Hands-onDriven

Bam stopped by and gave us a look at the GameCube version of Driven. The racing game--based on the Sylvester Stallone movie of the same name--is a port of the PlayStation 2 game released last year. The game features three modes to choose from: arcade, story, and a multiplayer mode for two-player split-screen racing. You'll be able to select from 12 drivers, and there will be eight tracks included in the game, ranging from Angel's Bay in California to Manley Park in England.

While Driven on the GC doesn't include any modes that weren't found in the PS2 version, Bam has attempted to address the control issues that plagued the previous version of the game by tweaking the car handling. We noticed that the cars did feel a bit more responsive in the GameCube version, but the control was still a little oversensitive.

Bam has also tried to improve on the graphics of the PlayStation 2 version of the game, specifically the graphical effect that signifies when your player is in "the zone." You'll trigger the zone effect when a meter in the lower-left corner of the screen fills up. This meter can be charged by skillfully racing through a track and not hitting a wall or other cars. In the PS2 version, the effect would seriously hamper your vision in the game by reducing your view to a small oval in the screen. In the GameCube version, the distortion effect around the oval isn't quite as extreme and allows you to see still see the track. The benefit of racing while in the zone is that your car handling will improve and allow you to perform better.

You can look for Driven on the GameCube at the end of this month.