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Genre: Driving / Action
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Reflections
Release Date: March 14, 2006
 There
are two things that are a little striking to me as I look at the similarities
and differences between the hype-turned-curse that surrounded 2004's Driv3r
and the upcoming sequel, Driver Parallel Lines. For starters,
there's no media embargo this time around like there was for the previous title,
which means that all parties involved are a little more confident about the release
this time, and for good reason. The other thing that's a little remarkable is
that, not only does the upcoming title seem to have a lot going for it, but it
also seems fully capable of returning the Driver series to
its former glory. Fans of the series rejoice – somebody, somewhere is looking
out for you.
Driver Parallel Lines combines a respectable
plot line with more traditional gameplay of the first titles in the series, although
with a few noteworthy deviations. You play as a character enigmatically known
as "The Kid," a young male with a largely unknown past who's just trying
to make his bones as a wheel man in New York City during the late 1970s. As anyone
would expect, both the player's career path and the plot itself wind through all
parts of the seedy criminal underbelly of the time period until about halfway
through, when a major event flashes the plot forward to modern day. The missions
in the game are diverse, and for the most part all involve driving, as thankfully,
Reflections has seen fit to remove a great deal of the on-foot action that somewhat
plagued the series' previous iteration.
In some respects, DPL is much more
similar to the first title in the series in that it concentrates on its namesake
strength: the driving action. The cars all have their own unique handling and
performance, though notably, all operate on a slightly unrealistic fashion. Even
a mere station wagon going 80mph can take a hard 90-degree turn while barely hitting
the brakes, but the series has always been more about capturing the feel of an
old-school police chase than of simulating real-world driving conditions. DPL
definitely pulls off the car chase as a gameplay mechanic.
Controlling your vehicle can be a finicky affair until
you get the hang of the way it handles, at which point you'll be weaving through
traffic at breakneck speeds. Not to be outdone, the enemy AI, whether it's of
police or otherwise, will chase you with vicious determination and often shoot
through the same narrow gap that you thought would take them down easily. If the
heat gets turned up even further, you'll see police helicopters start taking shots
at your vehicle. It all combines in the wonderful melting pot of car chases, wanton
destruction, and slick moves that would make any chase aficionado proud.
The gameplay in DPL isn't just limited
to, well, driving. The Kid packs a pistol as his default weapon with an unlimited
supply of ammunition, but it's not the biggest damage dealer you can get your
hands on. While driving, your character can lean out of the window at the press
of a button, lock onto the nearest enemy or target, and riddle the vehicle with
bullets. Tires will pop, glass will shatter, and bullets will create little holes
in the once-perfect metal exterior of the enemy vehicle until either the driver
expires or the vehicle goes kaboom in a satisfyingly Hollywood-styled explosion
and rain of debris.
You still have the option of going on foot, although
the demand for this pretty much lies within the side-missions. While on foot,
you can crouch, shoot, and precisely aim at targets using whatever weaponry you
have, but you can also steal whatever vehicle happens your way. Some missions
do take place on foot, but for the most part, you'll only be wearing out your
shoes when your ride has been disabled, or if you just want to trade that beat-up
truck for the muscle car that just drove up beside you at the light.
Another new addition to the series is the ability to
modify your car, in a vein more similar to Need for Speed than
San Andreas. You can modify your car from its appearance –
color, rims, and bodywork – to its performance – handling, acceleration,
and top speed. You can also pay to repair any damage the vehicle has incurred,
reduce the heat associated with the vehicle (accumulated by using the vehicle
to perform crimes), and install add-ons such as nitrous systems and bulletproof
windows and tires.
If you associate a car with your garage and manage to
wreck it, your friend will always tow it back to the garage, so you can trick
out a ride of your choice and not have to worry too much about losing all of the
customizations. Granted, you'll still have to repair it, but at least a badly
wrecked ride is still salvageable. For that matter, there's a fairly wide selection
of vehicles to choose from: 80 vehicles span both time periods during which the
game takes place and range from motorcycles and buses to muscle cars and beat-up
trucks. DPL features a rather enjoyable damage system that,
while not exactly cutting edge, still packs a great deal of entertainment value.
The preview build we played was still unfinished, but
graphically, DPL is a marked improvement for the series. The
upgraded graphics engine allows for many more objects, cars, and pedestrians to
be displayed on-screen at once, which enhances the impression that the game takes
place in a livable world instead of a desolate street with two parked cars and
a little old lady. The cars themselves are modeled well, although the textures
can look a little gritty up close, but the likelihood of actually getting this
close is admittedly remote at best.
As a whole, Driver Parallel Lines
runs smoothly; the preview build already looks pretty good, and we can only assume
that it has since received several layers of polish. The 1970s era has a slightly
sepia tone to it and really hits the mark of an older car chase movie, while the
modern day time period is represented by a vibrant full range of color, which
is an excellent touch. The character models could be animated a bit smoother,
but given how infrequently you are actually on foot to appreciate them, you really
only see them when you zoom past at some insane speed.
DPL will have a respectable amount
of songs in its soundtrack upon release, ranging from classics such as "Low
Rider" and some Jimi Hendrix, to name a few. The voice acting runs the gamut
from likable to bearable for the most part, and although the sound effects of
the weaponry could be a bit meatier, the noises and screeches of the vehicles
and damage more than make up for it.
All things considered, Driver Parallel Lines is proof that
somebody was listening and taking notes about why the previous title failed so
miserably. It seems like the team rethought the game and started the design process
from the ground up. The shooting and on-foot aspects don't feel tacked on, but
they (rightfully) take a back seat to the essence of the game, which mainly consists
of you being behind the wheel of a vehicle and evading whatever dares to pursue
you. Fans of the series may want to keep an eye on DPL as it
nears its ship date. It's much better than its predecessor, which admittedly isn't
saying much, but the fact that it is reminiscent of the first game of the series
is probably enough to please long-time fans.
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