Stuntman: Ignition

The original Stuntman was not so much a driving game as it was a platform game. It was all about precision and getting everything perfectly executed. It wasn’t without its fair share of flaws, but a solid sequel was never going to be sniffed at. And now that THQ have picked up the license off Atari, it seems like that’s what we are going to get. NZGamer sat down at a recent THQ briefing and got a glimpse of what Stuntman: Ignition had in store for gamers.

Stuntman: Ignition once again sees you as a budding stunt car driver trying to make it in the movie business. You will be able to work in six movies, all based on various movie cliches, in an attempt to boost your career. The idea behind the game is not so much to race, but to drive.

You’ll be executing a range of stunts to the director’s liking in order to progress. Fortunately, unlike the original, Stuntman: Ignition does not force a restart on a single mistake, and players can now make five mistakes before forcing a reshoot.

One of the most impressive things about Stuntman: Ignition was how much action was going on in each of the movies. It can get quite hectic, and a lot of the levels need to be played through multiple times before you stop getting overwhelmed by the number of hazards.

Each movie has a number of stages that all look gorgeous and really fit the theme of the movie well. From the Dante’s Peak rip-off to the James Bond homage, each of the stages look fantastic and offer a range of stunts to complete.

And it’s completing the stunts with no mistakes that bring one of the most exhilarating experiences in video games. It’s especially rewarding thanks to the tight controls, meaning you no longer have an excuse for when you fail a shoot.

Whether it be the seat-of-your-pants action as you slide round a corner, narrowly missing oncoming traffic or the joy you get when you hear the director sing your praises, Stuntman: Ignition brings something a little different and a little unique to video games once again. Keep it locked to NZGamer for a full review in the near future.