2nd Op By

Gene Park 6.0 RATING

Chi's assessment that Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey remains a great movie despite its pacing problems is true. But I would argue that it is misguided to compare that groundbreaking, Zeitgeist-defining piece to Sony's confused science experiment The Getaway. There are certain fundamentals of filmmaking that 2001 ignores to serve its art-much like The Getaway does with game development. But without even considering the visual and aural achievements, the film still managed to say something about our humanity and its development. It came during a time of singularities in human history, events that can never be repeated even if the circumstances may be similar.

And then there's The Getaway, which is a videogame trying to be a film. If it were to be judged alone as a film, it wouldn't fair very well. The plot is fairly predictable and the characters aren't defined well enough. But because it's a videogame, the plot is bogged down by the videogame imperative of needing some kind of goal or objective. The developer's goal was to create an immersive experience that felt like playing a film, eschewing 'gamey' conventions like health bars and other indicators. They've created a game that is as uncompromising with its vision as with its violence and language.

I agree with Chi that the ambitions of the developers should be applauded. After ridiculous attempts at mature plotlines the industry has been vomiting out recently (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Max Payne, Dead To Rights), The Getaway is like a breath of fresh air. Cuss words and racial epithets were somewhat taboo before this game. Maybe they still are. But even though questioning the importance of gameplay in videogames is a different approach to critiquing a game, I see nothing revolutionary in the game's presentation. And because of the game's blatant neglecting of gameplay over production, the overall work suffers as a result.

To heal your character (Mark Hammond or Frank Carter), you'll need to lean against a wall while your wounds gradually close up. This is the best they could come up with when they got rid of the more logical and clichd health kits? It isn't even in the instruction manual, and the developers have said before that they didn't intend for the 'trick' to be a hidden Easter egg. They simply forgot to mention the method at all. This lack of foresight (or memory) on their part shows how much emphasis they wanted to place on the story, and how they tried to 'getaway' from building a solid engine. Instead we get an engine with so-so lock-on targeting, no camera control and cumbersome stealth elements. Although the driving engine handles realistically and surprisingly good, I found navigating the large London map by the light indicators to be confusing. How much more logical or realistic is it to have rear lights that tell you where to go? Wouldn't a map make more sense? And is it really more believable whether the character uses health kits or has wounds that heal like the T-1000?

At this point in time, it's difficult to see how much of an impact The Getaway will have on videogame narratives. But the game does nothing revolutionary with its unique position of being a videogame. The cutscenes are the only things of real note here. In my final analysis, I doubt The Getaway will really matter in the long run. If anything, its worth lies in its status as a failed experiment, a faded beacon for all aspiring 'mature' games to follow. Hopefully by then, the gameplay won't suck.

Public Opinion

Nick 8.0 Rating

Six out of ten is a bit harsh for this game. I do not think it is a failed experiment. If one looks past the superficial problems of the game like camera control, vehicle indicators and leaning on walls for health rather than health packs, you can see a raw and uncompromisingly real game. It may be predictable, which is my biggest problem with it, but the characters are not glamorized and neither is their situation. This is quite unlike games like Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne. Although, these games are quite good in other respects, their gung-ho attitude leaves the game in the world of fantasy. One cannot throw himself in the middle of a room of gangsters trying to kill him and expect to survive.

The Getaway makes you feel like you are really hurting someone when you shoot them. Your character looks, moves and talks like a dying man when he is on the brink of death. The plot is not overbearing but straightforward. You are a gangster trying to find your son and a cop trying to bust up the gangs amidst the petty corruption of fellow cops. Try playing the game without leaning on walls for health. I did it and it makes for one bloody good challenge. The direction the game wished to lead gaming is clear. Its significance should not be underestimated. Inspiration is a powerful force. This game should not be viewed as a failure but rather an attempted revolution.

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