Chase: Hollywood Stunt Driver

Written by Dan Clarke on 10/11/2002 for Xbox  

Chase: Hollywood Stunt Driver is the first game released that is part of the Xbox Incubator program. The game is developed by I-Imagine Interactive, which is the African continent’s first video game console development studio.

Let’s view the fact sheet for the details on the game:

Chase places players in the exciting world of Hollywood movie stunt car action. With four unique movie sets and a variety of vehicles unlike any other game, Chase promises heart-pounding action and spectacular movie-style special effects. Players will have to hit their marks as they attempt jumps, smash through props and race through the set in order to please the director before moving onto the next action packed stunt.

· 4 Diverse movie sets (Asian City, Post Apocalyptic, 1920’s Gangster and Spy Thriller Set)

· 16 movie scenes and 4 training missions

· Career, Challenge and Multiplayer (mini-game) modes

· Dynamic Camera Replay System with added effects for the best view of the action

· Up to 4 players can compete (via split screen) in the multi-player mini-games

· A variety of vehicles including 1920’s automobiles, high-tech sport cars, motorcycles, articulated semi-truck, a three wheeled Tuk-Tuk and post-apocalyptic dune buggies

· “Hit the mark” system guides players to action packed stunts

· Play as the young sexy stuntwoman Chase Corrado

· Earn reputation points to unlock new scenes, challenges and multiplayer modes

· Up to 4-player split-screen

When I first saw this stat sheet, the only thing I could think of was “God, please don’t let this be another Stuntman” as Stuntman promised something similar but was a major disappointment.

Thankfully I can report that Chase is no Stuntman and is one of the better games I’ve played for the console in terms of how it really feels like you’re in the stunt person environment.
The career mode is the place you’ll be for most of the time and in it you’ll have to do stunts in 4 different movies. Each movie has 4 different scenes, making up for a total of 16 levels you’ll need to complete. Each scene has different tasks you must accomplish and the more tasks you complete, the more reputation points you’ll earn.

Most objectives definitely seem to go with the movie, such as, ‘take out villain car” or “jump over obstacles”. You’ll be jumping, powersliding, shooting and pulling wheelies in this game – all the fun things that real stunt people do!

All of the objectives are continuously displayed during the game so you’ll always know what you’ll need to do to complete the level, which is very helpful. There is a directional arrow that shows you a general idea of your main objective – however I have found that you can get to places better using shortcuts.

In order to get to your objectives, you may have to master the barrel roll and/or use the nitro in your vehicle that auto-recharges for you during the level.

Graphics are very good and unlike the PS2 stuntman game, you can actually watch the ‘take’ in a replay from various camera angles like a real movie. Each time you have to ‘re-take’ the level, one of those director’s boards comes on screen showing the take number. Nothing more embarrassing than finally nailing a level on take 34!

Anything on screen can be run over and destroyed including fencing, hedges and cars. Sound is very good also, making you feel like you’re really in a movie. You can also create your own soundtrack with your own MP3 library on the Xbox, which is definitely a good thing.

In addition to the career mode, there’s the stunt school where you should definitely head to first to learn the basics of the game. There’s also a challenge mode and a multiplayer mode where again you start off with only one mode and have to unlock the other 2.

If there’s anything to complain about, it’s got to be that the wonderful world of unlocking stuff rears it’s ugly head. For the longest time, I was stuck in one movie, thinking I had completed everything—but found out I had to get one other trophy in order to unlock other modes. Finding this trophy took a while but I finally did it. I’m just not a big fan of the whole unlocking thing as you can tell.

In conclusion, the game is definitely difficult, but a lot of fun as you can really feel like you’re in the movies. Besides, isn’t being a stuntperson a very difficult job in the first place? If you like racing, shooting and strategy – this is your game