The Getaway [PS2]

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * * )

The Getaway is a twisted tale of murder and intrigue set among the avenues and alleyways of inner-city London.

The game opens with a gritty movie sequence that sees ex-gangster Mark Hammond's wife gunned down in the street during a botched kidnapping. It's all moody but the plot thickens.

With his significant other leaking blood on to the footpath and his child missing, Hammond is framed for her death. That forces him underground to (a) rescue the boy, (b) avenge the wife and (c) clear his name.

While driving, the car's indicators direct you through the twisty streets. Even during the chase, focused on catching the car in front, you get a sense of the size and scope of the environment.

Developers Team Soho have painstakingly recreated over 45sq km of central London, including more than a few indoor locations.

The action is almost non-stop, interrupted only by the somewhat frightening narrative that unfolds via detailed pre-rendered clips -- over 60 minutes of them.

Sony filmed these using actors and had artists draw over the top. The result is a spookily cinematic look, accurate character-movement and voice-acting that's good enough for a Bafta.

Nevertheless, The Getaway is no interactive movie. At the heart of the gameplay it's all chaotic action, street battles, stolen cars, crooked cops, crime bosses, prostitutes and other rough-cut gems to interact with.

The Getaway has three central characters: a crime boss, a cop and Hammond. Two are playable.

Once you've completed the game as Hammond, you can play as a vigilante cop offering a new perspective, not to mention great replay value.

Rockstar's GTA III and GTA Vice City make numerous references to American films like Scarface, GoodFellas and The Godfather trilogy. In contrast, The Getaway plays out very much like an interactive Guy Ritchie flick, possibly with more violence than Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and more colourful language than Snatch.

$119.95

R18

jon@tenthplanet.co.nz