Publisher: Atari
Ages: Ten & up
Parental
Advisory:
Violence/reckless driving
Much like an action-packed movie that leaves you wanting more, Atari's DRIV3R offers an adequate driving-adventure game with lots of violence.
Players hit the streets in a Hollywood-style crime saga, and become Tanner, an undercover cop who has to stop a ruthless, heavily armed car theft syndicate that's planning a major global heist. Players control and demolish some 70 vehicles that include muscle cars, motorcycles, boats, police cars, mopeds, 18 wheelers, speedboats and more.
There are lots of car chases, on-foot fights and shootouts. The various missions ask players to tail gangsters, chase witnesses, steal cars and more. It's another day on the dark side.
The game serves three true-to-life cities that include Miami, Nice and Istanbul, with an impressive 35,000 buildings and 150 miles of major highways and city streets. There are also hundreds of destructible objects that may be smashed and blasted, and vehicles realistically crumble as they crash.
Graphically, the game falls short. It does features notable voice talent that includes Michael Madsen as Tanner, Mickey Rourke, Michelle Rodriguez and Ving Rhames as Tanner's partner, Tobias Jones. The game is a violent one. Despite the driver name, this is no car race game for kids.
After a long wait, DRIV3R, the third in a popular series, doesn't quite live up to its hype. Fans of the series will probably want to take a look. But there are clearly better driving-adventure games out there.
7/21/04 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
