Spyhunter: Nowhere to Run

By Daniel Needham

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Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run is a mission-based driving game in which you'll be spending the majority of your time on foot. Like previous Spy Hunter games, this offering will boast a number of levels in which you get to take the controls of the series' trademark Interceptor vehicle - but since it gets stolen near the start of the game, you'll be spending a big chunk of your time without any wheels.

The most obvious difference between Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run and its predecessors is that Alex Decker, the series' hero, is now able to climb out of the Interceptor and complete certain missions on foot.

In the unlikely event that you don't have a weapon at hand, you'll be able to go hand-to-hand with your enemies and, in many cases, finish them off even more quickly than you could have with a gun. Alex’s light punches, heavy punches, and throws are formidable to say the least, and once you master the stun punch technique (charge up a heavy punch to stun your opponent and leave them open to one of four different body-slamming finishing moves), you'll find that even the most dangerous-looking foes are quick to submit.

Taking damage in Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run isn't something that you need to be overly concerned about though - not only because the game is very quick to return you to the last checkpoint that you passed, but also because Decker’s health is able to regenerate to some extent any time you're able to keep him out of harm's way for a short while. The system is similar to that used in the Halo games and it works just as well, forcing you to pause for breath behind cover occasionally. First aid kits can be found mounted on the walls inside just about every structure, but you have to use them as you find them since they can't be picked up and saved for later use.

When you're not wandering around on foot, you'll be at the controls of the Interceptor, a sleek-looking sports car that morphs into a speedboat anytime it lands on water and also functions as a motorcycle when it sheds the bulk of its bodywork. The Interceptor carries an arsenal that would make James Bond green with envy, and although you'll be using the machine guns and missiles most frequently, you'll find that the smokescreens, oil slicks, and wheel spikes are also very effective.

Due out in September on the PS2, Spy Hunter looks sure to stick to the tried and true formula of the previous additions. We will keep you updated as any more news comes to hand right here at NZGamer.

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