Each story mission, and some of the side missions, start with a little exposition of the storyline. Talking heads in each top corner of the screen exchange a little banter that you can listen to, or skip. But for once, I'm in favour of listening. While I'm firmly of the opinion that the story in most games is a flimsy pretext on which to hang the action, Ubisoft seems to be bucking this trend, and
Driver joins
Assassins Creed as one of the few (two) games where the story is substantial enough to warrant a little of your time.
The San Francisco of the game is clearly inspired by the one by the Bay. But apart from some important landmarks - the Transamerica Building, Lombard Street/Russian Hill, that big bridge and the other big bridge - you'd be hard pressed to recognise the city as you drive around. Sure, there are the Cable Car tracks, and the hills. But much of the feel of the city is missing. But that does not take away from the fact that is an extensive and effective map for the game to take place in. As you progress through the storyline, new map areas are opened up, and it goes from merely expansive to truly vast.
But the sheer size is actually a problem. The map is so large, and the scenery so generic, that it is difficult to learn your way around, so you find yourself having to frequently refer to the map. This is an issue in open checkpoint races, where you can choose your own route.
Scattered around the city, you'll find Movie Tokens. Collecting these unlocks Movie Missions. These are missions directly or indirectly inspired by famous movie driving scenes. So you'll get to take down a Red Ford Gran Torino with a white stripe, or you'll get to drive a Classic dark green 390ci V8 Mustang as you chase a Dodge Charger in a re-enactment of the famous chase scene from
Bullitt. (Incidentally, that is one of the scenes that started the ridiculous Hollywood myth of actors doing their own stunts. Accomplished driver McQueen handing the wheel to Bud Ekins for 90% of the driving, but taking 100% of the credit.)
The Movie Missions play to one of
Driver's great strengths, its period feel. Sure, the game is set in the present (or in the imagination if a character from the present) but the Movie Missions and the soundtrack create a timeless yet classic feel to the game. And I'm confident that it's destined to become a classic in its own right.
The game has the usual smattering of on-line features, but for those you should head on over to our earlier preview.
It's great to see a former classic restored so beautifully at this. Not only have Reflections returned
Driver to its former glory, but they have overcome most of the limitations and niggles of the free-roaming driving game genre. Originality is not top of the list here, but quality is. They say talent borrows, but genius steals. And
Driver: San Francisco is genius.
