The game market has truly matured. No longer are video games just "kids' stuff", but rather an interactive entertainment that can be enjoyed by all ages, with games that are even geared toward adults. Grand Theft Auto helped lead the way into this era, with its introduction on the PlayStation not so long ago. But another series that people may have forgotten is Driver, a game that was introduced on Sony's 32-bit console and shook the world with its terrific presentation. The game put you in the shoes of an undercover cop tooling around towns on driving missions, evading the police and chasing suspects while trying to solve the case. It made for some tremendous replay value, including being able to edit your own driving sequences movie-style to present to your friends and taking on bonus mini-games to improve your overall skills. Let's face it, it was one of the best PlayStation games out there.

But then something happened. That something was Driver 2. Released a couple of years later, the game came out under the promise of Reflections for more expanded gameplay. But the fact of the matter was, it was a formula that didn't need to be tinkered with and here Reflections was, throwing out the manual entirely and crafting something different. The result turned out to be unlikable and downright ugly. The driving stuff was still intact, but someone at Reflections opted for some on-foot action that got old. FAST. The fact that the gameplay seemed a little stunted and the graphics had somehow gotten worse didn't help either. Driver 2 sold moderately well, but was still considered a letdown compared to the first game. Reflections swore redemption would come with the next chapter, Driv3r (Driver 3).

Now, after years of delays and promises and so many setbacks, Reflections has finally released Driv3r, amidst a market changed by the release of Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City, as well as countless knock-offs like Mafia and the enjoyable True Crime: Streets of LA. Atari began a marketing blitz like no other, and then the game got some more unneeded press under some controversial "positive reviews" given by a magazine company that will remain nameless here.

Driv3r unfortunately doesn't live up to the hype. In fact, it has so many problems lying within its presentation that it drops below it and makes Driver 2 look average in comparison. The game has its moments of cool, but they're too mucked up into all the other aspects that have gone wrong.

The game once again puts you in the shoes of Tanner, an undercover detective working a big case against an auto theft ring that's going after some of the slickest vehicles around. This quest will take you through three different locations; Miami, Florida; Nice, France; and Istanbul, Turkey. In each location, Tanner's given a number of objectives to complete, and along the way, he'll get access to a number of rides, ranging from some sweet sports cars, to a motorcycle, to even a few big rigs like a monster 18-wheeler that can tear ass through the streets.

The game's driving sequences are pretty good. The physics remain the same as the original Driver, although there are some points that are frustrating. For instance, in some "follow the guy" sequences, you must remain a distance from the target and yet still keep him in sight. As simple as that sounds, surprise, it becomes rather strugglesome. The driving game benefits from just taking on particular missions of seek and destroy, as well as evading the police. Here, you can see the game's engine go to work, with some impressive damage techniques that show what kind of wreck you can turn your car into. Some of the replay stuff is also rather impressive, allowing you to do some edits to once again create a movie-like experience.

Then comes the rest of the game, which consists of going on-foot to take on the bad guys. Herein lies the rub that makes Driv3r so pitiful. The game has the worst on-foot controls I've ever seen, with clunky aiming devices, sluggish pace, and some truly awful interaction with objects, to the point that the game lacks collision detection almost completely. Also, it doesn't help that most of the enemies in the game are as dumb as bricks on foot, especially when you consider that they're so much better behind the wheel. It's almost like they left their brains in the car.

In addition, the game doesn't really contain that much of an innovative story. There's no genuine twists, no fun little sequences to keep you motivated, not even a shred of interest. It just plays out like a typical cop drama with no real wonderful dialogue or anything memorable. It's almost down to Dolph Lundgren quality, except for the fact that I actually did like Showdown in Little Tokyo's script better than this crap.

The graphics throughout show a little bit of flair, like in the vehicle damage and replays, but mostly they're disappointing. Some environments look good, but the game runs into glitches throughout, like some annoying pop-up, disappearing sprites, slowdown and more. The loading times are okay, but the details here are what are important, and, surprise, they're muddled at best. Some of the cars look great, but the general appeal just isn't there.

The sound department has some stuff going for it. Along with a somewhat catchy soundtrack (featuring a variety of likable tunes- you can use your own as well), the game also has some great star power to back up its crappy script. Michael Madsen, Mickey Rourke, Ving Rhames, and Michelle Rodriguez all do top-notch work, considering what's given to them. However, the sound effects are a letdown, as the screeches and engine roars sound generic, at best.

Driv3r does have something going for it in its mini-games, but there's not nearly enough for replay value. Some of the extra driving games can be a blast, and coasting through each of the cities can be fun, especially when you're just trying to get a look at the terrain. Past that, that's pretty much it. No versus games, no online features, you know the drill.

I have to admit, Driv3r isn't completely lacking. I like the voice acting, some of the soundtrack, the driving sequences, and a couple of the mini-games. But everything else, let's face it, adds to the letdown, and I really can't bring myself to experience Driv3r again, even for the cool stuff that I saw the first time around. The game is just such a genuine failure, and has lost focus on what the original Driver was all about. If only Reflections had maintained their focus on what made the series what it was to begin with, instead of trying to be another Getaway or Grand Theft Auto. But, alas, they fell to the copycat syndrome and now there may be no hope left for what was once a good-looking driving series. Bummer.