down a lot into all of the turns.
