Reviews// Wheelman

Because you're in an open-world map (with a PDA to show you the way. Imagine!), you can also bez around and do a bit of whatever the hell you like. Whatever the hell you like typically consists of side missions – because, frankly, there's not a lot else to be getting on with. It's in the side missions that things get a bit more Burnout Paradise-esque. You'll be called upon to do taxi missions, getting someone from A to B as fast as you can, race around, nick specific cars – that sort of thing. All in an open world. Imagine!

It gets particularly Burnout-y when you're called upon for a 'rampage' – i.e.: cause as much damage as possible. The great big jumps also successfully transported me temporarily to another game, only to make me surprised when taking out a sign didn't knock another item off my 'to-do' list. As I stared at the screen in befuddlement I was kindly reassured that Criterion didn't invent this game and Burnout wasn't broken....

The good news is: all of the above is handled competently. Not stunningly, but competently. There's a good deal of variation in the missions, the AI is decent, there's a fair number of missions to be had and it all hangs together well. It's fun!

The on-foot missions are, similarly, fun. It's third-person shooting with a reasonable amount to keep you interested and decent level design. Gears of War it ain't, but if that's what you're after... go buy Gears of War. The biggest complaint is that the auto-lock picks up too much of the slack. If the on-foot sections made up the bulk of the game you'd feel pretty ripped off, but as it is it makes for a fun diversion.

Wheelman also has a handful of unique selling points. Vin's up first, since his name's on the box. What does he bring to the party? Well, his face, mostly. And his gravelly voice. That might make your girlfriend slide off her chair. But he's a bit laconic and not massively fascinating. I say this as someone who has, on occasion, enjoyed his performances. His presence also brings a flavour of The Fast and the Furious to proceedings. Make of that what you will...

The gameplay features that make it a little different to GTA are the vehicle combat elements, most notably the 'aimed shot' and 'cyclone' features. These are, in a nutshell, combat-driving bullet-time moves.

Hit up on the D-pad and everything slows down and sweet spots on enemy vehicles (and enemies themselves inside the vehicles) are highlighted. Hit down on the D-pad and you'll get the option to do the same thing, but with your vehicle doing a physics-defying spin so that you're facing behind you.

Both these moves are accessed by getting your focus levels up. 'Focus?' you ask. 'What the darn blazes is Focus?' It's a darn good question that's never quite answered. I want to say, 'concentration', but it's built up by doing things like drifting and smashing into stuff. I, for one, have never found running down bus stops to be beneficial to my concentration levels. Maybe it's best to put that one down to dramatic license...

There's also a boost feature that works off your Focus gauge, for a more authentic Burnout feel.