Don't let the title fool you; Driv3r is as ludicrous as it sounds, but it's the good kind of ludicrous, the same kind of ludicrous we celebrate in a cheesy action picture. In other words, Driv3r has just the right mix of good and bad, and deliciously bad. In this game you play as Tanner, an undercover cop in Miami who has to infiltrate a band of thieves who smuggle expensive cars across the world. You become their getaway driver, and all manner of high-speed chaos ensues. These car chases (what the Driver series is famous for, really) are wonderfully absurd and suitably fast, although in many instances they are extremely difficult, requiring such precision as to be positively infuriating at times. Each vehicle handles appropriately, from the bulky 18-wheelers to the nimble (but overly touchy, in my estimation) motorcycles. Speedboats add some variety to the game, although they handle too much like the aforementioned trucks. For the first time in the series, gunplay becomes a significant factor, and although a variety of weapons is available, shooting is slow and awkward to control. In fact, all ventures on foot in Driv3r suffer from the same poor controls and stiff animations, which brings me back to my initial point: in any other game, these would be major problems, crippling even, but in this game it's part of the charm. The bad animations and poor controls work together with the totally insane police force and the numerous (and often hilarious) glitches to make for a world in which the most bizarre things happen. Playing Take a Ride (Driv3r's sandbox mode) is an exercise in possibility, and the craziness that always ensues can be meticulously edited by the excellent Replay Editor (take a gander at the attached video below for proof of its depth). So long as you don't look for a totally functional, seamless experience, Driv3r might be the refreshingly weird and broken game you've been looking for.
Showing posts with label Driv3r. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Driv3r. Show all posts
Monday, October 3, 2011
PS2 Review: Driv3r (2004)
Don't let the title fool you; Driv3r is as ludicrous as it sounds, but it's the good kind of ludicrous, the same kind of ludicrous we celebrate in a cheesy action picture. In other words, Driv3r has just the right mix of good and bad, and deliciously bad. In this game you play as Tanner, an undercover cop in Miami who has to infiltrate a band of thieves who smuggle expensive cars across the world. You become their getaway driver, and all manner of high-speed chaos ensues. These car chases (what the Driver series is famous for, really) are wonderfully absurd and suitably fast, although in many instances they are extremely difficult, requiring such precision as to be positively infuriating at times. Each vehicle handles appropriately, from the bulky 18-wheelers to the nimble (but overly touchy, in my estimation) motorcycles. Speedboats add some variety to the game, although they handle too much like the aforementioned trucks. For the first time in the series, gunplay becomes a significant factor, and although a variety of weapons is available, shooting is slow and awkward to control. In fact, all ventures on foot in Driv3r suffer from the same poor controls and stiff animations, which brings me back to my initial point: in any other game, these would be major problems, crippling even, but in this game it's part of the charm. The bad animations and poor controls work together with the totally insane police force and the numerous (and often hilarious) glitches to make for a world in which the most bizarre things happen. Playing Take a Ride (Driv3r's sandbox mode) is an exercise in possibility, and the craziness that always ensues can be meticulously edited by the excellent Replay Editor (take a gander at the attached video below for proof of its depth). So long as you don't look for a totally functional, seamless experience, Driv3r might be the refreshingly weird and broken game you've been looking for.
Friday, September 30, 2011
From Russia With Love 100%, and more
You know the curse of completionism that afflicts us. I'm proud to say there's one less game that keeps me up at night: From Russia With Love is absolutely, totally, and decidedly destroyed. That means all awards, all schematics, and all attache cases. Furthermore, this means I have completed all of the Bond games for PS2; Agent Under Fire, Nightfire, Everything or Nothing, and now this. I must say, FRWL is considerably easier to 100% than any of the aforementioned games. I echo Chicken Man's assessment of this game, only stopping to add that cutscenes cannot be skipped in the single-player campaign, even if you have already completed the stage in question. In any event, Bond fans should pick the game up; matter of fact, pick all four of them up online or at your favorite used game emporium and you probably won't spend more than $12-13 max. And if you need assistance in completing this (or any other game, really) I hasten to link you over to the FRWL GameFAQs page for all sorts of guides and strategies.
Now, it seems as though Chicken Man is having a bit of trouble finishing up those gold and platinum awards in Nightfire. Considering the logistical distance between us at the present moment, I have decided to create a series of video walkthroughs for the later levels to assist him in dealing with his completionist impulse. These videos will be released as part of our Code Redd Net Home Video collection, tentatively titled, "Chicken Man, In the Hour of Need" and may feature additional games in the future.
Stay tuned to Code Redd Net for future updates, as well as our weekly feature, "Friday From the Archives" and a review of the unintentionally hilarious Driv3r.
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