The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
For our latest entry, we step back in time for a gander at the classic car romp, Driver.
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Developer: Reflections
Region(s) available: Europe
Players: 1
Driver’s release back in 1999 came as something of an invigorating experience for fans of Grand Theft Auto and petro heads alike. Released at a time when Rockstar’s illustrious crime-em-up had yet to make the transition to 3D, Driver packed a myriad of concepts under its hood, though while comparisons to GTA are easily drawn, its most striking difference is the fact you never leave your vehicle. As such, there are no on foot-based shenanigans here – everything that takes place happens from the confines of your flash motor.
Driver plonks you in the shoes of undercover copper Tanner, who thanks to his prior experience as a racing driver finds himself posing as a wheelman for the unscrupulous Castaldi family. Things start off with a Gran Turismo-flavoured driving test, however, where Tanner must prove he’s up to the task by performing a variety of fancy manoeuvres, such as 360 turns, a slalom course, a reverse 180 and other such flashy tricks. Once you’ve accomplished this, Tanner can get down to the nitty gritty of infiltrating the target gang, which primarily involves taking up jobs wherever he can find them.
Most of the objectives are fetch quests, where the ex-racer finds himself zipping off to pick up a person or dodgy package before bringing the target back to the desired location before the time expires. Other missions involve Tanner mashing up a rival car until it’s totalled, an area that’ll test your skills behind the wheel to the limit. Driver’s locations encompass four major cities: Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Each sprawling metropolis offers up good 10 or so missions to tackle, so you’ll be kept pretty busy. An in- game map ensures you are never scratching your head where to go next, which is just as well considering the perennial ticking of the clock reminding you that time isn’t a luxury you possess.
Players must be ever vigilant however, as the local Old Bill will be hot on your case if you’re caught barrelling through the city streets at high-speed. After giving chase, they’ll attempt to wreck your ride by smacking into you, filling the on-screen damage meter in the process. Outside of the main campaign, players can also potter around in a number of other game modes. These include a free ride option, allowing you to have a leisurely cruise around the city without fear of interruption. Other distractions include taking part in a number of bread and butter modes such as survival, pursuit and getaway.
Join us again tomorrow for another gander Inside PlayStation Network.