Driver 2 Preview

The latest issue (March) of Electronic Gaming Monthly features a whole spread on Driver 2 and is loaded with details on the game. It's definitely worth a read, as it includes some good comments from the developers working on the title. However, for those of you who haven't been able to get your hands on the mag, we've assembled some details for you to check out.

First off, it's revealed that the game will be using an enhanced version of the original game's engine. "Much of the 3D engine is being used in an enhanced form, and the car physics engine, which took a very long time to write and tweak, is also carried over from the original," Reflections' Martin Edmonson told EGM. "In addition, the team size on Driver 2 is much larger." This will hopefully allow the sequel to offer more- realistic environments.

Other items to be improved in the sequel are the cutscenes. "We were very pushed for time with the cutscene renders in Driver 1, and we were not happy with the quality," said Edmonson. "The story cutscenes in Driver 2 are much improved - with better lighting animation and lip-syncing."

EGM has also discovered that the sequel is more than just a car-chase title. In Driver 2 you can take the hero, Tanner, out on missions that require him to travel on foot. "This mode really allows Tanner more freedom in the city," Edmonson explains. "At any time Tanner can jump out of his car and into another one. Since there are many more vehicles driving around in Driver 2 such as trucks and buses, it makes for some interesting chases!" The cities in which Driver 2 takes place are Chicago, Las Vegas, Rio, and Havana. "We wanted to have a couple of US cities again, and Chicago and Las Vegas are two charismatic cities left out of Driver 1," said Edmonson.

Driver 2 will have around 40 missions, but this time around they'll have a better flow to them. "Driver 2 has a similar number of missions, but they are sequential and much more tied to the game story," explained Edmonson. Also, there will be other modes to be found in the game, such as a "racing" mode (you must race through gates placed around the cities). There are also first hints of a multiplayer game in Driver 2.

From what we've read so far, Driver 2 could end up being a dream for fans of the original. For even more details on the game, make sure to check out the full report in the March EGM.