Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Crazy Taxi

Written by Adam Woolcott on June 05, 2001

Full Review: It seems as if Megadeth's УMoto PsychoФ was written just for this gameЕ

No matter where your allegiances lie, what console or game company you prefer, or even if you hate the companies with a passion, there is just something very obtuse about a Sega game on the PlayStation 2 (or anything besides a Sega console, for that matter). It's similar to the Bizarro World episode of Seinfeld Ц however, this bizarre situation is real. As odd as it is, the era of Sega as a 3rd party has begun. And the first wave of Sega games post-Dreamcast is the arcade and DC smash hit, Crazy Taxi.

The confusing thing is, Sega didn't even have a hand in the production of this game for PlayStation 2; they allowed Acclaim to convert, publish, and distribute CT (and a few others as well) for them. However, even though Acclaim did the translation, the game is still a Sega game, and one of Sega's best at that.

It's almost impossible to review this game for PS2 and not compare it to the DC version Ц doesn't mean you can't try. Let's say this Ц Acclaim did an excellent job of preserving everything the DC had, from graphics to speed, save for a couple of unfortunate flaws that brings the game a little below DC overall. However, as a stand-alone PlayStation 2 game, there are few games available for the console that can boast as much fun and excitement as Crazy Taxi can Ц and that's what's really important.

Crazy Taxi is a straight port Ц there are no added features, bonuses, characters, maps, or cars. The placements of the fares are in the same spots, and the game plays exactly like the arcade and Dreamcast editions. The only difference is the voice acting Ц which is rather repulsive, and makes me personally wish for the DC voices, which weren't exactly Oscar-worthy. Anyway, CT is point-blank the same game you played for your Dreamcast, if you played it for DC, that is (somehow, it doesn't seem possible to not compare the 2 versions. Bummer).

That said, Taxi features 3 real modes of play Ц arcade, original, and Crazy Box. Arcade mode is the original arcade map; original is the console-exclusive (can't say DC exclusive anymore, can we?), and Crazy Box is a series of minigames that will test your cabbie skills to the limit, because they are indeed tough. Admittedly, on the surface there doesn't seem like a lot of depth, and there really isn't, if you are the type that isn't into the high-score old-school way of playing games.

To tack a little more depth into the game, CT has 4 unique cabbies to play as Ц each cabbies vehicle drives differently than the other, or feels different. Gus's cab is maximized like a tank to take a lot of hits from other cars, while BD Joe's is built for speed and exaggerated cornering. Thus, the assorted cabs can be used and abused to find out which one is best suited for your style of drivingЕextending the life of the game somewhat.

If you've been living under a rock Ц the premise of Crazy Taxi is very basic Ц you go around picking people up, and taking them where they want to go. Sure, it sounds lame, but tack on no-holds-barred, traffic light disobeying, lane changing, accident causing, speedfest to that and things change. It's one of those sort of arcade games Ц do what you've gotta do, by any means necessary. The faster you get your fares to their destinations, the more money you get, and the more time you get to pick more people up, which stretches into more money, more time, etc, until you completely expire your time and the game ends. With shortcuts and alternate routes aplenty, your odds of playing the same game twice is almost impossible. The in-game maps are huge, there are tons of various destinations, and the pure speed and thrills is amazing.

Some of the destinations are even real Ц the Arcade map is an uncanny clone of San Francisco, littered with Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, Pizza Huts, Levis Stores, Fila shops, and Tower Records to name a few. Most of the stops are fantasy, but the inclusion of real places knocks the authenticity up a notch. The console-only map is a bit bigger and loads more challenging, with weird angles and confusing streets Ц but like any good arcade game, once you play it enough, you'll figure out where everything is and you'll be extremely satisfied with finally breaking through and get a grip of the course. And while you can go at it no-holds-barred, the emphasis is on doing as little damage as possible Ц running into cars & walls can and will slow you down and can be very costly. Drive fast & recklessly, but don't play bumper cars all the time. It's more fun to swerve from lane to lane avoiding the rest of the pack without hitting a single one.

And the feel of this game is almost surreal Ц Crazy Taxi captures the feel of the west coast perfectly, from the old-school retro cars, to the coolness of the characters, to the in a hurry, gotta get there now pace that the left coast personifies. It draws you into the atmosphere and really makes you feel as if you're part of the game. When a game can do that, it's pretty special.

However, this is not a game for nonstop gaming; the depth soon wears off and you'll be putting it away quickly once you start rolling in the dough. Sometimes. This is definitely a long-lasting game though, in moderation, even with a lack of true depth. The challenge of getting more money, and a better license afterwards (you're graded by a license, up to Crazy license, as low as F) is always there, which translates into a game you'll want to frequently, but not constantly, play. This will especially make gaming veterans from the day when high scores were all there was and games didn't have an ending, giving them a feeling of nostalgia. For the rest, it's still definitely a fun game. Mistaking it for repetitive is a shortsighted claim that can be shot down quickly Ц because it's more about the experience of blasting through traffic, Crazy Drifting to a ramp and landing right at the destination, and watching your wallet increase customer by customer. Simply, there is nothing like Crazy Taxi out there, besides Crazy Taxi 2.

And yes, this is a PURE arcade game Ц it's as far from a sim as you'll get. Thus, you can smash into cars, topple semis, and try to run over pedestrians Ц but no damage will be had. The focus is on the experience, not the realism value. Aside from the locations, there is NOTHING realistic about this game, unless you count the cabs having 4 wheels and automatic transmission as realistic.

It's all tied up in a pretty bow with solid controls Ц to a fault. Playing it in digital mode feels a bit looser and off-kilter than analog; but I prefer digital better for flying around corners, due to said looseness. That covers steering Ц braking and accelerating is a little different. By default it uses the top triggers for these actions, and it's definitely a better idea to stick with those. However, the buttons can cause some problems in using them. Sometimes, pressing on the gas yields nothing for a couple seconds and you just sit there waiting. And with the brakes, sometimes they don't kick in and you overshoot your target or run into a building, causing some headaches. It's rare, however and doesn't ruin the game.

I mentioned the experience - the experience can be ruined by bad graphics. And this game doesn't have that problem. No, it doesn't look any better (or worse) than the DC version. If you played that, you'll notice no difference at all, which is a good thing for a straight-up port. Really, both courses are good, and both have their graphical differences. The arcade track is well done, with only a little bit of pop-up that you somewhat barely notice when you're playing the game. On occasion you'll see a car come from nowhere and you'll ram into it, but that is rare. Even some of the slowdown that I saw in the DC version is cleared up Ц which is a really nice touch. The original map, however, is a little rough. The pop-up is a lot more evident, and there is a lot of slowdown. This is definitely a shame and does alter the experience somewhat, because the slowdown is very frustrating at times.

However, on the upside, the game is colorful and detailed, with ultra-smooth cars and realistic environments. It's cartoony of course, but it really adds to the atmosphere the game gives you. While it's far from the best-looking PS2 game, it's definitely competent and worthy. And the early glitches have been cleared up Ц most copies now are cleaned up and bug-free for the most part. At least my copy is.

The big bone to pick is the sound effects. Personally I despised the voices in the Dreamcast version of CTЕthis edition almost makes me want to beg for those back. Besides Axel, all the characters voices have changed, and none for the better. Gus's is especially putrid; I still can't decide whether or not he sounds like an old man tied to a tube because of chain smoking, or a bad copoff of a robot. It's just terrible. Others include a helium-induced valley girl screaming, an alien-like sounding male voice, and my favorite Ц the cross between Chris Rock, Al Sharpton, and Don King-sounding voice used for the black characters (except BD Joe). I literally had to pause the game before I died of laughter. Funny, in a sad sort of way. Hearing this Chris Rock wannabe scream that he wants to go to the bank is comical. The rest are okay, which leaves about 2 left. Gena is Gena, that's for sure (redhead..drool..).

The music is the same old stuff Ц Offspring and Bad Religion doing all the old tunes. I got tired of them quickly on the DC, so the story is the same here. They loop, and get repetitive quickly. They aren't bad song choices; it just needs a bit more variety, that's all. They do fit the mood of the game and add to the atmosphere.