This game is not in the same league as GTA and it tries too hard to copy the series
There is 80 different vehicles available in this game including cars, trucks, vans, busses, limos, motorcycles and even tractors. All of the vehicles handle exceptionally well. They are incredibly responsive and once you get the hang of powersliding you'll be able to race through the streets and turn corners at top speed. Outrunning the cops, as in previous Driver games is not difficult. Just outdistance them and take a few corners and they'll forget all about you. Since the game is free-roaming you can even take some shortcuts through the parks. For some reason the cops get confounded on grass. The police just don't seem to like to break the law, even when engaged in a full-out pursuit of a murderous thug like yourself that is obviously a threat to the public's safety.
There are lots of pedestrians on the streets but it's really the traffic that you have to look out for. Pedestrians will slow you down for a second as you either run them over or send them flying through the air. It's overkill to be sure and detracts from any kind of realism established by the excellent cinematic cutscenes. Fortunately the vehicles are responsive enough to dodge both pedestrians and traffic at high speeds. The motorcycle is the fastest of the vehicles and it can be really thrilling to drive through the streets of New York. There is a huge map of the city and while its size is very impressive the buildings are repetitive and the textures are very rough looking.
Stealing cars, getting in and out of them, targeting and shooting are all very simple commands and usually require the use of only one button. There is an in-game training mode that is disguised as part of the story. It will put you in the middle of a police chase and teach you the ropes as you go. With your weapon drawn you can lock-on to targets and strafe at the same time to avoid being hit. You can also freestyle it by taking the targeting system off. By leaning out of the window of your moving vehicle you can now shoot when you drive. This is a great feature and adds some dimension to the gameplay. Since missions are divided into driving and on-foot activities, there are separate wanted meters that will determine the level of your criminal activity in either area. One meter will determine the level of crimes committed with your vehicle while the other meter is for crimes that the cops actually see you commit. If you see that the coast is clear you can practically do anything that you want and get away with it. What the cops don't see won't hurt them - or you. But if they see you they will be on your ass - and this includes speeding. If you can't outrun them, you can always try to switch vehicles or run away on foot. As long as you do it out of sight this will typically throw them off.