Stuntman

Out of all the games I have ever played, only a few stick out in my mind as the best. Perhaps the most original of the best is Stuntman.

You are (obviously) a stuntman. You do car stunts for movies and stunt shows; the bulk is the former. Much of the game has you being told by the director (the directors from each movie have incredibly similar voices.... never mind) to "go down the alley" or "hit the boxes" or "hit the jump." Now I realize in writing this sounds incredibly monotonous and perhaps boring, but when one takes into account the different cars, the different locations, the different stunts, it's all a lot of fun. This is like an incredibly fun action movie. You swerve through oncoming traffic, you complete (what looks like) a quarter mile jump, you participate in car chases (as both the chaser and the chased), you jump onto a moving train, you blow up your car... It is a video game with an incredibly simple explanation for the action that so many people crave today.

The game works this way. The stuntman is doing a movie. You do several different "courses," let's call them, per movie. A course generally consists of several minutes of jumps, car chases, 180's, and general tricky car maneuvering, often involving the environment around you (ice, snow, cliffs, buildings, cars, trucks, helicopters, even planes). You perform these courses with a variety of vehicles, including cars (exotic sports cars, and not so exotic sports cars--I think I remember a Lotus Espirit in there), trucks, tanks, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, and snowmobiles. You need around a 75 or 80% accuracy rating to move on to the next course. Like I said, about 5-8 courses per movie, and like 5 or 6 movies. In between movies you'll do a stunt show (somewhat similar to a "course").

Some of these movies are blatant ripoffs of real movies. Examples are Indiana Jones, James Bond movies, and (not actually a movie until 3 days from this review, but a television show, nonetheless) The Dukes of Hazzard. When I say blatant ripoff, I mean it in a good way. As in, if you liked any of the car-related- action in these movies, you will like the game.

Another interesting aspect is that you'll get to see the trailer for the movie once you complete it. The trailer shows a lot of the highlights from the stunts you did for that movie. A lot of fun. This is one of the most original, creative, and well- made games I've ever played.

I bought this game about 4 years ago and I was impressed with the originality and gameplay of the product.

You play as a driving stuntman and you must complete certain objectives whilst you rush to the finishing line. For something that sounds so simple, the gameplay was a real breath of fresh air when the game was released.

The first few 'levels' are simple enough but once you progress further into the game, the difficulty curve sky rockets. When you encounter this jump in difficulty, you will fail, time after time, after time. As strange as it seems though, you become determined to complete the challenge and become addicted. In order to progress, you need to slowly improve on each section of the course until you can put together the 'perfect run'. Due to the difficulty of the game, it is very satisfying when you complete a scene in one of the six films.

Overall, the game is excellent but infuriating. The gameplay is brilliant but the load times between takes are atrocious. I also have to admit, I couldn't quite complete the final few scenes because it is just too hard. However, if you spot this game, second hand it is a worthy purchase. I recommend it.

This game, is made for the most hardcore of players.

This game is much like a driving game, except with a twist, it has a preset path that it wants you to follow in any of the stunts that you may perform. Stunts may include such characteristics as switch-activated bombs to enhance scenery, or the director telling you which way to turn down alleys or in traffic.

Overall the game is very well thought out and has a good originality perspective, but the main problem is that it's too difficult. This i realize that it may be too hard to believe, but this game is just way too hard at later stages and the rewards for completing such difficult feats are not worth it, as they include slow vehicles or other goodies such as ramps which can be used in the stunt editor mode.

The game is incredibly fun up until you get to a movie called "Die twice for tomorrow', a bond flick rip-off (as are all the movies) that gives you cars such as the Lotus Esprit V8 TT (not credited, but is obviously the car) and BMW Z8 (once again, altered for legal purposes).

The game is definitely entertaining, and the use of level triggers along the path are a perfect excuse for the takes being the same over and over.

Overall - 4.5/5