Driver 2
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| Driver 2 | |
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| Developer(s) | Reflections Interactive |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames |
| Release date(s) | Sony PlayStation: November 13, 2000 November 17, 2000Nintendo Game Boy Advance: October 22, 2002 October 4, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Driving |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: T (Teen) PEGI: 12+ |
| Platform(s) | Sony PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows |
| Media | CD-ROM |
Driver 2: the Wheelman Is Back (in the UK, Driver 2: Back on the Streets) is the second installment of the Driver video game series.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
Driver 2 expanded on Driver's 3-D, free-roam structure, as well as adding the ability of the character, Tanner, to step out of his car to explore on foot and hijack new vehicles. The story missions are played separately from the take-a-ride mode where the player can explore the cities on their own time.
The game was first released on the PlayStation video game console and was later ported to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. Because the game was so long, and cutscene graphics were somewhat advanced for that of the Playstation era, the game was released on two discs for the Playstation. The first disc contained data for the first two cities, and the second disc contained data for the later two cities.
Reception of the game was mixed. Some felt it expanded on the original Driver enough and contained enough fresh content to be a worthy sequel, while others felt this was not enough of an upgrade, or lambasted the graphics (particularly the framerate) and almost constant slowdown/lag whenever the action on the screen got too busy.
[edit] Story
The story in Driver 2 follows Tanner, an undercover police officer, and his partner, Tobias Jones, as they track a man named Pink Lenny. Lenny is portrayed as a weasel in the intro,where he is in the RED RIVER BAR bragging to a Brazilian about scaring somebody with his handgun. 'You shoulda seen the look on this guy's face', Lenny tells the Brazilian. Then a couple of real hoods walk in and shoot every one in the bar, while Lenny cowers and prays in the back, by the pool table. Lenny escapes out the back door and the chase is on. Lenny is a former money man for a gang lord named Solomon Caine, but has sided with Caine's rival, a Brazilian gangster dubbed Vasquez. Gang wars are erupting in Chicago, and Tanner must find Lenny before the violence boils over. The game features a cold blooded hood named Jericho,with his twin sawn-offs.
Missions in the game are generally vehicle-oriented, and involve trailing witnesses, ramming cars, escaping from gangsters/cops, etc... A cutscene is shown prior to each mission to help advance the storyline, and thus the game plays rather like a Hollywood-style car chase movie. Although Tanner can leave his car and interact with certain elements of the environment, all violence takes place during pre-rendered scenes, and, as such, there is no player-controlled shooting or gun play. When Tanner is out of the car in daytime, his shadow is seen to have a gun in each hand.
[edit] Cities
Driver 2 includes four cities: Chicago and Havana, which are both immediately open for 'TAKE A RIDE' mode and Las Vegas and Rio de Janeiro, which can only be accessed once missions are complete for the first two cities. The cities all have secret cars hidden within them, which become available once the player finds the cars. The cities include many of their respective landmarks, such as the Navy Pier and Wrigley Field in Chicago, and recreations of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.
[edit] Modes
[edit] Single Player
There are two main modes for Single Player, as well as a selection of Driving Games.
[edit] Undercover
This is where the real meat of the game is. The game starts in Chicago, and as the player progress's successfully through the missions, move on to Havana, Las Vegas, and Rio de Janeiro.
[edit] Take A Ride
Here's where the player can choose a city, choose a car, and just go for a ride. They can practice evading the cops, look for shortcuts, and maybe even find a secret or two. (Chicago and Havana are the only choices until the other cities are unlocked in Undercover mode.)
[edit] Driving Games
[edit] Quick Chase
Tanner is in pursuit of a car. Do your best to ram him off the road.
[edit] Quick Getaway
Just the opposite of Quick Chase. The cops are on your tail; do whatever is necessary to lose them.
[edit] Checkpoint
Race to each checkpoint (shown on the map) as fast as possible. Once you hit one, the next appears.
[edit] Gate Race
A series of cones have been set up as gates through the city. Go through as many of them as you can without hitting the cones. They get narrower as you get further along.
[edit] Trail Blazer
From your starting point to the finish, a line of cones has been laid out. Strike as many of them as possible long the way.
[edit] Survival
Run, fast. There's a huge mass of cops after you, and they're relentless. They can't be stopped, and you can't outrun them. Try to last as long as possible.
[edit] Multiplayer
There are four multiplayer modes in Driver 2. However, due to technical limitations, it had to be stripped down for the mode to function correctly. There is no traffic to bob and weave through, police cars don't show up, the draw-in distance in much shorter, and you can only drive in first-person view (though the replays are shown in multiple views).
[edit] Take a Ride
You and a second player ride around in a small area of the city you choose. There are two areas you can choose from in each city.
[edit] Cops 'n' Robbers
Player one is the cop who is trying to destroy the second player's car. If the cop destroys the robber's car, he wins. If the robber gets far enough away from the cop or the cop car is wrecked, player two wins.
[edit] Checkpoint
Each player tries to hit the all of the checkpoints before the other. Once one of the players gets all five checkpoints, they win.
[edit] Capture the Flag
Players race to get a flag located at a particular point and take it back to the starting point without being touched by the other player. If the other player steals it, he must take it back to his starting point without being touched. The player who has the most wins when the time runs out is the winner.
[edit] Trivia
- One of the music tracks for the Chicago missions is a note-for-note copy of Tekken 3's Paul Phoenix theme.
