Stuntman: Ignition

Ignition caters to the gamer who quests for perfection and values a stylish performance. In fact, you’ll start to find yourself flowing into a subconscious rhythm with this game as you learn the environments and master the art of blending in your own stunts with the required ones.

Stuntman: Ignition is a great game for fans of the automotive genre. But it makes itself very accessible for those who may not pride themselves on their excellent driving skills or incredibly precise gaming.

THQ and Paradigm have taken an already white-knuckle ride and added the features that were conspicuously absent the first time around. However, this game earns its stripes by letting players have more of a hand in creating their own style of mayhem to spice up a scene, and trust me, you’ll take every opportunity you can get.

What it lacks in overall content it makes up for by having damned enjoyable and addictive gameplay and enough variations on a theme for the game to last much longer than the four or so hours it takes to complete the main mode.

It's probably a game best played in small doses, as the relentless pursuit of perfection can often wear you out. But if you inner Evel Knievel just yearns to be free, Stuntman's your ticket. [Sept 2007, p.78]

Super, big and awesome (to quote one of the film directors), Stuntman: Ignition is one of the most original driving games around, packed full of explosive fun and action.

But Stuntman really shines at parties, where over excited and likely intoxicated friends all want a crack at busting through the floating house and splitting police cars.

A tough one to master, but progressively rewarding for those that stick to their guns.

Some of you might also grumble about how little innovation there is in this sequel. In most senses, yes, this is a straightforward re-run of the last one. In its favour, though, it boasts vastly superior visuals, instant restarts, an achievement system, and, of course, an online components like a leaderboard, uploadable replays and multiplayer modes.

There's absolutely no getting away from the fact that Stuntman: Ignition is often an infuriating game, but that doesn't automatically make it a bad one. At times it feels as rigid as an old-fashioned school cane, but perseverance will reveal a highly rewarding experience.

The repetition may test your ability to keep your controller from flying across the room but the patience pays off when you finish that hard-ass scene without one strike against you, and the director comes up tossing smiles and praises your way.

A little short-lived, but with more than enough scope and motivation to improve your scores, Stuntman: Ignition is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. [Issue#24, p.74]

A great follow-up to the fun, albeit challenging, game. You'll have to deal with some pretty frustrating moments and some spotty control, but if you bear with it, you'll find a truly enjoyable experience.

Feels like opening night at one of the many big-budget blockbuster movies it spoofs - an expensive ticket and a long wait can get you the perfect seats for some very rewarding action.

If you come into the game with the right attitude and take it easy instead of hammering the game in one session, Stuntman: Ignition is a pretty cool game to play.

In the end, this is the same kind of game as the original. It's much more polished and rewarding to play, but it still requires a lot of trial-and-error and quick reflexes.

If you don't mind a bit of frustration, and have the time and energy to put into it, Stuntman: Ignition can be an extremely rewarding experience. It's not for everyone, though.

If the heavy focus on trial and error doesn't rattle you, Stuntman: Ignition can be some explosive fun.

Stuntman: Ignition isn't for everyone, and even enthusiastic wannabe performers will occasionally cry out in frustration if they play for too long at a stretch, but it's still as good an execution of this offbeat concept as you're ever likely to see, and a welcome online departure from straight-laced racing purism.

What makes Stuntman great is the sum of all of its parts. While the career mode would have been great for a cheaper title all of the additional stuff such as odd-jobs, construction mode, and of course online play make this package worth checking out for fans of driving games looking for something unique in the genre.