DESCRIPTION

The New York City Police Department is desperate. All throughout the '70s, the Castaldi family has wrecked havoc in the Big Apple, as well as the rest of the country. In a move meant to infiltrate this corrupt organization, the chief has secretly entrusted you, a former stock car racer named Tanner, to go undercover as the getaway driver for the syndicate's criminal activities. You've handed in your badge and gun. Get ready to experience the underworld.

In Driver, you'll race through the streets of 1970s Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City, acting as the getaway car for the missions you've chosen off of your answering machine. Once on the road, listen to some funky '70s tunes as you weave your way through other cars, dodge pedestrians and evade the cops who want nothing more than to see you in jail. Throughout the course of each mission, you must also be careful not to damage your car to the extent that it will no longer function. At the same time, the cops watch your actions closely, keeping track of the number of laws you break!

Your mobility on the road is literally unrestricted. In other words, you can drive with the traffic just as easily as you can against it. And keep your eye on those working traffic lights! Getting T-boned by another car at an intersection can mean bad news to the status of your vehicle.

In order to be accepted as a driver, you must first prove your skills in an "interview" held within the confines of a parking garage. In this test, you have 60 seconds in which to perform nine maneuvers, ranging from the ease of simply applying your handbrake to the difficulty of executing a reverse-180.

For gamers wanting more than is offered by Driver's core plot, there are nine other mini-games to choose from. The same type of action is employed as your objectives usually involve evading cops, ramming other cars or flat-out racing your way through the four cities to see if you can eclipse the given time limit. At any time, you have the power to "tape" your performance from a variety of adjustable angles and later see how you did. (Just don't confuse the results for an episode of Starsky and Hutch.) ~ Christopher Michael Baker, All Game Guide