Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: SpyHunter

Written by Adam Woolcott on June 13, 2001

First Impressions: It comes from the School that they call the Old..

If you've been following the gaming scene for a decade or more, chances are you've heard of an arcade game by the name of Spy Hunter. The overhead driving game featured not only a car racing theme, but also a weapon-oriented mission, complete with oil slicks, smokescreens, and of course, guns a blazing; wrapped up by the famous Peter Gunn theme that the game is most remembered by. In a way, it was the grandfather of the vehicular combat genre made famous in this era by Twisted Metal, Vigilante 8, et al. Complete with branching paths and alternate roads, it added a little bit of non-linearity to the arcade racing genre.

The game was a hit, and was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in the late 1980's, and currently is available to play for free over at Shockwave.com. A sequel, Spy Hunter 2 did not fare as well, and is pretty much forgotten. Its most redeeming feature is the semi-3D behind the car angle, but besides that, it was a dud.

Flash to 2001..Midway is at it again, trying to rekindle yet another arcade series of yesteryear, along with Gauntlet. Thanks to developers Paradigm, Spy Hunter is set for a reincarnation on the PlayStation 2, featuring everything that was great about the original 1983 arcade classic, as well as many additions to usher it in to the 21st century. What hopefully will result is a must-have PlayStation 2 title, as well as a title that does the original justice.

As with the original game, Spy Hunter features a lone hero car, named the Interceptor, racing against a horde of baddies, helped only by random semi trucks delivering weapons to your ride. Each level and assignment forces you to dodge the enemy and reach the end of the mission intact, by using whatever methods of combat available. On the surface, this somewhat sounds very shallow, but this incarnation promises a lot more to be had. Instead of just mindlessly racing through the levels destroying or losing the other cars in order to escape, you now have missions to accomplish in order to complete the game. There are over 60 objectives through the 14 various levels - seemingly creating enough depth to keep you playing for a while. However, you don't need to complete them all, unless you choose to. There's even a story to add in the depth Ц about a company named NOSTRA, which has the clichщ story somewhat similar to the Umbrella Corporation from Resident Evil (doing good on the surface, yet really evil on the inside). While it may not be anything special, at least there is somewhat of a backbone to give you motivation for your duties throughout.

As with the original game, your enemies are ruthless and will do about anything to run you off the road. That's where the semi trucks come in handy Ц they'll drop by occasionally to drop off smokescreens and oil slicks, to help you lose the nasties on your tail. Newer weapons like homing missiles add to the mix and create variety in destruction. However, you've still got to be wary, because the Interceptor can take damage, which will slowly deteriorate the car, making you easy prey for the opponent. Plus, the Interceptor isn't the only vehicle you can use; eventually (could be by unlocking or a regular feature) a motorcycle named the SEV will come into play. The branching paths and alternate roads return as well, giving you a chance to do things different ways at different times, adding a little bit more to the replay value.

Graphically, it sheds the overhead image of the original and thrusts Spy Hunter into the year 2001 with the standard 3D racing look, akin to Gran Turismo. The behind the car viewpoint adds a new dimension, and the great looking, detailed, varied environments seem to add a lot to the atmosphere. Since the game will take you from Florida to Europe to South America, those varied environments will come in handy to add a lot of different looks and feels to the game, keeping it from looking tired after a while. Paradigm and Midway promise Spy Hunter will be locked in at 60 FPS in time for it's release in September of this year. If Midway can pull that off, as well as keep the gameplay simple and as addictive as the original, more than likely they'll have yet another hit on their hands, that will please not only the gamers of this generation, it'll please the gamers of the school of old who played this game in the days of their youth.

And yes, the Peter Gunn theme will be included Ц it wouldn't be Spy Hunter without it.