Driver (series): Difference between revisions
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Developed by Reflections Interactive and released in 1999, ''Driver'' pushed the [[Play Station]] to its limits technologically, and proved to be a smash hit, earning rave reviews and selling over six million copies, and anticipating the boom of [[Wide Open Sandbox]] games that would emerge in the next console generation. So naturally, there was pressure for sequels. ''Driver 2'' went out the door the following year and was also very popular, selling in excess of four million, though there was a general sense ([[Critical Dissonance|at least among critics]]) that it didn't live up to the first game's pedigree. While the addition of curved roads<ref>In the first game, every corner was at a 90-degree angle due to the limitations of the technology. While this was acceptable at intersections, this made turns on, say, bridges rather awkward.</ref> and foreign cities (Havana and Rio de Janeiro, in addition to [[The Windy City|Chicago]] and [[Viva Las Vegas|Las Vegas]]) was welcomed, the new on-foot controls were heavily criticized for their clunkiness, and were famously [[Take That|lampooned]] in ''[[Grand Theft Auto III (Video Game)|Grand Theft Auto III]]''. A [[Game Boy Advance]] version was released in 2002. |
Developed by Reflections Interactive and released in 1999, ''Driver'' pushed the [[Play Station]] to its limits technologically, and proved to be a smash hit, earning rave reviews and selling over six million copies, and anticipating the boom of [[Wide Open Sandbox]] games that would emerge in the next console generation. So naturally, there was pressure for sequels. ''Driver 2'' went out the door the following year and was also very popular, selling in excess of four million, though there was a general sense ([[Critical Dissonance|at least among critics]]) that it didn't live up to the first game's pedigree. While the addition of curved roads<ref>In the first game, every corner was at a 90-degree angle due to the limitations of the technology. While this was acceptable at intersections, this made turns on, say, bridges rather awkward.</ref> and foreign cities (Havana and Rio de Janeiro, in addition to [[The Windy City|Chicago]] and [[Viva Las Vegas|Las Vegas]]) was welcomed, the new on-foot controls were heavily criticized for their clunkiness, and were famously [[Take That|lampooned]] in ''[[Grand Theft Auto III (Video Game)|Grand Theft Auto III]]''. A [[Game Boy Advance]] version was released in 2002. |
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In 2004, ''[[Letters 2 Numbers|Driv3r]]'', the series' debut on the [[Play Station 2]] and [[X Box]], attempted to play catch-up with the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series by introducing gunplay and recruiting such voice talent as [[Michael Madsen]], [[Ving Rhames]] and [[Michelle Rodriguez]]. It wasn't very well-liked, the on-foot controls weren't much better then the last game (which made the shooting segments rather akward). While sales were still solid (chiefly thanks to the previous games' reputation), reviewers weren't nearly so forgiving, with most giving the game mediocre scores. The game is also notable for having whipped up a minor controversy, dubbed [[Scandalgate|"Driv3rGate"]], in which two Future Publications magazines (''PSM2'' and ''Xbox World'') gave the game [[ |
In 2004, ''[[Letters 2 Numbers|Driv3r]]'', the series' debut on the [[Play Station 2]] and [[X Box]], attempted to play catch-up with the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series by introducing gunplay and recruiting such voice talent as [[Michael Madsen]], [[Ving Rhames]] and [[Michelle Rodriguez]]. It wasn't very well-liked, the on-foot controls weren't much better then the last game (which made the shooting segments rather akward). While sales were still solid (chiefly thanks to the previous games' reputation), reviewers weren't nearly so forgiving, with most giving the game mediocre scores. The game is also notable for having whipped up a minor controversy, dubbed [[Scandalgate|"Driv3rGate"]], in which two Future Publications magazines (''PSM2'' and ''Xbox World'') gave the game [[8.8|suspiciously high "9/10" reviews]], leading many who played the game to [[Screw the Rules, I Have Money|question the magazines' integrity]]. |
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For most series, a game as poorly-received as ''Driv3r'' would've been a [[Franchise Killer]], but instead, Reflections released ''Driver: Parallel Lines'' in 2006. Set entirely in [[New York City]] and its [[Joisey|New Jersey]] suburbs rather than multiple cities like the other games, it instead took place over a period of time -- the first half was set in [[The Seventies|1978]], while the second half took place in [[The Present Day]]. It also took place in a new continuity-focusing on a young man known only as TK who rises through NYC's criminal underworld only to be betrayed and thrown into jail, and is out for revenge upon release. ''Parallel Lines'' was considered an improvement overall, most critics felt that it was nothing more than a ''[[Grand Theft Auto|GTA]]'' clone, but a decent one that learned from the previous game's mistakes and returned the series to its driving-focused roots while retaining the gunplay. Unfortunately, ''Driv3r'', which came out just two years prior, left many gamers too burned to give it a try. A prequel, ''Driver 76'', was released the following year for the [[Play Station Portable]]. |
For most series, a game as poorly-received as ''Driv3r'' would've been a [[Franchise Killer]], but instead, Reflections released ''Driver: Parallel Lines'' in 2006. Set entirely in [[New York City]] and its [[Joisey|New Jersey]] suburbs rather than multiple cities like the other games, it instead took place over a period of time -- the first half was set in [[The Seventies|1978]], while the second half took place in [[The Present Day]]. It also took place in a new continuity-focusing on a young man known only as TK who rises through NYC's criminal underworld only to be betrayed and thrown into jail, and is out for revenge upon release. ''Parallel Lines'' was considered an improvement overall, most critics felt that it was nothing more than a ''[[Grand Theft Auto|GTA]]'' clone, but a decent one that learned from the previous game's mistakes and returned the series to its driving-focused roots while retaining the gunplay. Unfortunately, ''Driv3r'', which came out just two years prior, left many gamers too burned to give it a try. A prequel, ''Driver 76'', was released the following year for the [[Play Station Portable]]. |
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