DRIV3R

"No one can escape the wrath of Michael Madsen's character!"

Driver 3, Drive-three-r, Drive-theeer; it doesn't really matter how you pronounce it. This is a great game.

Graphics 10/10
Driv3r's graphics are amazing. from the sparkling waters of Nice, France to the sunlight shining off of the rear window of your car. The graphics really show off the true power of the Xbox.

Game play 9/10
At first, Driv3r feels a little awkward, but you get used to the controls soon enough. Though there are a few things wrong with the on-foot shooting levels. In my opinion, there should have been a lock-on feature like in The Getaway. Aso, the enemy AI is pretty much the dumbest I have seen. The driving is very well done, though. It almost feels like you are driving the cars. Also, unlike in Grand Theft Auto, you can actually swim.

Story 9/10
The story of Driv3r continues on from the other two drivers on the original Play station. You (obviously) play as Tanner once again infiltrating a criminal organization. Although it's pretty short, you won't be disappointed. You start out in Miami, Florida then you travel to Nice, France and Istanbul, Turkey.

Sound 9/10
The sounds used in Driv3r are great. The voice acting is perfect. Michael Madsen gives an excellent performance as Tanner. Michelle Rodriguez, Ving Rhames, and Iggy Pop are also great. The music score is perfect. If you don't like the music in the game, then you can play songs off of your Xbox using the custom soundtrack feature. Although it repeats itself after every mission and cut scene.

Overall 9/10
Though it has a few flaws, Driv3r is a great game. Many people think its a Grand Theft Auto clone. I think it is a lot more realistic than GTA.

Buy or Rent?
I never rent games, so I would say buy it. You won't be disappointed; it's a great addition to any game library. Or you could rent it, I guess, if you are someone who rents games before they buy them, or if you don't believe that Driv3r is great.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/04