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SpyHunter 2 Review - PS2

Midway's SpyHunter recieved no praise and has been - for many months - known as one of the cheapest PlayStation 2 games available. Right down there with the likes of Turok Evolution, SpyHunter's retail and second hand price varies between approximately ten and thirty dollars. In an attempt to revive their lost cause, Midway released SpyHunter 2. Once again, they failed.

Gameplay

SpyHunter 2, like its predecessor, is an arcade-style driving game, your objective being to destroy enemy vehicles and the like rather than actually race around tracks. There's just one vehicle available for use, though others are not needed as this vehicle, the G-8155 Interceptor, is throughout the game upgraded with new weapons and functions and right from the beginning features numerous functions and transformations. The ultimate spy car, it comes complete with boost thrusters, the ability to seamlessly transform into an offroad vehicle and a boat, and after its chassis is damaged beyond recognition it sheds it to reveal a small motorbike-like, driveable cockpit. Then, of course, come the weapons. The vehicle can house two at a time, one forward-firing and one rear-firing. Before each mission you can select the two weapons for each of these slots, more becoming available - as I mentioned above - as you progress the the game. The forward-firing weapons involve things such as high caliber machine guns and heat-seeking rockets, while the rear-firing weapons are more subtle, usually involving the deploying of mines and the like in order to stop pursuers in their tracks.

Each of the game's missions is preceded by some background information and your objectives, each of which involves basic tasks such as the destroying of enemy vehicles, protecting friendly vehicles and meeting up with important contacts - everything a spy such as the infamous James Bond would have to do. Most of the game's missions are quite long, and the fact that the difficulty level is often high and that there are no mid-mission checkpoints means you'd better be prepared for some frustrating moments. In addition, little to none of the missions feature any exciting events or transitions - expect to drive along flat and bland roads throughout most of the game.

Midway obviously didn't spend long concentrating on how the G-8155 Interceptor handles. Even for a futuristic car it handles unrealistically, turning in too sensitive a fashion and feeling floaty at times, even on rough terrain. Fortunately, though, controlling its functions proves to be much easier, even while fending off hordes of enemy vehicles; a simple tap of the Triangle button sees the car transform into its offroad version, while simply approaching water triggers its boat transformation.

The enemy vehicles that you'll encounter throughout the game come in the form of futuristic motorbikes, jeeps, cars, vans and the like, each of which is, like your car, packed with weaponry. The motorbikes, for example, cut into your car with bullets while behind you, but in the event that they slip ahead they'll proceed (continued next page)