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Driver: Parallel Lines
This is the fourth game
in the Driver series and presents a new element to the gameplay, mainly
being that of an open mission structure, very similar to the Grand Theft
Auto franchise in both feel and design.
The game is set back in the ‘70s so you are faced
with muscle cars from that time. Based in New York City, you play the
role of TK who is determined to work the cocaine network of the time and
after being setup is caught and thrown into the slammer for a long
time…. Add a montage of scenes that show time moving if you will
director and then your man is out, in 2006 and determined to get the
revenge that TK feels is his for the taking.
The maps on the game are broken up into areas that
are “locked” by bridges and the like quite like GTA and it’s odd that
the developers have spent so much time on allowing you to give a vehicle
a lot of grunt like previous games in Driver as you can just jack cars
whenever you like, so chances are that you are not going to stick with
the one car for any amount of time. As with all games in the series,
most of the missions are based around the use of cars and what you do in
them.
Graphically the title on the PS2 is a little haggard
though it runs well and there don’t seem to be any frame issues that I
could detect. The feel to the game is slick and the animations when you
go from the 70’s to today are neat as well.
I really did not like my gun in this game as the
system for shooting is just so awkward. There will be times that you
have to do this though and I simply found it nightmarish. You don’t have
to spend much time on foot but, it’s irksome nonetheless.
The city that you play in is impressive and I think
that gamers, especially those who live in the USA or at least New York
are going to get a real kick out of the detail that has been put into
making a living breathing environment for you to drive about in.
Speaking of driving, Reflections have made sure that this game still has
one of the best physics engines going when it comes to moving on four
wheels. Your cars drive right, feel right and look right all the way
through and it’s a pleasure taking one for a spin.
The cops are back as you could well expect them to be
this time and there is a heads up display that shows where they are
looking. This is reminiscent of the way Metal Gear Solid shows you where
guards are looking and should help some players who have been pretty
hapless with it comes to the fuzz. Cops will respond to “heat” levels,
speeding and running red lights when you have been seen by them. They
are pretty easy to get away from though and taking a corner at speed and
evading the vision cones on the screen will usually see you right.
All things said and done, Parallel Lines is an
improvement on the last game when you look back on it, however the lack
of true originality will annoy some people, especially your GTA fans
with similar missions and a very same feel to the whole experience. Some
players won’t care though for the simple reason that if you love
something enough, you don’t mind revisiting it. Kudos on the creation of
a good-looking city that gamers will love and get many hours of playtime
out of.
Give it a shot!
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