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SpyHunter PS2 PlayStation2 Playstation 2 PStwo

SpyHunter

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Review of SpyHunter

Any of you who remember the original 80’s coin-op will no doubt be wondering how the heck they could transform a very simplistic 2D race-n-shoot game that was viewed from above, into something entertaining for modern audiences..?

The developers seem to have been heavily influenced by the most popular 3D arcade racing series on the PSone – ‘Need For Speed’, both in terms of how it looks and drives; although your opponent is the clock rather than other cars.

In order to stay faithful to the original, the tracks are evenly split into road and water based courses, forcing you to drive boats too. Added to this are helicopters that drop bombs from above, vehicles that can be rammed off the road, enemies that will fire at you from all angles and that old favourite; mobile weapons truck used to replenish health and ammo.

To make this more than just a racing game there are several mission objectives to complete within a time limit. These vary from simply destroying targets, to avoiding civilian casualties, defusing bombs and attaching trackers to vehicles. Some of the items are located in secret areas that need to be found, or in very tricky locations that need a little thought and some skilful driving if they are to be reached. Completing these tasks is rewarded with essential power-ups for your vehicle and if quick enough, additional features (cheats, videos etc) are unlocked too. Each objective completed earns you a bonus credit, which unlocks subsequent levels. This adds massive replay value to each course in the game as it allows you to either just do the minimum amount to move onto the next area, or re-play it over and over until you get all the available extras. On top of this are the three different 2 player split-screen modes that will keep you and a friend amused for a while.

Considering how fast everything moves, how many enemies can be chasing or shooting at you and that pretty much everything can be blown up in spectacular fashion, it has to be said that the graphics are far better than you would expect. I found myself slowing down to take in the view on many occasions and the water effect used in the rivers is the very realistic.

Level design is nice and varied too… freeways, dusty country roads, towns, villages, canals, lakes, sewerage systems, train stations and more. The emphasis on each course is very different too, a few reminded me of those warehouse levels in ‘Driver 2’ where you are racing from building to building looking for an exit, others require very skilful driving or careful aim and a few are just about speed.

With the exception of the reversing (which seems to have a mind of its own), control of your vehicles has been simplified enough to allow you to concentrate on the action rather than worrying about how tight the next corner will be, or what gear it should be taken in. It’s a great pleasure after playing GT3 to switch your brain off for a while and just have some fun behind the wheel.

On the roads you start with a drop-dead gorgeous sports car that auto-transforms into a nimble motorbike should it get too damaged and as you hit the water it becomes a speedboat or jet-ski. Each of these handles VERY differently and offers a nice challenge and switch of pace.

Sound-wise, this is a game that should be played at high volume and preferably through a good sound system. The main tune is called the “Theme from Peter Gunn” and is instantly recognisable thanks to the number of movies its been used in (Blues Brothers, Dragnet, Lethal Weapon) and times its been in the top40 (Dwayne Eddy, The Art of Noise and now Saliva). Its got one of those riffs that gets inside your head and wont let go.

OUR PLEDGE: We promise that we have fully played 'SpyHunter' before writing this review. The scores given above are our honest opinion and were not influenced in any way by the manufacturer or distributor of the game.

This review was written by Stevie Vincent © Absolute PlayStation

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Have You Played SpyHunter ?

If you have owned 'SpyHunter' long enough to have formed a solid opinion on it, then click here to write your own mini review of SpyHunter.

Alternatively, if you would like to read what other gamers who already own SpyHunter think of it, click here to view all of our reader comments and mini reviews of SpyHunter.


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SpyHunter

SPYHUNTER

84/100

Review Summary:

"The second the intro movie started to play and the theme tune blasted out from the speakers something inside started telling me over and over that I was going to love Spyhunter. It was if I had been hypnotised and then regressed back to being eight years old, when thoughts of being a super-spy who owned a super-car were a daily occurrence. Maybe it was due to the fact that I remember spending a fortune on the original arcade machine, or maybe its just that like most men, I would swap places with James Bond in an instant.

Alternatively it could just be that after playing hundreds of games it gets easier to spot when companies think they have a AAA title on their hands and subsequently spend the extra cash needed to make a game look like a must-have product. The DVD s packed with extras like remixes of the theme tune, MTV style music videos and even a ‘Making of Spyhunter’ documentary. The intro movie is one of the best so far on the PS2 in both quality of visuals and the way it has been directed. Even the in-game mini movies at the end of levels are stunning.

Fans of the Need For Speed series who have been waiting patiently for something like it to appear on the PS2 should give this game serious consideration as it features a similar arcade-like driving style, but with far more action thanks to the addition of weapons and mission based levels.

Well done guys, I’m already looking forward to Spyhunter 2."

Score Breakdown:

Graphics  16/20
Playability  45/50
Sound  8/10
Lastability  15/20

Our Recommendation:

This is a fantastic game that we think you will enjoy playing for quite some time.

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SpyHunter

SPYHUNTER

SpyHunter was created by Paradigm and is a Car Craft Racing Shooter game.

SPYHUNTER FEATURES:

G-6155 Interceptor - 845 horsepower, turbo; vehicle counters terrain and enemy pursuit with dynamic morphing abilities - shifting from a car to a speed-boat, jet ski and motorcycle

Spectacular Weapons - An arsenal of offensive and defensive weapons equipped and upgraded at each level

Progressive,dynamic enemies - Attack through land, sea and air

Intense multiplayer - Challenge head-to-head through relentless action and demanding mission objectives

7 real world, exotic locations

SPYHUNTER OPTIONS:

• DVD Media
• Up to 2 Players (without Multi-tap2)
• 2 way split screen multi-player option
• Uses Dual Shock2 Pad Buttons
• Uses Dual Shock2 Pad Analog Sticks
• Uses Dual Shock2 Pad Vibration facility

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