Reply To: First impressions
I sneaked an early go on this as well, just to try and get the 3dfx version running. It runs ok for me on a Voodoo3, provided I run the DOS version from Win98 for some reason but I don’t have any cutscenes. I’m thinking I can live without them so I’m just going as is.
I finished this and the sequel back when they were new but haven’t been back since so don’t remember too many of the details. The first thing that struck me is that the manual has massive sections redded out (as per the attached image) and an insert page to replace them. The version I’ve got is the UK zombie version so I’m assuming this is to do with censorship. There was a massive fuss about the violence in the game when it came out. A new version got released with all the people turned into zombies and some of the cutscenes changed. This must have got coverage in magazines of the time it occurs to me – I’ll have a root around and see if I can find something. Patches were later released to put the blood back in. None of it makes any difference to the gameplay – it’s a lot of fuss over nothing as far as I’m concerned.
Either way, the game still plays really well. It’s very impressive for 1997. This came out a little before GTA1 yet it’s all full 3D instead of overhead. I love all the little details, like the stadium full of American football players you can mow down, or the humorous advertising billboards. The car physics feel spot on. The car even slides around more and cuts the grass up when driving in the stadium. I’m not that big on racing games myself but it doesn’t matter here when you get rewarded for just going off exploring provided you take out pedestrians while you are at it.
From what I can remember, the game carries on with more of the same the longer you play and doesn’t change things up all that much. It’s been a long time though and I don’t honestly remember anything of the levels other than getting to mow down cows at some point (possibly in the sequel?). It could get stale if so but will still be fun to dip in and out of I’m sure.
