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Game Information

Release Date: July 8, 1999
Developer: Reflections Interactive
Publisher: GT Interactive
Platform(s): PlayStation, Windows, Game Boy Color, Mac OS X, PlayStation Network, iOS
Genre: Action
Players: 1

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Synopsis

You are Tanner, a former racecar driver-turned-cop. Because of your past as a racer, you are sent on an undercover mission as a wheelman for hire in order to investigate the Castaldi crime family. The investigation will take you to Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, but before you can get these cities, you must take a driving test and prove that you have the skills to be a wheelman. After passing the test, tackle the missions of the story mode, which has over 40 missions that involve picking up and dropping off items or pursuing and disabling other cars. One of the major obstacles to completing your goals is the cops; they don't know that you are undercover, and letting you pass would blow your cover. If being chased around keeps giving you fits, use the free-ride mode and explore any of the cities at your own pace. With Driver, you are the wheelman.

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Story

A detective by the name of John Tanner, who works for the NYPD, is sent on a mission to go undercover in order to infiltrate organized crime groups through impressing them with his insane driving skills. On his first mission he is sent to Miami to be a getaway driver for a bank robbery. Upon completion, John is called upon to assassination, or steal a valuable vehicle. After that, John then talks to a pimp named Rufus, who reveals he is trying to bust his associate, Jean-Paul. Rufus then gives John the task of destroying a restaurant of someone who hasn't payed him back yet and the location of Jean-Paul. After completing both task, John returns to Rufus' house and finds Rufus and his girlfriend, Jesse, arguing, which eventually leads to him getting killed by her. John then chases her until she is blocked by a still monorail and catches her. He then takes her into police and she reveals a man named Castaldi, who lives in San Francisco. So John then heads there to find this man.

Once John arrives in San Francisco, he is met by an informant by the name of Mojo. Mojo gives John secret information about who Jean-Paul is really working for: a man named Rudi. After a few task, John is called from an unknown person who notifies him that Mojo has been kidnapped, and his captors want $10,000 for him. After saving him, Mojo tells John that Castaldi is working with a man named Don Hancock, who happens to be running for President of the United States. After learning this, John heads to Los Angeles to work for Castaldi.

Once in L.A., John must steal a police car for one of Castaldi's associates. He then learns the real reasons he is in L.A.: Castaldi wants to assassinate an FBI agent, Bill Maddox. So from here, John calls his partner in New York, Leck, and notifies him of this plot and the FBI has a leak giving Castaldi information about Bill. John demands Bill show up to the ambush spot or else his cover will be blown. John then brings the assassin to the spot, but the police are already there waiting for them. So they must escape before being noticed and end up in a safe house near LAX. At this point, John can't handle it anymore and heads back to New York.

Back in his hometown, John must save some pinned down gangsters who are having a shootout with the police. After this is complete, Leck calls John and tells him that the lieutenant, McKenzie, wants John back in because he is worried the cover will be blown. John ignores this request and continues to work for Castaldi. After a short time, he learns of the real plot: the assassination of the President. After saving him, John then returns to the station to meet with McKenzie, who is waiting for him to congratulate him and give him his badge back. However, he is extremely dissatisfied the FBI could be involved in something like this and refuses the badge.

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Gameplay

Driver brings you to the streets of some of the most populous cities in the world. You play as an undercover detective driving for high-ranking gangsters, top officials in governments, and even just some of your bros in need of some quick cash. In this game, you'll also be able to drive some of the most bad-ass muscle cars from the 70's with their own unique features, along with police cars, buses, limos, and even armored vehicles during select missions. At first, you start off with really nothing besides your outfit and a beat up car that needs some repairs. After a while, the vehicles get a lot better and so does your driving skills along with them. Since it is also an open-world, you'll be able to freely do anything you want in any city, but keep in mind you're not allowed (can't) to exit the vehicle. Improve your skills after completed a mission that will improve things such as your driving skill, steering, and agility. Throughout each city are also hidden vehicles that you can collect that will be usable in missions and free-mode. Driver plays just like a movie so each mission starts after the other. And once they're all complete, free-roam will be unlocked.

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Graphics

Considering it's age and aim to look like a 70's redneck-style movie, the game has some pretty decent graphics to it that sort of look retro. All of the vehicles in-game are highly detailed and sharp, cities looks great and are fairly large, and the environment looks excellent. The action itself, such as explosions, crashes, and fast-paced vehicles don't look that great on the other-hand. They look rather blocky/pixelated and cause the framerate to drop very so often. Besides that though, it is way ahead of it's time.

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Controls

Since you never get out of the vehicle you are in, the control layout is very simple and easy to use. The triggers will control the vehicles acceleration and brakes, the analog sticks or D-pad will control the steering and camera angle, and the buttons will activate the e-brake, gears, and different camera angles to use.

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Ratings

Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 8.5/10
Controls: 9/10
Overall: 8.5/10