Stuntman

"This is one stunt you don't want to pull."

OVERVIEW:
From the makers of Driver and Driver 2 comes a game which puts you in the place of the stuntman. Your job is to attempt thrilling stunts through rural and suburb areas while in different cars. Stuntman also gives you the opportunity to unlock toys for use in a stadium where you set up stunts. The toys range from ramps to vehicles and can be set up to create monster stunts.

With all that this game promised I felt like it just didn’t deliver. The graphics were mediocre and there seemed to be very little fun factor. Most stunts were timed and if you didn’t make a turn precisely then it became a big pain in the butt. Stuntman lacks quality and fun, the quality and fun which made Driver a success.

GRAPHICS:
(4/10):
The moment you start to play you’ll realize that you’ve stumbled into the land of inadequate graphics. You’ll spot several jaggies from the get go and be amazed at the way they could (gasp) pull off Playstation 1 graphics on the Playstation 2. In fact, the only shining moment for graphics in this bewildering game is the CG sequence between levels. Take out that and the game is reduced to a monotone wallop through stressful levels of pure agony.

STORY:
(2/10)
Now, I really thought this game would be more than it was. I expected a great game, with a great storyline and fascinating modes of play. Unfortunately what I got was a really linear and boring storyline. Don't get me wrong, I love to see a good car jumping through a billboard every now and then, but the way Stuntman pulls it off is bland and unrewarding. From the get-go of level one I was amazed at how very boring the plot to the game was, you perform stunts, you get toys, you go on. Yeah, that's it amazingly, and it's too bad. With a more compelling storyline, there's no reason why this couldn't have made atleast a 7 out of 10.

SOUND:
(7/10):
The sound of Stuntman is actually good enough to help this game flow, somewhat that is. As you play Stuntman you’ll be able to clearly hear the sound of the car as it screeches, squeals, and begs for mercy. The let downs come from an in-game voice that sounds a lot like a guy with a cold and background music that can sometimes become annoying. Get past those surprisingly small distractions (in contrast with the rest of the game that is) and you should enjoy the sound quality of the game.

CONTROLS:
(8/10):
Easy does it with the controls there Sparky. I know you want to get out there and show the world that you’re a spectacular stuntman, but you need to know how to control the game, right? Well, if there is but one saving quality of the game, it’s the controls. Throughout your Stuntman experience you should find the controls easy to remember and easy to pull off during hectic moments of game play.

REPLAY:
(6/10):
Stuntman delivers minimal replay value in the form of a ''build your own stunts'' style mode where you build various obstacles to do spectacular tricks in different cars which you unlock in regular mode. There are a variety of fun toys that include ramps and loops that you can unlock in regular mode as well. These toys will be what you use in the arena to unleash your imagination and make killer stunts with. Overall the replay value is what makes this game fun, just trying to get those extra toys to pull off the ultimate stunt. Unfortunately the loading time between making the stunts (which makes it a lot harder to really enjoy the arena), and overall not having many to play with makes the score drop.

WHAT ELSE?
What could make Stuntman better besides having better graphics and a heck of a better storyline? How about using a different vehicles besides a car for every stunt? Don't we live in the 21st Century? Aren't things like helicopter and plane stunts practical? Even a nice little stunt like jump through a window onto an inflated balloon on the ground would be a nice break from driving all the time.

RENT OR BUY?
This game simply doesn't offer enough game play and fun to make it worth $50. Rent this one, that is if you dare to unleash this hideous beast upon yourself.

SCORE SUMMARY:
Graphics: 4
Story: 2
Sound: 7
Controls: 6
Replay: 6
Average: 5
Overall: 5

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 12/03/02, Updated 12/03/02