Driver 76

By Tristan Clark

The Driver series has never really had a smooth ride. The first couple of games pushed the original PlayStation technically, but the third game had many detractors. The next game, Parallel Lines, fared a little better – at least enough for Ubisoft to see promise in the series and buy it off Atari in 2006. The first game to come from the new publisher is Driver 76 for the PSP.

Like its predecessors, Driver 76 is a free-roaming action game in a similar vein to the Grand Theft Auto series, albeit one with much more emphasis on driving instead of getting around on foot. A linear series of missions will propel you through the story, and while you’ll occasionally need to leave your car, the majority of your time will be spent behind the wheel. During the course of the game, expect to be a delivery boy more than once as you transport items from A to B. Beyond that, you’ll indulge in street races, heists, and other activities as you progress. Naturally, this kind of carry on will attract unwanted attention, and you’ll often have to drop everything and run as the cops get on your tail.

Of course, if you don’t feel like following the storyline, you can simply cruise the streets, looking for all 125 stars that are scattered around the city. These stars give you trophy items that can be displayed at your home. Other side quests can also be picked up, and range from being a taxi driver to racing against other lowlifes.

The game is looking pretty good for a PSP game, but it remains to be seen whether it can maintain a similar level of quality to the GTA games on the powerful handheld. Encouragingly, the framerate seems quite solid, which is definitely at least as important as flashy graphical effects. There will also be a soundtrack with songs from the era, including artists such as Blondie and Marvin Gaye.

Overall, Driver 76 looks like it will deliver an experience fairly similar to the previous entries in the series – so if you’re a fan, you might want to check this portable iteration out. Comparisons to the handheld GTA games will be inevitable, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Driver 76 can hold its own when it hits these shores towards the end of May. Here’s a feature list straight from Ubisoft:

• All-New Content Developed Exclusively for the PSP system – Twenty-seven all-new missions created for the PSP system.
• Prequel Storyline to Driver Parallel Lines – The year is 1976, two years before Driver Parallel Lines.
• Multiplayer Games and Downloadable Content – Games include Street Racing, Destruction Derby, Pink Slip Racing and Swap Meet. Also download new paintjobs to use on your collected vehicles in the garage.
• Experience Open Environments in Authentic 1970’s New York – All the architecture, music, cars and clothes of the ’70s. Spans New York from Jersey to Coney Island.
• Vehicle Modification System – Collect your favorite vehicles and complete side job missions to get the cash to modify your ride.
• High-Speed Hollywood Racing Action – High-speed car races and crashes. Go even faster by customizing your car with special parts.
• Authentic ’70s Soundtrack – Immerse yourself in the ’70s with classic songs from the decade.

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