Reflections and the great Driver 3 battle
Can the seminal series resist big-cash gratuity and stay true to roots?
Driver 3 from UK-based Reflections has been in the works for some time now and this being the case, the French publishing overlord has given the green light for a fresh injection of information into the public domain.
All versions have now been confirmed, namely PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC and Xbox. It is thought that the primary build will be for PlayStation 2, with measures being taken to ensure the Xbox and PC versions are optimised.
The game will utilise an enhanced version of the Stuntman engine, which is not necessarily good news. Stuntman's 3D engine was a little choppy in places. But Stuntman was a little rushed, and perhaps overlooked slightly in favour of dedicated Driver development, so perhaps with a full roster of staff, the Driver 3 results will be more pleasing to the eye.
Interestingly, the team has announced that players will be able to pick up and drive any vehicle in the game and enter certain buildings. A greater variety of vehicles has been promised, and without mentioning specifics, Reflections has hinted at trucks, public service vehicles, boats and more. Sound familiar?
In announcing these GTA-a-like features, Reflections has already decided that the formula to Rockstar’s games, undeniably a revamp of the original Driver concept, is one it wishes to encompass.
Let’s hope that Reflections remembers what made the first two games in the series so brilliant: truly innovative gameplay, level design and atmosphere. For development hours to be used in plotting and rendering the death throes of passers by would be great shame, if it impacted on delivering the core gaming experience.
All versions have now been confirmed, namely PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC and Xbox. It is thought that the primary build will be for PlayStation 2, with measures being taken to ensure the Xbox and PC versions are optimised.
The game will utilise an enhanced version of the Stuntman engine, which is not necessarily good news. Stuntman's 3D engine was a little choppy in places. But Stuntman was a little rushed, and perhaps overlooked slightly in favour of dedicated Driver development, so perhaps with a full roster of staff, the Driver 3 results will be more pleasing to the eye.
Interestingly, the team has announced that players will be able to pick up and drive any vehicle in the game and enter certain buildings. A greater variety of vehicles has been promised, and without mentioning specifics, Reflections has hinted at trucks, public service vehicles, boats and more. Sound familiar?
In announcing these GTA-a-like features, Reflections has already decided that the formula to Rockstar’s games, undeniably a revamp of the original Driver concept, is one it wishes to encompass.
Let’s hope that Reflections remembers what made the first two games in the series so brilliant: truly innovative gameplay, level design and atmosphere. For development hours to be used in plotting and rendering the death throes of passers by would be great shame, if it impacted on delivering the core gaming experience.
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