Smuggler's Run

Dodge Johnny Law as you rake in the cash! Rockstar's Smuggler's Run for the PS2 is a fun change from the typical driving games.

Smuggler's Run is a cool new take on the driving game genre. With a go-anywhere attitude and high-speed car chases, this title by Angel Studios and Rockstar is a great alternative for gamers who feel cramped driving around and around on tracks.

Contra Band
Smuggler's Run puts you in the driver's seat of an illicit border smuggling operation. You pick up all kinds of contraband and race to drop-off points to deliver the goods. Of course, the police, and even competing smugglers aren't going to let you just waltz right in. The cops are on a mission to stop you, and will ram your vehicle into submission by any means necessary. You can see your cars damage shown on an indicator bar, but you also get to witness body parts fly off the chassis. In a bit of science fiction fancy, vehicles in Smugglers Run are self-healing while you avoid contact, and you can turn an almost destroyed truck back to picture perfect given enough time.

You have a choice of two vehicles at the beginning of the game. The SUV is more durable, but slower and less agile on the bumps than the dune buggy. You have specific mission objectives that usually require picking up and delivering goods, but there are a few simple point-to-point races as well as some capture-the-flag-style action thrown in for variety.

Off Road
Vehicle controls are simple and well done. You'll be making agile tracks on the pavement and in the dirt very quickly. The physics are a little light, and you can launch a dune buggy a country mile if you drive off a high cliff, but it adds to the fun. On the other hand, don't try to run up a steep hill without good speed first, or you'll stop dead in your tracks. Overall, the physics find a solid balance between fantasy and reality, and the smooth controls make running contraband an addictive experience.

The power of the PS2 is put to good use with the frame rate staying high and draw-in kept to a minimum. You can literally see for miles when you get to the top of a hill. The terrain graphics are quite cool with smoothly rounded grass hills and steep jagged rocky slopes. The audio is decent with some silly radio chatter to give you directions on your mission updates, but the motor and vehicle crashes are more convincing. The soundtrack is better than the rest of the audio package and keeps things rocking along pretty well.

Run For The Border
Smuggler's Run's go-anywhere experience frees you up to get a bit creative with your driving, and the high speeds combined with rugged off-road courses make for a wild ride. Dodging Johnny Law was never this much fun!

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