Driver: San Francisco

 PC
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. PC Games (Russia)
    Sep 19, 2011
    90
    A true salvation for a nearly-dead franchise. [October 2011, p.68]
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  2. SpazioGames
    Oct 18, 2011
    85
    Despite the very unusual screenplay, Driver: San Francisco offers a lot of fun. It suprises the player until the last mission, and the "shift" system works very well. With this chapter, Driver won't be anymore perceived as a GTA-clone.
  3. 3DJuegos
    Oct 7, 2011
    85
    The car's handling is great, San Francisco is nearly perfect and the progression system and on-line modes are great. There is so much to do in the new Driver.
  5. Absolute Games
    Nov 7, 2011
    84
    The best racing blockbuster on PC since Burnout Paradise.
  6. GameStar
    Sep 27, 2011
    82
    Driver: San Francisco is such a fast and diverse game that it's very easy to forgive the mediocre predecessor. Only the slightly esoteric story needs some time to get used to.
  7. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 15, 2011
    80
    We were worried that the new Driver would be just "good one" but expectations were exceeded by far. Great story, driving physics and a top soundtrack made new Driver a game to remember. [Nov 2011]
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  8. PC Gamer
    Nov 9, 2011
    80
    Hardly the drive of your life, but easily one of the most memorable--and a great one-time gimmick done well. [Holiday 2011, p.78]
  9. Computer Games Online RO
    Oct 13, 2011
    80
    The Shift ability is the element that makes Driver: San Francisco an interesting game. No matter how stupid the idea behind it is, the possibility to use any car (not just those affordable to you) gives huge freedom. And mixed with varied missions and a good multiplayer, but with a crippled AI and some control issues, Driver manages to revive not only the cop, but also a series that almost no one believed to be viable anymore.
  10. VideoGamer
    Sep 27, 2011
    80
    Thanks to the benefit of PC gaming resolutions and superior anti-aliasing Driver San Francisco looks best on PC.
  11. IGN
    Aug 26, 2011
    80
    It looks great, it's got a lot of personality, it tells an entertaining story and it's great fun to play. A few frustrating difficulty spikes and the story's rather premature ending are the only negatives.
  12. PC PowerPlay
    Dec 4, 2011
    60
    Family-friendly smash-ups and a goofy concept. There's something refreshing in this game's profanity-free self-confidence. [Christmas 2011, p.64]
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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PC Game of 2011
57
#57 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
48
#48 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 461 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 273 out of 461
  2. Mixed: 131 out of 461
  3. Negative: 57 out of 461
  1. JohnR
    Oct 8, 2011
    10
    Excellent production values and an enormous fun factor. The city, music, cars and story create a 'Starsky and Hutch' style. Humor in variousExcellent production values and an enormous fun factor. The city, music, cars and story create a 'Starsky and Hutch' style. Humor in various dialogues is genuinely funny. Driving/shifting mechanics are perfect. The handling, feel, response, and sound of each vehicle feels very right. This is a brilliant driving game!… Full Review »
  2. joe2
    Sep 28, 2011
    0
    two big problems:
    1) keyboard driving is TERRIBLE. the smallest touch to turn left or right swings you 45 degrees. it's very hard to just go    two big problems:
    1) keyboard driving is TERRIBLE. the smallest touch to turn left or right swings you 45 degrees. it's very hard to just go straight after a turn. there is no way to make small corrections. this is likely due to it being a bad console port
    2) zero parity with real san francisco. i live in SF and wanted to drive around the city but other than a few gimmicky landmarks (transamerica pyramid, golden gate bridge) the map has NOTHING to do with SF. it might as well be anywhere. no market street, no embarcadero, no golden gate park. it sucks.

    lots of small problems:
    - limited resolution options - i can't play at native 2560x1600
    - lots of small graphics bugs like stuff clipping in and out, even in cutscenes
    - single player mission triggers are screwed up. E.g. i followed enemy into an alley and he disappeared, then my partner said to go into the alley i was already in.

    it just seems like they rushed a console-to-PC port and didn't bother with QA. wish i could get my money back :(

    i would say if you aren't using the keyboard (you have a steering wheel or analog controller) and you don't care at all about the setting being completely fictional (not in San Francisco), and you don't care about small bugs then you might like the game. but i think most people will find it nearly unplayable.    … Full Review »
  3. quood
    Jun 20, 2012
    4
    The absence of gamepad support for Mac owners is a critical flaw. Why TF am I driving around trying to negotiate space (handbrake) c (turbo) zThe absence of gamepad support for Mac owners is a critical flaw. Why TF am I driving around trying to negotiate space (handbrake) c (turbo) z (rapid shift) and alt (ram charge) with my left hand, whilst my darned 360 controller is sitting in front of my keyboard doing the square root of naff all? I ploughed through Assassin's Creed Brotherhood using keyboard only. And, tbh, it kinda worked. But driving games without gamepad support? It's a total mess, and borderline unforgivable.… Full Review »
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