Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions Q&A

Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions turned heads when it was released earlier this year for the Xbox. The game offered a combination of arcade-style gameplay and flashy graphics that showed off some of the Xbox hardware's visual tricks. The blend turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for Xbox owners anxiously awaiting new games. Following Wreckless' success on the Xbox, Activision announced it would be bringing the game to the PlayStation 2. We checked in with UK developer Stealth Studios, which is handling the game's move from the Xbox to the PlayStation 2. We talked to Tom Heath, the producer and director of the game, about how Stealth is handling development and what gameplay extras are being added to make the game more than just a port.

The PS2 version of Wreckless won't just be a port--it'll have new graphics, new content, and new gameplay modes.

GameSpot: How long has the game been in development?

Tom Heath: Since January 1, 2002--just eight months.

GS: How big is the team at Stealth?

TH: Stealth is composed of 12 people.

GS: What have they worked on before?

TH: They've worked on The Weakest Link since the studio formed last year, and numerous diverse titles between us.

GS: Why did you decide to bring the game to the PlayStation 2?

TH:Wreckless for the Xbox was such a hit, why not expand the experience, and unleash it on the popular PS2 market?

GS:Is it going to be a straight port?

TH:Far from it. The plan was to take the excellent original as a seed for an even bigger and better hit for the PS2. To achieve the performance and additions we were aiming for, the game was written from scratch.

GS:Will you be addressing the issues consumers had with the Xbox game?

TH:A lot of time was spent combing through the feedback to do just that. Handling was altered to be more responsive, and any downsides to original missions were eliminated. In addition, we added things like free roam modes, new music, the ability to hit pedestrians, better cars to start with, increased longevity, 60fps framerate, and more.

GS: Is anything being cut from what was seen in the Xbox game (in terms of content)?

TH:I believe we took out one vehicle, and replaced it with 17 others.

GS: What else is being added?

The crazy physics from the original Wreckless is back in this PS2 version.

TH: We're adding 20 new missions, on top of the original 20. Within these will be all new gameplay, and new combinations of the original's gameplay. There will also be 16 more vehicles, which will allow you to drive all the cars that you see on the city streets: buses, trucks, police vans, taxis, etc. You can also expect to see seven modes of two-player, each with four scenarios to play in.

Wreckless for the PlayStation 2 will also have minor tweaks like the ability to fire rockets. You can also hit pedestrians now! You can slow down time to fine tune your driving through thick traffic. A sub-mission is being added for each mission, allowing huge replay as you seek to attain bronze, silver, and gold ratings on each level. These sub-missions often contain a requirement to destroy hundreds of objects or smash dozens of innocent traffic cars. There will also be 20 game-enhancing cheats to allow fun replay of all the missions.