Driver: Parallel Lines

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Driver: Parallel Lines

Developer(s)	Reflections Interactive
Publisher(s)	Atari
Designer(s)	Gareth Edmondson (Reflections) and Ken Allen (Atari)
Release date(s)	USA March 14, 2006 UK March 17, 2006
Genre(s)	Racing, Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: M PEGI: 18+ BBFC:18+) OFLC: MA15+ CERO: Z
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2,Wii, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows

Driver: Parallel Lines is the fourth game in the Driver video game series. The game was released on March 14, 2006 on the Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles. A PlayStation Portable^[1] and Wii^[2] version will also be available later in 2007 alongside a PC version^[3]. The game was released in Europe on March 17, 2006. The game was rated "Mature" by the ESRB, for "Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, and Strong Language".

1 Overview
2 Gameplay
- 2.1 Story
- 2.2 New York City
3 Vehicles
- 3.1 Vehicle customization
4 Soundtrack
5 Limited Edition
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Overview

Diverging from previous Driver games, Parallel Lines takes place in just one city, New York, instead of multiple cities. Due to the underwhelming performance of DRIV3R, particularly the often-derided on-foot sections, Parallel Lines returns to the formula used in earlier games in the series, focusing on driving, although shooting remains in the game. The game was received better by critics than DRIV3R, yet was still criticized on a number of points, including its simple gameplay, hit-or-miss controls, simplified and more cartoonish graphics, and derivative storyline. This is the first game of the Driver series that does not follow undercover cop Tanner. TK, the new main character, received Game Informer's "Biggest Dork of 2006" award.

[edit] Gameplay

Driver: Parallel Lines takes place in an entirely open-world environment. Instead of choosing minigames from a menu as in previous Driver titles, minigames are now accessed from the in-game world.

Many changes have been made from DRIV3R, including visible blood when someone is shot, a money system, fully modifiable vehicles, environment destruction (i.e., lamp posts can now be run over and fire hydrants can break, spewing water into the air), and a new felony system that differentiates between personal felony and felony "attached" to vehicles the player has used.

The game was originally intended to include online multiplayer, but this was scrapped when it became apparent to the developers that they could not deliver a strong multiplayer mode ^[4] and wanted to focus entirely on the single-player portion of the game.

The popular instant replay film director mode of previous Driver games was removed from Parallel Lines, despite Reflection's claim that the series was "returning to its roots".

[edit] Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The game follows "TK" (The Kid), a skilled driver who works as a getaway driver for a New York crime ring. Following the kidnapping and murder of a prominent Colombian drug lord, TK is set up and charged with the murder and sent to prison for 28 years. While in prison, TK hatches plans to kill each of the men who helped to frame him. When he is released in 2006, he sets out to kill his former associates, one of whom is now the New York City Police Commissioner. TK is aided by childhood friend Ray and the daughter of the druglord TK allegedly killed. ^[5]

Spoilers end here.

[edit] New York City

The major features of New York's skyline, such as the Empire State Building, are always visible, even from the other boroughs across the river.

The interpretation of New York City in Parallel Lines is not GPS street-accurate like True Crime: New York City's Manhattan. Instead, the game presents a smaller but more stylistic version of the Big Apple that includes all the boroughs except Staten Island and parts of the New Jersey shore. The game's Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and New Jersey consists of 222.5 miles of roadway, larger than the combined total of all three cities (Miami, Nice, and Istanbul) from DRIV3R. The game's New York City is also more "life-like" compared to previous games in the series: vendors sell donuts, NPC pedestrians talk rather than simply grunting and screaming, and numerous side jobs (such as taxi driving and car towing) are available. However, the game completely lacks any kind of weather. The only atmospheric changes are the day-to-night cycle.

In 1978, the twin towers of the World Trade Center are still present, along with New York City's many other landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Times Square, Central Park, and Flatiron Building in Manhattan. In Brooklyn, the player can visit Coney Island. The game features all of New York City's major bridges except the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge which connects Brooklyn to Staten Island. The player can traverse these bridges freely from the start. An elevated portion of the New York City Subway that runs from Manhattan to Coney Island is part of the game world, but the subway system is not accessible to the player as a means of transportation.

In the 2006 era, when T.K. goes to his safehouse, there is graffitti on the wall that says "Tanner Lives". This is a nod towards Tanner, the protagonist in the previous three Driver games. It is also a possible solution to the cliffhanger ending of DRIV3R, where it is unclear if Tanner or the antagonist Jericho flatlines in a hospital following a shootout in Istanbul.

[edit] Vehicles

As its title suggests, Driver: Parallel Lines focuses heavily on driving. As such, there is a wide variety of vehicles included in the game. The game flaunts the fact that there are "80 drivable vehicles". Numerous "modified" versions of regular vehicles show up in certain missions, sometimes as a target of theft or the special ride of an adversary. Examples include the "Pimp Wagon", which is a modified "Montara" and driven by the character Slink in one mission.

Both eras included in the game have distinct styles of vehicles, although a few of the 1978-era cars do show up in 2006.

Although based on real automobiles, all vehicles in the game are fictitious, and are given fictitious names.

[edit] Vehicle customization

New to the Driver franchise is the ability to customize, or mod, your vehicle. Each vehicle can be upgraded numerous ways in Ray's Garage. Upgrades include custom body and paint jobs, increased engine power, nitrous boosters, and tunable springs, shocks, ride height, brakes, and downforce. A test track is available to "try out" the upgraded vehicles and making any necessary adjustments.

[edit] Soundtrack

Driver: Parallel Lines features an entirely licensed soundtrack consisting of over 70 songs, ranging from 1970s-era rock and funk to modern alternative rock and rap songs. The songs play while the player is in a vehicle, as if they were on the radio. Notable groups featured on the soundtrack include Funkadelic, Can, Suicide, War, Iggy Pop, Blondie, David Bowie, Parliament, The Temptations, Average White Band, Public Enemy, The Roots, TV on the Radio, The Secret Machines, Kaiser Chiefs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and LCD Soundsystem.

[edit] Limited Edition

A limited edition version of the game was released along with the regular version. The special edition, costing $10 more, includes an extra DVD containing information about the production of Parallel Lines as well as in-game videos and character profiles. Also included with the limited edition is the official soundtrack, including twelve tracks from the game. The UK version is dubbed "Collectors Edition", and does not contain the DVD, instead only providing the soundtrack CD and a metal case.