The Getaway - E3 Preview

by Major Mike
May 22, 2002 00:00 AM PST

The Getaway is the latest in a string of gritty crime-themed action/adventure titles to feature a main character pitted against a giant mob-controlled organization.

Mobsters, Inc.
The Getaway is the latest in a string of gritty crime-themed action/adventure titles to feature a main character pitted against a giant mob-controlled organization. You�ll assume the role of Mark Hammond, a former mob man who reluctantly returns to a life of crime after his wife is murdered and his son is taken hostage by Mark�s old boss, Charlie. Mark will have then complete several near-suicidal missions in order to keep his son alive, including torching a restaurant, infiltrating a police station, and carefully chauffeuring a decapitated Chinese mob boss around the city (if you drive carelessly, your passenger�s head will fall off and Mark�s cover will be blown). If things get really tough, you�ll be able to grab other characters and use them as human shields. But Mark�s adventures will be only half of The Getaway�s full story; the game will feature a second playable character�Frank, a police officer. Once Mark�s scenario ends, you�ll play as Frank and witness events from his perspective.

The Long Bad Friday
The Getaway will blend two types of gameplay�third-person action and driving�and will take place in London. Although much of the emphasis will be on gunplay, the third-person action sequences will require stealthy movement; if you try to blow away everyone in sight, you won�t stand much of a chance of completing your missions, much less finishing the game. If you commit a crime in front of a police officer, he�ll chase you down; if there are several police officers on your tail, they�ll call in a SWAT team. When you aren�t running and gunning, you�ll be able to carjack over 200 licensed automobiles, and each ride will feature realistic physics and handling.

�How About a Little Chin Music?�
The other star of The Getaway will be its huge playing field. The city of London will be re-created as realistically as possible, right down to the placement of traffic lights and store names. One of the game�s bonus play modes will be a Tourist mode, where you�ll travel the London streets in search of the perfect photographs. The Getaway is due to hit store shelves before the end of the year.