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[Black Deatha]

Was I so completaly wrong in assuming that when I bought Driver 3 that I would be able to at least on occasion be able to derive ENJOYMENT from the game?

I don't know how many of the rest of you are playing this game considering how dissapointing it is. But I mean, this is pathetic. Mission after mission is just completaly made up of nothing more than trial and error gameplay. Now I usualy don't mind with games like Splinter Cell and such. But this is just redicoulas. I HATE these damn missions where you need to chase some prick or another in the game. I have never played a game that's so unforgiving and at the same time so blaintently buggy that it hurts gameplay so much.

On evry single one of those chas missions I have had to restart them at least 35 times each. Only to have the game screw me one way or another, like oh, he's just a block and a ½ ahead, but FAIL!! Or what happend to me several timer erlier. I was after this one guy who flees to his base or something. Well about 5 times I was after him but was on a street parallel to him, and I would get to the corner to turn towards him and get closer to him. Than he would drive in his base or whatever and I would attempt to follow him only to be greeted by failur once again. I fianaly realized it seemed the only way NOT to fail was to follow his exact path.

Now I am on this other mission where I am chasing Caltia or whatever her name is. And holy hell, this is deffinatly the most mind boggelingly frusturating mission yet. I would immagine the next time I try again it will be attempt #70 or more.

Well anyway I suspose I am just venting. So anyone else who is going though crap with this game, share your stories here.

~Black Deatha

 

[8bit]

I don't have any comment to make, other than to share the stupid picture.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I've played a little bit of it. I think one of the big problems of the game (whether rightfully or wrongly) is that people were expecting GTA. When it's basically just Driver. It's completely mission based, also very trial and error based like the previous ones. It feels very restrictive compared to other free roam games since the entire point is just to do missions. Reflections did kind of lead on that would could expect some sort of GTA style game but it's really not that at all. It's more or less just a pretty version of the Driver. After playing it, I can actually see it doing good depending on how much people still like Drivers formula. It's not really "that" terrible.

 

[Sho Nuff]

 

[Black Deatha]

I've played a little bit of it. I think one of the big problems of the game (whether rightfully or wrongly) is that people were expecting GTA. When it's basically just Driver. It's completely mission based, also very trial and error based like the previous ones. It feels very restrictive compared to other free roam games since the entire point is just to do missions. Reflections did kind of lead on that would could expect some sort of GTA style game but it's really not that at all. It's more or less just a pretty version of the Driver. After playing it, I can actually see it doing good depending on how much people still like Drivers formula. It's not really "that" terrible.

I agree, it really isnt THAT terrible, I may have over reacted there a little, I have enjoyed it a bit, but totaly pises me off is how unforgiving that chasing segments are, well actualy most of the game is unforgiving, but ESPECALY in chases. I hate having to re-do the same damn part evry 30 seconds because I loose someone even though there in plain sight. I am ready to put another fist through the wall (my rarely used forum of anger managment), and this is coming form someone who beat Ninja Gaiden without punching the wall!!

~Black Deatha

 

[SolidSnakex]

Yah it's very unforgiving. It reminds me alot of Stuntman actually. Having to constantly do missions over and over. Alot of people couldn't stand having to do that and just gave up on the game. But its something that we're all just going to have to accept with Reflections games. They're very trial based, and made so you're going to have to do a mission several times before you even really get an idea of what they want you to do.

The driving physics though...If Reflections knows one thing it's how to put together some awesome driving physics. Although the bike...Bleh!

 

[Shogmaster]

Hilarious!

 

[Black Deatha]

Yeah the driving physics are good. Reminds me a bit of how when i first played GTA3 and loved using the handbreak to do slides, but the slides in this go on longer.

What I dont get is why so many of these games that are GTA clones seem to fail so misserably. Like the shit otherwise known as True Crime. ANd now driver, not nearly as bad as TC, but It lacks in so many catagorty. Like I was suprised when riding a bike who the wind had no effect on the cherecters shirt. So many places they completaly dropped the ball.

~Black Deatha

 

[Yusaku]

I've played a little bit of it. I think one of the big problems of the game (whether rightfully or wrongly) is that people were expecting GTA. When it's basically just Driver.

Then why do you spend half of your time ON FOOT? If the developers had actually just focused on making a "just Driver" game, it might've been decent.

 

[dark10x]

Heh, sounds like Stuntman is better. Of course, that was trial and error as well...but I thought it was quite a bit of fun to figure out those scenarios (despite the awful load times).

 

[Jumpman]

So if I loved both Driver and the critically panned Driver 2, would I also love this game?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Why did they rush this game out?

Is it coming to the PC? If so, maybe they can actually finish developing the game for at least one platform.

 

[pilonv1]

So if I loved both Driver and the critically panned Driver 2, would I also love this game?

Yes.

 

[Jumpman]

Yes.

Can I gather from your response that you also liked the first two Drivers and that you also like Driver 3?

Or are you telling that since I liked the two previous steaming piles, I must then be interested in a third?

From most indications Driver 3 is a broken, worthless game. However, some people said that about Driver 2 and I still enjoyed it.

 

[Lucky Forward]

I've spent the last two evenings mostly fooling around with Take A Ride and the driving games. I've played a couple of the missions and haven't been too frustratred yet. I'd agree that anyone who has the perseverence to enjoy Stuntman would like this.

I failed the first chase mission a few times, but once I got the feel for it I really had a blast power-sliding around corners and really didn't have any trouble keeping up with my target.

I know there are a lot of things wrong with this game, but I have to give kudos to the Thrill-Cam. Sometimes something as simple as sliding around a corner can look super-cool in in the Thrill-Cam's slo-mo blur effect. And the accidents and destruction are great. It was brilliant to have the pressure sensitive buttons slow down the slow-mo to the amount you wanted. I also like how you retain control of your driving even as you watch from the Thrill-Cam.

Has anyone played around with director mode much? Do you know if you can save a replay unedited, and then come back at a later time to play director with it?

 

[SolidSnakex]

Can I gather from your response that you also liked the first two Drivers and that you also like Driver 3?

Or are you telling that since I liked the two previous steaming piles, I must then be interested in a third?

From most indications Driver 3 is a broken, worthless game. However, some people said that about Driver 2 and I still enjoyed it.

It's very broken if you're thinking of it in the same frame as GTA. Because that's not the type of game it is. If you're thinking of it simply as a Driver game, you'll like it. Just don't expect anything more than that or else you'll probably be disappointed.

 

[dark10x]

Can I gather from your response that you also liked the first two Drivers and that you also like Driver 3?

Or are you telling that since I liked the two previous steaming piles, I must then be interested in a third?

From most indications Driver 3 is a broken, worthless game. However, some people said that about Driver 2 and I still enjoyed it.

I've played Driver 2 and Driv3r for about 10 minutes a piece (in store). I really disliked Driver 2 and felt that it was completely broken. The on-foot stuff was much worse in Driver 2 and the game was seriously damaged by the engine. Driv3r isn't great, but it seemed better than I thought. The in car stuff was fun and the on-foot didn't seem nearly as bad as I was expecting (though I didn't get to see too much of it).

I'm not expert on them, but it seems to me that Driv3r > Driver 2.

 

[Jumpman]

It's very broken if you're thinking of it in the same frame as GTA. Because that's not the type of game it is. If you're thinking of it simply as a Driver game, you'll like it. Just don't expect anything more than that or else you'll probably be disappointed.

That's good news. Maybe I'll pick it up when it inevitably hits the bargain bins. I really would hope that reviewers aren't trashing this game because they wanted it to be a copy of GTA. I liked Driver for what it was, and to be honest, GTA's on foot portions were pretty poorly done anyway. I love the GTA series, but it amazes me how it's many shortcomings are continually glazed over by the gaming media.

 

[Jumpman]

I've played Driver 2 and Driv3r for about 10 minutes a piece (in store). I really disliked Driver 2 and felt that it was completely broken. The on-foot stuff was much worse in Driver 2 and the game was seriously damaged by the engine. Driv3r isn't great, but it seemed better than I thought. The in car stuff was fun and the on-foot didn't seem nearly as bad as I was expecting (though I didn't get to see too much of it).

I'm not expert on them, but it seems to me that Driv3r > Driver 2.

Great, more positive feedback. You're right about Driver 2's on foot missions, they were atrocious. I was very thankfull there were not to many of them. Does anyone know just how much time is spent on foot in Driver 3? I hope not too much. If Reflections greatly increased the frequency of these non-driving missions, it might turn me off even buying this game at a reduced price.

 

[boutrosinit]

I can vouch for this as true as I know a few editors who have been witness to this. PSM2 (UK) is utterly shameful (they've given it 9/10 and game of the year). Thjere should be laws against this.

http://spong.com/en/html/forum/viewThread.jsp?message=2121

QUOTE:
I work for a UK magazine. What seemed like a few errant public relations agreements is turning into a wider problem in the UK games media, with shocking score agreements being implemented before any reviewer has seen final code.

In the race to splash “Exclusive first review” on the front cover, editors are now agreeing to grant high scores to titles irrespective of quality, in what is perhaps the most distasteful abuse of reader trust imaginable.

The culprit right now is Atari with DRIV3R, with reports coming in today of demands for at least 9/10 score in exchange for early review code. Although the build with magazines at the moment is described as being “…two or three weeks away from being final,” it has not lived up to expectations with certain press contacts. However, in order to obtain the code, a score of nine has been demanded by Atari’s PR team.

More in the link...

 

[DarienA]

Post it again, and again, and again!

 

[tedtropy]

This is why I don't take most video game magazines seriously anymore. They're all fighting to get exclusives and firsts, who cares of it compromises their integrity? You're better off just coming here and listening to the voices of actual gamers who put their $50 on the line and will give an honest, unbribed opinion.

 

[Keio]

Things like this are a bigger problem for the whole industry than people like to admit.

What happens when a casual gamer reads the review and heads to the shop?

1) He/she buys the game.
2) He/she plays it: crashes into invisible walls, gets frustrated over and over by bad design...
3) He/she ends up thinking: 90/100! Is this what a great videogame is like?
4) He/she doesn't buy a new game and tells his/her mates that games are for spastics.

With the marketing Driver 3 (I REFUSE to use the horrible "official" name) is getting it will be a multimillion seller anyway.

What rights do consumers have when they are sold a broken product? How many returns should Atari expect.

This is a much worse case than Enter the Matrix, which was JUST an overhyped, painfully average game.

 

[Wario64]

http://ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=2451

 

[pilonv1]

Or are you telling that since I liked the two previous steaming piles, I must then be interested in a third?

Yes. I liked Driver, but hated Driver 2.

From most indications Driver 3 is a broken, worthless game. However, some people said that about Driver 2 and I still enjoyed it.

Hence me saying you will enjoy Driver 3.

 

[Dekajelly]

The next OPM UK (with Driv3r review) does not come out until the 15th July, so how do you know its got a 9?

 

[Mr Mike]

The next OPM UK (with Driv3r review) does not come out until the 15th July, so how do you know its got a 9?

What he said. In fact, on the playstation.com boards, the staff have hinted that it will in fact get something lower.

 

[Jumpman]

Yes. I liked Driver, but hated Driver 2.




Hence me saying you will enjoy Driver 3.

Thank for the input. What do you think of Driver 3?

 

[pilonv1]

Utter garbage.

 

[scarybore]

To be honest this is nothing new as its been going on for decades, and its not just limited to Europe.

As mentioned in another thread, Edge had to buy their own copy of GTA 3 because rockstar wouldn't let them have review code unless it got a 9+ score. I also seem to remember a European Official PS2 magazine having the same problem with some game or other (may have been Vice City actually) and they told the story in the editors column in their magazine.

If I were to hazard a guess at a game review where I would have to say there was money involved it would be Timesplitters 2, especially since it got a unexplainable 9 in Edge. It was complete shit and I was even banned from the Edge forum for saying it was a repeat of their Turok 2 incident. Its the only of the very few times where I have hugely disagreed with a Edge score.

 

[boutrosinit]

The next OPM UK (with Driv3r review) does not come out until the 15th July, so how do you know its got a 9?

I saw an official PS2 mag in WHSMiths the other day. It has on the cover:

Driv3r! Game of the year! We get the first review!!!

Or something equally gay.

 

[lexbubble]

That's good news. Maybe I'll pick it up when it inevitably hits the bargain bins. I really would hope that reviewers aren't trashing this game because they wanted it to be a copy of GTA. I liked Driver for what it was, and to be honest, GTA's on foot portions were pretty poorly done anyway. I love the GTA series, but it amazes me how it's many shortcomings are continually glazed over by the gaming media.

Sadly I have a feeling that may be the issue at hand...its seems that all the major complaints about this game are that it sucks compared to GTA...well so what...its not supposed to be GTA...it shouldn't have the same paremeters for judgement either. sure there is on foot parts and more than there have been in the past driver games but that doesn't take away from the fact that its a driving game and you are supposed to chase people in your car. as many people have pointed out - they nailed the driving physics - which is good. thats what they were supposed to do. sure maybe they shoulda steered clear of the foot parts, but they were giving people something a little different- but it doesnt take away from the main objective of the game.

additionally...per the hardness of the missions..wouldn't you be really pissed if it was super easy to do and you just flew through them and they weren't challenging. People would be b**tching about what a rip off this "easy a$$" game was

 

[pilonv1]

The Australian PS2 mag had an "exclusive" review of Midnight Club 2 back in Feburary of 03 giving it 9/10, a good three to four months before the game hit the shelves (factoring in lead times).

 

[pilonv1]

The on foot sections suck compared to any game. It's got nothing to do with GTA, its everything to do with being a shitty, buggy unfinished piece of ametuer code.

 

[Uncle Dukey]

I found that some of the missions get pretty frustrating too. I think the lamp posts and such play a large role in this, since it's very difficult to avoid both the traffic and the lamp posts. One crash and whoever you were chasing is usually gone. I rented this out of curiosity, and I don't think it's as bad as reviews have been making it out to be. It could have definately used more testing time, and had the on foot reworked or removed, but it is no Fugitive Hunter.

 

[Solid]

I'm glad I don't read magazines anymore

 

[Dekajelly]

I saw an official PS2 mag in WHSMiths the other day. It has on the cover:

Driv3r! Game of the year! We get the first review!!!

Or something equally gay.

Well that wasn't the official magazine because that only has GTA SA on the front.

 

[Mr Mike]

I saw an official PS2 mag in WHSMiths the other day. It has on the cover:

Driv3r! Game of the year! We get the first review!!!

Or something equally gay.

What a well observed post there. It's actually PSM2 that has the first review with the 90 per cent score. OPS2M was planning to have a review in the recent issue, but if you read it you'll see that they got the GTA exclusive instead - and there's a remark on the editorial page saying 'we spent x amount of time wondering just why Atari doesn't want us to review Driv3r' which in itself suggests they're suspicious. In fact, all their preview coverage has mentioned how ropey a lot of it is.

In this day an age, it's the single-format unofficial mags you can't trust. The official mags are swayed, yes, but they and the multiformats are much safer than the likes of Xbox World, etc. because they don't live or die on a month to month basis for certain releases - they can use insider access or the strength of their official licence (if they're OXM, etc.) to get stuff, or rely on another format (if you're a multiformat) to keep pages full.

 

[boutrosinit]

What a well observed post there. It's actually PSM2 that has the first review with the 90 per cent score. OPS2M was planning to have a review in the recent issue, but if you read it you'll see that they got the GTA exclusive instead - and there's a remark on the editorial page saying 'we spent x amount of time wondering just why Atari doesn't want us to review Driv3r' which in itself suggests they're suspicious. In fact, all their preview coverage has mentioned how ropey a lot of it is.

In this day an age, it's the single-format unofficial mags you can't trust. The official mags are swayed, yes, but they and the multiformats are much safer than the likes of Xbox World, etc. because they don't live or die on a month to month basis for certain releases - they can use insider access or the strength of their official licence (if they're OXM, etc.) to get stuff, or rely on another format (if you're a multiformat) to keep pages full.

Ah. My mistake. Thanks for clearing that up Mr Mike.

 

[Bluemercury]

Oh my this game is going to be wrecked in the next EDGE....

 

[Jumpman]

Utter garbage.

Damn it!!! I knew it was a bad sign when they cancelled the Gamecube version because, "it couldn't handle Driver 3." This didn't stop them from releasing it on the N-gage.

When they said that Gamecube couldn't handle Driver 3, what they meant was they can't handle making a quality game on PS2 and Xbox and therefore couldn't be bothered with a third version. I say they should of just focused on the PS2 version and made sure that it was great, because they obviously can't handle multiplatform development.

 

[Gregory]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=55870

"In the wider sense, Driv3r is not just a disappointing game for a team of the talent of Reflections to come up with, but is simply so botched that it's a class-A disaster for Atari. Some hardy folk seem determined to be blinkered to its many crushing flaws, but the rest of you should at the very least try before you buy - for an inflated cost of £44.99 in this country, too. No one should be under any illusions: Driv3r could be the biggest gaming let down of all time. For the good of us all, releasing a game of this importance in such a woefully unfinished state should never be allowed to happen again."

Rating: 3 out of 10

lol

 

[Dekajelly]

Eurogamer review

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=55870

 

[Keio]

The most entertaining (or actually the saddest) fact is that PSM2 completely slated Driver 3 in a preview a few months ago.

And the review and preview codes REALLY don't differ that much.

It's a pity that magazines give into publisher pressure. They are co-dependent, so its amazing that editors stoop this low in front of a lucrative exclusive deal.

Just as publishing Driver 3 in this state will haunt Atari for a long time (a lot of my friends have yet to forgive the Enter the Matrix fiasco) the 9/10 review will haunt Future Publishing (both PSM2 and Xbox World) for a long time.

Didn't OPM2 give Angel of Darkness a 9/10 a year ago? They probably wanted to be more careful with this summer's "blockbuster"...

 

[Jumpman]

Would it be fair to compare this game to Star Wars: Rebel Strike? Being good for the flying missions, yet terrible on foot? Are the driving missions great, and what you'd expect from the series? Or does the lack of polish kill this portion of the game too?

 

[Brannon]

Okay, so Driv3r is all about the driving and the on foot parts don't matter...

***-"Jon, come here."

Jon-"Yeah?"

***-"You need to do this Biology report over; it's full of grammatical mistakes."

Jon-"But grammar doesn't matter since I'm writing for Biology and not for English you silly goose."

***-"...?"

***-"...!"

***-"You're completely right, I see the error of my ways."

****************************************

In real life the teacher would stamp a C- on Jon's head or make him do it over. Whatever is put into a game needs to be at the very least, competent, no matter how 'insignificant' it is.

And what the hell, a game based on Hollywood-style action driving can't handle parallel street chases!?! THAT'S A DAMN STAPLE OF CAR CHASES!

I still love the Take a Ride mode how ever. The wonky physics bring me back to Driver 1 nostalgia.

 

[tedtropy]

Damn it!!! I knew it was a bad sign when they cancelled the Gamecube version because, "it couldn't handle Driver 3." This didn't stop them from releasing it on the N-gage.

When they said that Gamecube couldn't handle Driver 3, what they meant was they can't handle making a quality game on PS2 and Xbox and therefore couldn't be bothered with a third version. I say they should of just focused on the PS2 version and made sure that it was great, because they obviously can't handle multiplatform development.

It runs fine on the PS2, but the Gamecube "couldn't handle" it. Pardon me whilst I shit myself from sheer laughter...

 

[chespace]

never thought i'd live to see DRIV3R apologists. but hey, this is GAF, what the fuck was i thinking.

---

http://chespace.ogamo.com

 

[dark10x]

It runs fine on the PS2, but the Gamecube "couldn't handle" it. Pardon me whilst I shit myself from sheer laughter...

Perhaps THEY couldn't handle it? It is obvious that the dev team had a hard time with the creation of this game and perhaps they lacked the skill required to pull it off on a THIRD platform.

It is also possible that their technology was designed in such a way that it would have been too difficult to pull off on GC. Remember, they all have different limitations and one must take that into account. It COULD have been done, but they may have needed to take a different approach to development to pull it off.

 

[Keio]

There is also a massive (nearly 30 pages) thread on the Driver 3 review controversy on the Future Publishing website. Interesting - with a few editors and magazine contributors giving their opinions + the official publisher line.

The thread can be found here.