Driver puts players behind the wheel of a stolen car and asks them to hold on. The original PlayStation racing game built its entire identity around driving fast while shooting back, and the formula still holds up today.
The Setup
Driver drops players into the role of a getaway driver for a criminal gang. Missions send the car across city streets, through traffic, and past police who want to stop the escape. The goal is simple: get the target to the meet spot alive, and keep the wheels turning. That line sums up everything the game asks of players, and it is a short, focused game that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Driving and Handling
The handling model is where Driver earns its reputation. Cars react with weight, and the controls answer quickly to commands. Drifting is possible, and mastering it rewards players willing to push the limits of traction.
The Shooting
Shooting is not the star of Driver, but it carries enough weight to keep missions from feeling like empty laps. Players can lean out of windows, fire back at pursuers, and clear the road ahead of trouble. The shooting adds texture without taking over, so missions rarely feel like empty laps.
Mission Design
Missions are short and focused, rarely lasting more than a few minutes. That brevity works in the game’s favor, since long stretches of driving can grow dull. Objectives stay varied enough to avoid repetition, even when the setting repeats.
Look and Sound
The presentation is solid for its time. City streets are detailed, and the cars carry distinct models. Music sets a steady pace that fits the rhythm of each mission.
Where It Falls Short
Driver is not without rough edges. Some missions repeat the same setup again and again, and the game leans heavily on repetition rather than new ideas. The difficulty curve also rises suddenly at points, leaving players stuck in the same stretch until they learn the timing.
Replay Value
Driver rewards players who want to master its systems. Time trials, extra objectives, and a loose structure of side missions give skilled drivers plenty of reason to return once the main campaign ends.
Comparing It to Its Peers
Driver sits alongside other games that blend driving and shooting, though it stands apart by putting more weight on the driving itself. Its handling model remains one of the stronger examples of its era.
Final Score
Driver earns its reputation as a tight, demanding driving game. It does not try to remake the genre, but it executes its chosen formula with confidence. The shooting adds texture without taking over, and the handling stays satisfying from start to finish.
“Get the target to the meet spot alive.”
That line sums up everything Driver asks of players. It is a short, focused game that knows exactly what it wants to be, and it delivers on that promise.
Driver scores 8.2 out of 10.
