DRIV3R

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Atari
  • Release Date: Jun 21, 2004
  • Also On: PC
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 127 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 127
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 127
  3. Negative: 46 out of 127
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  1. ToddT.
    Dec 7, 2005
    10
    this game is awsome the only prob is it is very glitchy.
  2. ElchuyD
    Jun 25, 2004
    9
    Saying it simple; this game is good. I'm a fan of the series and this one is the best yet. Great car chases and more realistic than the previous. the only reason why i didn't give it a 10 was cause of the walking controls. but let me just say that they are way way better than true crime. other thant that this game is worth playing. The problem i see with people who gave it a low Saying it simple; this game is good. I'm a fan of the series and this one is the best yet. Great car chases and more realistic than the previous. the only reason why i didn't give it a 10 was cause of the walking controls. but let me just say that they are way way better than true crime. other thant that this game is worth playing. The problem i see with people who gave it a low or very low rating is that they want to compare it to gta. The gameplay on driver is different. Im also a fan of gta and i got my san andreas copy reserved already but in the mean while driver is going to keep me entertained. if you played driver 1&2 you'll like this one or if you just like good car chases you'll enyoit too.… Expand
  3. DafyddE.
    Aug 1, 2004
    10
    Best game ever. Funny secrets like taking the piss out of GTA Vice City.
  4. DennoCoil
    Jul 30, 2016
    3
    If you see ANYONE giving this game a 10 out of 10 or other high score, they're most likely paid shills. Just know that this game was a buggy broken mess upon release (it still is) and Atari was involved in a scandal. Driver 3 was very hyped up before being released and Atari actually paid for high review scores! It was obvious upon release that Driver 3 is a very buggy and broken GTA-3If you see ANYONE giving this game a 10 out of 10 or other high score, they're most likely paid shills. Just know that this game was a buggy broken mess upon release (it still is) and Atari was involved in a scandal. Driver 3 was very hyped up before being released and Atari actually paid for high review scores! It was obvious upon release that Driver 3 is a very buggy and broken GTA-3 clone that came out several years too early. There was no social media when this game was released so the controversy was buried. Atari even hired a PR group to (poorly) astroturf any negativity this game received on forums. (It would have started its own GamerGate-style fallout if social media was a thing in 2004.) Don't let this controversy be buried or let the positive scores fool you. Look up some Driver 3 footage and say to yourself how could this game get a remotely high score, even for a game from 2004?… Expand
  5. NT92
    Sep 3, 2011
    4
    Great driving. Good cutscenes. Good music. Everything else is dreadful. And it's very difficult.
  6. TheNewSpielberg
    Apr 29, 2011
    3
    This game is possibly the single glitchiest, buggiest, most boring and pointless GTA rip off ever released. It is so unbelievably mediocre that I actually took to switching the PS2 off after the first mission. The graphics look lame, the cutscenes look like rejected scenes from a Pixar movie and the voice acting is terrible. The one good reason to play this game though is the excellentThis game is possibly the single glitchiest, buggiest, most boring and pointless GTA rip off ever released. It is so unbelievably mediocre that I actually took to switching the PS2 off after the first mission. The graphics look lame, the cutscenes look like rejected scenes from a Pixar movie and the voice acting is terrible. The one good reason to play this game though is the excellent driving mechanics and car chases. There is a wide range of vehicles to drive including sedans, sports cars, convertibles, vans, trucks, police cars and even a go kart! But apart from that, its a terrible game. Seriously, just a waste of time and money.… Expand
  7. VroonJ.
    Apr 15, 2007
    4
    There are many things I would like to say about this game. First, when I began playing I realized that I handed over my hard earned two weeks of work in exchange for a box of chickens posing as turkeys. Have you ever heard a cat bark or a dog meow? Its how I feel about this HUGE GTA WANNABE! The game was put together so horribly that it's as if the makers really want you to think There are many things I would like to say about this game. First, when I began playing I realized that I handed over my hard earned two weeks of work in exchange for a box of chickens posing as turkeys. Have you ever heard a cat bark or a dog meow? Its how I feel about this HUGE GTA WANNABE! The game was put together so horribly that it's as if the makers really want you to think that they played a GTA title and then they said," Dude let's make a copy of this!" After my comments you might want to think why I rated it 4. The game does have its moments but the story most makes me speechless. I'm talking BORING! So anyhow, a nice feature is that you can record videos of you playing and play them back.… Expand
  8. Fab2cent
    Jan 27, 2014
    10
    The best game i have ever played, such big city's (for its time) and wonderful variation of cars. The soundtrack is amazing, the story is fantastic and just the overall feel of the game is entertaining. Despite a few bugs this game is perfect.
  9. Hypedriver
    Apr 15, 2015
    5
    I wanted to like this, I really did. Personally I feel that as a DRIVING game, Driv3r is actually quite solid; cars have a sense of weight to them, have tight turning circles and excellent damage models. In that regard Reflections have done well. The open world areas of Nice, Miami and Istanbul are quite decent too, enough road to drive around. The major problem is EVERYTHING ELSE! TheI wanted to like this, I really did. Personally I feel that as a DRIVING game, Driv3r is actually quite solid; cars have a sense of weight to them, have tight turning circles and excellent damage models. In that regard Reflections have done well. The open world areas of Nice, Miami and Istanbul are quite decent too, enough road to drive around. The major problem is EVERYTHING ELSE! The graphics are lackluster by PS2 standards, the gunplay is absolutely atrocious, the on foot gameplay is laughably bad and the soundtrack never really changes (in free roam anyway), a different track for each location always the same playing in the ambiance and in police chases. And I won't get started on the career!
    Overall, I wouldn't really recommend it as a whole, the only redeeming factors are the driving itself, and the roads you get to drive around in (and rivers, there's boats too!). At least it's cheap though, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it, that is if you REALLY want to...    … Expand
  10. MonkeyNutss
    Jul 4, 2018
    9
    I loved this game back when it came out. IDK why the reviews are so bad because it was released around the same time as Vice City and had graphics closer to San Andreas or even GTA IV. Not to mention the driving and damage physics are great, way better than Parallel Lines. Yeah, the on-foot mechanics are awkward, but that's not what the game is about.
  11. MarkT.
    Jun 29, 2004
    1
    I have to agree that this game stinks, it graphically only looks a little better than the Playstation original. The on foot sections are truly appalling with useless AI and dodgy aiming controls, to compare it to GTA 3 or Vice City is just ridiculous as it just isn't in the same league. You have to pay £5 more for this game in the UK and I'm sure it's just to pay I have to agree that this game stinks, it graphically only looks a little better than the Playstation original. The on foot sections are truly appalling with useless AI and dodgy aiming controls, to compare it to GTA 3 or Vice City is just ridiculous as it just isn't in the same league. You have to pay £5 more for this game in the UK and I'm sure it's just to pay Michael Madsen and Ving Rhames who did the voices. It certainlt isn't for good game play or graphics. Stay clear of this mess!… Expand
  12. ChrisW.
    Jul 1, 2004
    9
    People need to stop compairing this game to GTA. This game is better than GTA. If you remember Driver 2, you could do everything that you could do in GTA (subtract beating hookers and shootouts). So really, GTA copied Driver. Driver was better then, and it's better now. Graphics are amazing. Yes, some clunky controls, but then can be forgiven by the gameplay and graphics. great game, People need to stop compairing this game to GTA. This game is better than GTA. If you remember Driver 2, you could do everything that you could do in GTA (subtract beating hookers and shootouts). So really, GTA copied Driver. Driver was better then, and it's better now. Graphics are amazing. Yes, some clunky controls, but then can be forgiven by the gameplay and graphics. great game, a must own.… Expand
  13. T.Bone
    Aug 4, 2004
    5
    This game really left me wanting more in graphics, control and gameplay. I did however find the wide variety of cars to be somewhat fun. This game is a rent not buy, in my opinion. To game breaker: Someday you will understand that competition is needed to prevent a monopoly. If sony or microsoft controlled the whole market then they would have no reason to try and gain new customers, This game really left me wanting more in graphics, control and gameplay. I did however find the wide variety of cars to be somewhat fun. This game is a rent not buy, in my opinion. To game breaker: Someday you will understand that competition is needed to prevent a monopoly. If sony or microsoft controlled the whole market then they would have no reason to try and gain new customers, which would mean less groundbreaking innovations and just more of the same. You should appreciate sony as I do microsoft and nintendo because with their competition we recieve new and better games every year. I look foreward to Halo 2, San Andreas and the new Zelda. … Expand
  14. Craig
    Sep 5, 2004
    1
    This game is so disappointing, i played some missions and it was extremly boring, i thought i was playing playstation 1 going on the standard of the graphics. The way tanner runs is laughable and the whole game just feels jerky and unfinised. i do NOT recomend this song at all.
  15. DavidR.
    Sep 6, 2004
    2
    This game sucks u cant even run through a light post when ur driving. the graphics are good tho.
  16. LLCoolJ
    Jun 21, 2004
    10
    I got the game, put it in my ps2, made a profile by the time it got to the loading screen, my ps2 broke down. What bad luck!!.... no i got 2 wait 3 days until i can play it. i played the game for 5 secs thoug, itssss greatt.. u start in this room, very well decorated. Good grahpics too
  17. AverageGuy
    Jun 22, 2004
    0
    This was going to be a killer-game, or a publisher-killer.
    I think it could be the latter.
    After so many delays, and pumping so much money into this, Atari *had* to release it in order to try and recoup their losses.
    You can only polish a turd so much. This is an expensive turd - adios Atari.
  18. DragonKnightofFinalFantasy
    Jun 24, 2004
    8
    This is a good game not great but it is good like I just said, being on-foot is a little janky and slow and sometimes you either screw up because your car sometimes makes it look like it is driving on ice and spins all over the place or that the background music is so loud or you can't hear what the person is saying so you don't know you're directions but everything else is This is a good game not great but it is good like I just said, being on-foot is a little janky and slow and sometimes you either screw up because your car sometimes makes it look like it is driving on ice and spins all over the place or that the background music is so loud or you can't hear what the person is saying so you don't know you're directions but everything else is basically great gameplay, graphics and etc. well except the story I mean a cop goes undercover and kills countless numbers of innocent/evil men and cops just to find a ring of car thieves okay wierd.... I enjoyed I hope you do.… Expand
  19. Thuko
    Jun 28, 2004
    2
    It's NOT GOOD. It's NOT worth half the money. You can't be serious if you rate this a 10.. it sucks big time. It's a major dissapointment, an huge anticlimax after all the waiting. No brilliant detailed graphics at all (everything looks terribly pixelated), the controls are terrible and the camera's rigid. All the cars drive the same (they all have the same saggy It's NOT GOOD. It's NOT worth half the money. You can't be serious if you rate this a 10.. it sucks big time. It's a major dissapointment, an huge anticlimax after all the waiting. No brilliant detailed graphics at all (everything looks terribly pixelated), the controls are terrible and the camera's rigid. All the cars drive the same (they all have the same saggy suspension that's fine with american cars, but not in place with smaller european vehicles) so the driving bit feels terribly dated. In fact *everything* feels dated. It feels like Driver 1 and it looks like driver 1. I guess they never intended it to look good on PS2. It feels and looks like a very bad PC-port. They should have spent more of the huge advertising budget on PS2 optimalization and learned from Rockstar. Shame on you, Reflections and Atari! … Expand
  20. K.H.
    Jul 12, 2004
    4
    As the commercial says: "Best looking game in the genre." This is true, but it's also the worst playing game in the genre. There's nothing fun to do in the cars or on foot. The cops are complete idiots. The director mode was about the only decent thing in the game, and even that could have been much better. Let's put it this way, I could make a better game.... and I As the commercial says: "Best looking game in the genre." This is true, but it's also the worst playing game in the genre. There's nothing fun to do in the cars or on foot. The cops are complete idiots. The director mode was about the only decent thing in the game, and even that could have been much better. Let's put it this way, I could make a better game.... and I don't know what a gigabyte is. Enough said.… Expand
  21. GameBreaker
    Jul 26, 2004
    0
    I have 4 words for all you PS2 owners that have given this game a bad review, YOU ASKED FOR IT! Anyone who has been backing Sony for the last 4 years deserves a piece of crap like this game. If this game, along with the GTA franchise and all others on the PS2 would have been made only on XBOX where they belong, none of you would have anything to bitch about. So as long as you keep I have 4 words for all you PS2 owners that have given this game a bad review, YOU ASKED FOR IT! Anyone who has been backing Sony for the last 4 years deserves a piece of crap like this game. If this game, along with the GTA franchise and all others on the PS2 would have been made only on XBOX where they belong, none of you would have anything to bitch about. So as long as you keep spending money on your PS1.2's and back Sony in the largest scam in the last 100 years, you'll keep getting graphically inferior games just like the PS3 will churn out. Sony's hayday has been over since Microsoft took over the videogame industry and it will stay that way for a long time. But, they will still pay off all the big name companies to get you Sony Only's all the games you want so that no one could see how they would really do on top-shelf hardware. Now, I know all of you are going to piss and moan over my comments so go ahead. While you are bitching I will be playing better games on better hardware and backing a company that will make it's next system an actual next generation system, not an upgrade of a turd that never was! Losers.… Expand
  22. JeroenVanR.
    Jul 3, 2004
    8
    Although I haven't played the missions yet, the Take A Ride-mode alone makes this game a must buy. Graphics are from time to time superb but there are a few bugs in the game, which doesn't disturb the gameplay. Nice cars, NICE cities and lots of action.
  23. MikeHBC
    Aug 11, 2004
    5
    Would you people PLEASE stop comparing the game to GTA? Can't a game be good or bad on its own merits? Personally, GTA III and Vice City are my two favorite games ever, but that doesn't mean Driv3r should get a zero because I don't think it is as good as GTA. This game has some great aspects: huge cities, a wide variety of cars, and a good Driving Games mode. However, there Would you people PLEASE stop comparing the game to GTA? Can't a game be good or bad on its own merits? Personally, GTA III and Vice City are my two favorite games ever, but that doesn't mean Driv3r should get a zero because I don't think it is as good as GTA. This game has some great aspects: huge cities, a wide variety of cars, and a good Driving Games mode. However, there are SO FEW missions that 90% of the city's roads are untapped in the story mode, and the free ride mode has absolutely no purpose whatsoever. The graphics are OK, but far from great, and there are a lot of bugs. The lifespan of the game is very short- once you've completed the missions and the driving games, there's very little left to do. Driv3r isn't horrible (it's title might be, but the game isn't). The problem is that the game simply isn't that good. The city goes mostly unused, there's no replay value, many of the missions are very similar, the sound is merely average, and overall, a whole lot of things could have been much better.… Expand
  24. FinalFantasy
    Aug 13, 2004
    0
    Game Breaker should really shut up. as if there are no bad games on the Xbox. Anyways, DRIV3R really is a piece of garbage, that i will agree wit Game Breaker. I hated he series from the beginning, my friend rented it recently and i played it for five minutes and thought WHOA what a piece of crap such garbage. However, Game Breaker, Sony is well in the lead of Microsoft in the gaming Game Breaker should really shut up. as if there are no bad games on the Xbox. Anyways, DRIV3R really is a piece of garbage, that i will agree wit Game Breaker. I hated he series from the beginning, my friend rented it recently and i played it for five minutes and thought WHOA what a piece of crap such garbage. However, Game Breaker, Sony is well in the lead of Microsoft in the gaming companies, sorry to say but check the stocks lately.… Expand
  25. TodorD.
    Sep 8, 2004
    7
    The driving is great, the FPS stuff is bad. Lots of scenery out of reach, or too damn difficult to access. Trying to run around like in GTA made me find zillions of bugs and traps where the character just gets stuck forever... Anyways i recommend it for the franchise´s sake.
  26. BrianB.
    Jul 19, 2005
    1
    On your first play of this absolute disaster, smash the semi into a sapling or a park bench. This will dismiss the notion of any type of realism in this game. Then start playing: Chase a guy, run from the cops, and you've pretty much seen almost everything this game has to offer. And the difficulty??!? Someone at Atari/Reflections should be repeatedly punched in the face for making a On your first play of this absolute disaster, smash the semi into a sapling or a park bench. This will dismiss the notion of any type of realism in this game. Then start playing: Chase a guy, run from the cops, and you've pretty much seen almost everything this game has to offer. And the difficulty??!? Someone at Atari/Reflections should be repeatedly punched in the face for making a game so repetitive, and yet nearly impossible to finish! These people have the audacity to think that they're in competition with the GTA series? Laughable!… Expand
  27. [Anonymous]
    Aug 24, 2005
    10
    Simply the BEST!
  28. KlausF.
    May 10, 2006
    0
    This game downright sucked. It is suuuuuch a GTA wanabee! The only thing wich is original is the ability to record yourself playing and make a movie... I still think it sucks.
  29. LarsH.
    Aug 5, 2007
    6
    It's not that bad, but not that good either.. Graphics look great, cars are great, the thing i enjoyed most, was tha ability to kill/die in car-accidents, I've never seen this in any game, ever before. The bad thing about this game is: The missions are SO boring, and it takes long time. I've even heard rumours saying that this game wasn't even 100% finished when they It's not that bad, but not that good either.. Graphics look great, cars are great, the thing i enjoyed most, was tha ability to kill/die in car-accidents, I've never seen this in any game, ever before. The bad thing about this game is: The missions are SO boring, and it takes long time. I've even heard rumours saying that this game wasn't even 100% finished when they released it, they were probably in a hurry, with GTA: San Andreas being released a short while after.… Expand
  30. ArakahsW.
    May 22, 2008
    5
    This game had the potential to be good, but with all of the flaws on it, it ccan barely be called a game. A two year old could have made a better game than this. It was a huge disappointment.
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Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
14
#14 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 51
  3. Negative: 11 out of 51
  1. VideoGamesLife
    51
    Ultimately, despite being the solid and enjoyable game that Driv3r once promised to be, it’s buried far too deep under all the shite to rescue the game from being anything more than just a gaming folly.
    Read full review
  2. GMR Magazine
    50
    Unlike "GTA's" open-ended gameplay, DRIV3R is both linear and confined. [Sept 2004, p.83]
  3. PSX Extreme
    48
    A buggy, unfinished and uninspired game.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »