Driver Parallel Lines

7.2
Good

Gameplay	7.0	"The enjoyable content comes too late for some."
Graphics	8.0
Sound	8.0
Value	6.5

By Liam O'Connor

The most disappointing part of Driv3r was the realisation that at some point someone looked at the clumsy, bug-ridden and, frankly, unfinished game and said, “Yeah, okay, we can ship this.” The most disappointing part of Driver: Parallel Lines is that while it makes Driv3r seem like a bad dream, it has a handful of flaws that keep it from becoming truly great.

The title of Driver is a rather apt one. Like a virgin driver fresh behind the wheel, the game starts with a series of violent jerks. The opening video is gorgeous, no doubt, and thrusting the player into a high-speed chase, complete with the recognisable warbling of Blondie, gives a strong first impression. Yet this is the equivalent of adjusting the mirrors; it only projects a sense of competence and is nothing overly impressive. This is because once the preliminary goal is accomplished, a state of confusion sets in. The task is complete, so why are the cops still in hot pursuit? This is a GTA clone, after all – right? It then becomes clear that the cops must be shaken before the game can progress. And shaking New York’s finest and, indeed, most relentless is not an easy task, especially in rush-hour traffic. Sweeping around a corner at breakneck speeds and slamming into traffic that is queued for a red light quickly has the initial ride grinding to a smoking halt. Time to grab a new one then. Unfortunately, now that you’ve left the car, the cops know what you look like. Before you were just a blue sedan. Now your mug is on America’s Most Wanted.

It is this seemingly attempted sense of realism that is almost the game’s undoing. Crash into a lamppost in Grand Theft Auto and the police will simply laugh at the loss of your no-claims bonus. In Driver: Parallel Lines, they’ll shoot you for it. Run a red light and the entire NYPD will be after you. Anyone who has been stuck in traffic that is waiting at a red light will tell you that it’s about as much fun as rubbing poison ivy on your genitals. Why, then, would anyone want to do it in a video game? And in a multiple-part, timed mission that requires the player to get to the destination fast – and makes them repeat the entire process on failure – being pursued by the police for speeding is bound to frustrate. Yet traffic is often bovine, failing to move even when the lights are green, and while running a red light is punishable with death, jacking a stationary car goes unnoticed. It is at this point that the game stalls.

Yet like any good driver, Driver: Parallel Lines turns the ignition and has another attempt. Fortunately, this attempt is a much smoother ride. Suddenly, cutscenes interrupt the action to progress the rather linear, albeit engaging, story, and on returning to the game, the player’s wanted level is wiped. Missions become undertaken in a linear order, checkpoints within them become more frequent, and the player starts standing in front of a fresh vehicle. It is at this point that it suddenly becomes clear. Despite the expansive recreation of New York, despite the ability to leave a vehicle and jack another, and despite the game feeling like an attempt to cash in on Grand Theft Auto, this is not a Grand Theft Auto clone. This is the original Driver revised. Although there is a handful of on-foot missions, leaving the vehicle should essentially be considered a last resort; one last piece of leniency granted before a restart becomes mandatory. The emphasis returns to that of the original: sweeping through traffic at high speeds with the police, and often rival criminals, in hot pursuit. It’s a game that captures the magic of every cinematic car chase you’ve ever witnessed. Suddenly, the earlier flaws of overzealous cops no longer become flaws; they’re design choices that suddenly make sense. After stumbling and stalling, Driver: Parallel Lines finally achieves a state of proficiency and gains its license.

However, the entertaining majority of the game comes after a rather painful minority, and while the reward is certainly worth the patience, a couple of hours of frustration may prove to be too much for some players. Those that choose to stick with it will find an enjoyable title that is well worth the price of admission. However, it’s hard to recommend any game that makes someone suffer before rewarding them, and it’s the early flaws that are present while the game finds its feet that prevent it from becoming a truly great title. Ultimately, that is the most disappointing part of Driver: Parallel Lines.

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