| Introduction
Driven seems an odd choice for an entertainment title
especially bearing in mind that it not only appears
on the GBA and PS2 but has also been announced for the
Gamecube. It's not that it's a movie tie-in because
as we've known for some time merchandising for a movie
blockbuster almost always includes some type of video
game on one or more platforms. The strange thing is
that this latest Sylvester Stalone movie was considered
by most as a Huge Turkey and was labelled a Box Office
flop quite some time ago. Why then, you're probably
asking have those good people at BAM and Crawfish decided
to convert it to a multi-platform game and ultimately...
is it any good?
GamePlay
Your first challenge in Driven is choosing which
Game Mode to tackle, though for anyone new to racing
games we'd recommend the Testing Session Mode as this
allows you to race any track with no competition. The
Single Race Mode allows you to build confidence as you
encounter other drivers and hone your driving skills
and it still doesn't really matter about placing. The
Arcade and Championship Modes are a little more serious
and good driving is required to progress and earn those
vital points.
Story Mode is loosely based on the movie and consists
of a series of mission based games requiring the driver
to fulfill one or more objectives in order to move on
to the next challenge. The first, for example, is to
complete a lap of the track in under 18 seconds which
you should do on the second lap no problem. The next
challenge will have you doing the same but this time
running over 3 coins in the process. It all gets progressively
more difficult until by the end you'll be need to employ
as much strategy as driving skills because you must
allow your team member to win a race whilst you come
second. This requires you to obstruct other drivers
while keeping an eye on your position and so crashing
and wiping out are frequent occurrences.
One original aspect of this game is 'The Zone' and
entering it is the key to success. It appears as a meter
on the side of the screen which is filled as a result
of consistently good driving but, unfortunately, is
not as easy as it sounds. Initially you'll see the meter
start to rise slightly but then drain as soon as you
misjudge a corner or clip another car. Entering 'The
Zone' has multiple rewards and in addition to increased
performance you'll also become invincible for a period
of time. Stay with it and you'll be guaranteed pole
position although the speed you'll be travelling at
now makes this more of a challenge than previously.
The battery backup is essential here as, in addition
to effortlessly saving all your racing successes and
lap times, it opens up bonus rounds, hidden cars and
tracks. This further extends what is already an impressive
array of options and game modes and also manages to
address a long standing problem i.e. the longevity of
racing titles. Add to this the four player modes, one
of which is achievable with a single cart, and you're
well onto the way to what could be a classic game.
Controls
Control couldn't be simpler and all the cars handle
surprisingly well in this isometric environment. It
is a little confusing at first and with the Gameboy
market flooded with 'top down' and the new 'Mode 7'
games this was an ambitious and unique move. Fortunately
the learning curve is pitched just right so by the time
you need to run over manhole covers, disrupt newsstands
and drive under trucks all in the same street you should
have no problem at all.
Graphics
Outside of the title there's very little reference
made to the movie with neither screen shots nor footage
featuring any of the characters. What you do get though
is crisp and very well rendered 'icon' style graphics.
Everything is viewed from an isometric perspective and
although this appears strange at first it actually all
works very well and allows a great level of track detail
without resorting to 3D. The animation is also very
pleasing with all the cars gliding nicely around the
track whilst collisions can result in some incredible
crashes.
Sound & Music
There seems to be no end to the quality and attention
to detail employed in producing this game and the music
mirrors this. All sections of Driven are accompanied
by a hi-octane rock soundtrack which complements the
gameplay perfectly. The sound effects are a little less
impressive as the car engines merely whir as you race
around the track. However, a gear up from this, the
starters voice features a very clear countdown and the
sounds accompanying any explosion are wonderful.
Final Comments
The fact that this title is tied into a terrible
movie will doubtless put some potential gamers off but,
if you've finished Mario Cart and played Micro Machines
to death, this really is your next stop. A different
perspective and very different gameplay make for what
could be one of the most refreshing driving games of
the year and there's no doubt that this engine will
be used for other titles. Heaps of options, a battery
save and a well thought out learning curve further the
reasons for a game you must consider for your GBA collection.
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