Infogrames have crafted a new innovative experience (Stuntman (PS2))

Member Name: ps2update

Product:	Stuntman (PS2)
Date:	17/11/02 (133 review reads)
Rating:

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From the creators of the Driver series comes a carefully crafted together innovative gaming experience in the form of Stuntman. Stuntman is a game that sees the gamer in control of, just that, a stuntman! After Infogrames popularity rocketed to a new found high courtesy of Driver, a serious rival to Grand Theft Auto, the company has been recognised as one of the best gaming companies in the world right up there with the likes of Eidos, Konami, Capcom, Codemasters, and Acclaim. With such a great reputation it is no wonder that gamers have became particularly excited with the arrival of Stuntman, the nearest thing to Driver on the PS2. Although it is nothing like Driver it does bare a striking resemblance to it in the looks department, and include a sneaky peak to Driver 3 in the form of a trailer that serves more as a teaser rather than being a full on demo. Stuntman has the potential to be an absolute classic, let's hope it is…

GRAPHICS

When first witnessing the delights of Stuntman one cannot help but have a feeling that they have played this game before. The directors and "action" voice over doesn't seem familiar but the graphics…there is something about them decidedly eerie and the word familiar seems to be plastered to the screen. After a few moments of contemplating and trying to recall if you have somehow managed to play a demo or seen a commercial it becomes apparent that you haven't played this game at all but the visuals are very reminiscent to the blockbuster Driver. In short, Stuntman looks like Driver 2 but Infogrames have got out the make up and polished the game to perfection, it looks just as Driver would look if it were a PS2 title - absolutely amazing! The cars have a very rough realistic edge to them and this realism seems to be appropriate considering that the cars speed through mud, water, concrete, and anything else that Infogrames decide to throw in for good measure. The graphics surpass the p
erfect colourful look of Burnout 2's vehicles and although not quite up to the standard of GT3 Stuntman is one of the smartest looking titles to hit the PS2 driving genre.
The surroundings all look in place whether it's other parked up vehicles, trees, or a filling station. Stuntman has its set backs such as the fire which could look a little better but then again when zooming through a ring of fire at 100MPH it isn't the look of the fire that you are generally worried about and more so whether you will make it through safely or burn to a bloody crisp.
17/20

SOUND

Stuntman makes all the right sounds in the right places - a good start then really. The soundtrack is appropriate to the film being produced, for example if it is a western the music will fit, if it is a film in the country the music will fit. The music is appropriate for the scenario. The sounds such as the engine, horn and brakes reflect that of Driver's and it is apparent that there are many similarities between the two games. The sound doesn't have anything spectacular that stands out above the rest of the competition and there is no music from bands such as Feeder as seen in GT3 or Slayer as seen in GTA Vice City, however the fact remains that the sound is appropriate for the situation and this is essential for a game to work.
18/20

GAMEPLAY

This is where the game really excels, the gameplay section. The concept for Stuntman reeks of originality and deserves a lot of credit. One must play as a stuntman performing various stunts for scenes in a series of films. As one completes each stunt the next stunt gets more demanding and once a whole collection of stunts have been performed a film is made to which the gamer sees a spectacular trailer to. As luck would have it the more films made the more demanding the next films are meaning that Stuntman proves to be a challenge from the brilliant start to the breath taking finish.
Cars an
d vehicles handle appropriately and although it is frustrating when the vehicles are flipped and the stunt is failed they always flip when one makes a big error as they do not exaggerate the mechanics of the cars. Braking can also prove particularly demanding for if one goes round a corner that little bit faster than they should one can find themselves doing a full 360 degree turn and ending right back where they started.
Collisions can be dramatic and it is possible to smash into one car and cause a hellacious traffic accident, although sadly for the gamer when this occurs it is game over as the scene has been failed. One thing that gamers must take into consideration is that they must follow the strict orders from the director, if they step out of line or do something slightly different to what is required than the scene must be replayed. This can prove frustrating for those gamers who wanted an original free-roaming racer similar to Driver, this is anything but free-roaming though, you are told what to do, you follow out the instructions and you get rewarded, stray any further than required and you fail the scene. Gamers looking for a free-roaming game do not go for Stuntman this is a title that concentrates on recreating being a stuntman if you want a free-roaming racer try Grand Theft Auto Vice City or wait for Driver 3.
The bottom line when playing Stuntman is that it is an amazing fun experience and although frustrating the rewards are well worth the work. Stuntman is demanding, it does restrict you to limited areas of terrain but you know what? It is damn enjoyable!
20/25

LIFESPAN

Stuntman is in a word - massive! There are so many stunts to complete and to truly complete the game one must complete them 100% meaning doing absolutely everything the director asks you to do whether it be jumping off a road onto a running train, smashing through a building on fire or jumping through a flaming hoop and smashing into a pile up of cars
. Completing every stunt perfectly will take up a lot of valuable time and could potentially last months even if it is played regularly! The stunts are not easy to complete and this is not a game for inept gamers.
22/25

ORIGINALITY

Stuntman is a brave step forward from Infogrames as it was either going to be a game that paid off or a game that flopped quicker than Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force. Thankfully for the gaming public Stuntman proves to be a huge game offering a totally new concept for gamers to get to grasp with. The idea of being a stuntman performing stunts in films and having to do retakes is one that no company has came up with before. Stuntman does incorporate similar controls to that of Driver but the bottom line is that Stuntman is unique and full on innovations.
10/10

OVERALL

Stuntman proves to be as enjoyable as Driver yet as innovative as Metal Gear was when it was first launched. This game is very different from your typical racer and is a new experience for all gamers. Stuntman is not a gamer for those whom want a free roaming driver but for gamers who want to experience the ins and outs of becoming a stuntman, this is definitely for you!








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