Zygalski said:
Due to the overwhelming response........................
Most of us have been waiting in anticipation of this game for the past 18 months or so, gradually, all PS2 owners have become increasingly fired up waiting for its impending release. We’ve all been teased by those 'in-game’ visuals shown to us. All the ambitions have been raised in the three-four years of development especially with the release of GTA3. So much hype and I mean so much hype, but does the final product please? Absolutely in some ways and disappointingly in others.
Graphics
The visuals are absolutely stunning, everywhere you look, you’ll see something that’ll capture your eye immediately, try not to stare too long though, it’ll be fatal to your mission. The accuracy of everything, too, is astounding. Okay, you’ve heard about the masterful remodeling of much of Central London but it’s the other little touches such as when in a warehouse, you'll see familiar brands such as Foster and various other things like when the enemy is smoking a fag, you instantly recognize the Marbrolo apck. Now, back to the mapping of C. London. You have to realise that they haven’t mapped the whole of London. That alone, would have taken half a decade, but what they have modeled is superb, especially for someone who lives there or is familiar with the area. I love noticing, while in a shootout, with the police, the Sainsbury’s I would visit time to time and looking at the exact replicas of buildings on Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road. Changing tracks, the cutscenes are of another dimension altogether. This game is worthy of setting a new box office record if turned into a movie. Overall, in the visuals department, there is hardly any failing.
9.0/10
Sound
Another area where the Getaway impresses is in sound. Not only is the soundtrack superb but the Sound FX are perfect and expertly timed. Noticing the shouting of one of your bosses upstairs while sneaking around a warehouse trying to find your son really puts a chill down your spine and then you regain composure and continue. I do have some qualms with the noise that is used to tell you that you are running out of time, it’s barely noticeable and annoying, speeding up when you are reaching the end of a timed mission. Another sound that can be more confusing than irritating is the rare noise that emits from when you are getting rammed rapidly. It is similar to gunshots and can be disorienting. However, I can contend with it as it is only occasional. Other than that, there are no complaints.
8.5/10
Gameplay
The other areas I have mentioned have been excellent and have very few flaws. But the gameplay is the area where everything isn’t perfect. Let’s start with the good things first. I already noted on the games outstanding outdoor environments. Another area where the Getaway shines is in the set-pieces or in simpler terms the way the mission is played out and how it is set out. Team Soho have thought of so many great concepts and executed them well. Examples are creating gang warfare against your rival gangs by killing members of a certain group and blaming it on another. But perhaps, the strongest part of the game is the incredible story line and how it is finely complimented with the superb cut-scenes and a film-like plot. It’s a great story of how two men on different sides of the law are controlled by powers beyond their control and result in some amazing missions. As most of you know, the game starts when Charlie Jolson’s men, and one woman (
), kill ex-gangster Mark Hammond’s wife and kidnap their son. Mark Hammond is forced to go on a series of missions, which involve killing former gang members and starting riots, if he ever wants to see his son again. One difference it has from other games is that midway through the game, there is a major cliffhanger and you switch roles with bent cop DC Frank Carter. The two stories are interwoven splendidly and sometimes you’ll be able to experience the same events from the perspective of two people, which is an enthralling experience in itself. I would like to tell you about a scene in which this piece of design is pulled of exceptionally well but it might be a spoiler and I don’t want to take away any of the fun from this game. It’s these ideas that work well, which make The Getaway a good combination between an action movie and an action game.
However, it isn’t perfect, there are some flaws. First off is the method that is used to heal. Team Soho were looking for a more realistic approach to regain health after a gunfight or other such things but is leaning against a wall for a tedious amount of time really any more realistic than grabbing a health pack? I’ve heard that some people have had problems with the elimination of HUDs (Heads Up Display) on screen but I don’t really find it a problem but maybe it would have been easier if there was an option to turn them on or off, then you could choose your fancy. Since I know my way around London quite well, it isn’t a hassle for me to find my way around but Team Soho should have taken into consideration the international (and non-Londoners) players of the game and provided a mini-map to look at during missions. Those are all the main problems I had with the game but the good points outweighed the bad points in my opinion and I personally found the Getaway very enjoyable.
8.0/10
Overall: 8.0/10
This is an immersive experience you shouldn’t deny yourself of purchasing even if it is filled with some flaws, it’s still hugely enjoyable especially for people who are familiar with the Capital and can unlock free-roaming mode. It is good fun to visit famous landmarks and gawk at the accuracy of everything (screw those Lonely Planet guides, give this game to tourists.) Be advised that if you’re more into the sort of funny-look-kill-everything-on-site style of the superb GTA, then I recommend you rent it first and see if you like it. One thing that is slightly embarrassing is the constant but well-used swearing in the game which along with the occasional scenes of partial nudity proves the case that this game is not for the young ones.
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That was written about a week after The Getaway's retail release. Comparing this with the reviews I write now, I think I've matured quite a lot.
