The Getaway
Now, I admit I have some morally jaded standards, in which I mean acceptance of rather gross themes violence, crime etc but nothing prepared me for this.
The Getaway starts off with chatter between 2 hitmen and a getaway driver, discussing a rather shady woman standing outside a London flat. Already in a couple of seconds youve discovered the tone of the game just by hearing the conversation. In just a matter of seconds, a whole batch of cockney slang words have been used and this isnt even the game proper.
Fast forward through the rather muted colour tones (a world away from GTA), and youll find the first taste of the violence that embraces the game as a whole. The Getaway follows two characters, a cop and a bank robber trying to go straight but this demo is a 2-part level showing off both the on-foot section and driving section. After Mark Hammonds (the main character for the demo) wife is killed and child kidnapped by the aforementioned cockney gangsters, the anti-hero chases after them in an Alfa Romeo.
This is where I take control and am consequently left speechless. There is no on-screen furniture whatsoever (such as HUDs, health bars etc) which leaves me suspicious as to how the game will work. Thankfully, my fears vanish as the developers have left some great hints to complete the missions. Your cars indicator will blink to the needed direction, and hazard lights will activate telling you that you are at your destination.
Still, back to the game proper and as I nudge the accelerator I get another shock the sense of speed. It seems that the developers have been paying attention to realism more then anything else, the cars seem unbelievably slow but bite you in the ass when you try a corner and you find your car powersliding around a corner. And here we encounter the first slight problem the collision. Now Im not complaining about it as I think its been done well in all aspects but feeling. There just isnt any Ooomph when you crash your car. But still, itll be fine as you tear around 46 square kilometres of London in perfect detail.
After finally pinning down the assassins car to a warehouse by the London Docks, I get out the car and get myself really confused. For everybody out there whose cut their teeth on GTA, the control system on foot will come as quite a shock. Admittedly the erratic camera system will annoy a few and put many off buying the game. My advice is to learn it and try to work yourself around it or something as this shouldnt put you off playing it. The targeting system is not as good either but with practise can be extremely effective.
My personal tip when entering the warehouse is to be stealthy, hide by the entrance and take out the 2 guards walking out, then kill the guard to the left and then for the red barrels by the last thug before picking up the AK47. If you take any hits and bloody your suit, go near a wall and rest, the blood stains will soon disappear and youll be back in action. Yes, this may be intrusive and unrealistic but at least it gives you a fighting chance.
Finally you enter the parting stages of the demo and you find the whole warehouse is a booby trap. Demo ends and jaw drops.
All in all, not what it should have been, but still lives up to the hype. Get it.
