Calling All Cars! Review

By Richard Leadbetter Published 4 June, 2007

Trevor. Or maybe Kev.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

This was the PlayStation Store game I was waiting for. Forged by the same gamesmiths that created the beyond-awesome God of War, I was very eager to see what David Jaffe and his Incognito team at Sony's Santa Monica Studios could do with the downloadable game concept. The fact that Calling All Cars! was built from the ground up to be a multiplayer game was also great news, especially as there's a distinct lack of decent online titles in the PlayStation Store catalogue.

Calling All Cars! is supremely easy to get to grips with: chase down escaped cons across the map, then get them back to the cop shop to earn score. If one of your three cop competitors has beaten you to the prize, ram his vehicle or use one of three weapons to steal the perp away from him, then put your foot down and get back to the nick post haste to claim your points.

It's this final part of the chase that is the most interesting in that there are typically three different ways of depositing your captive; the higher the risk you take in dropping him off, the more points you accrue. Typically a jump or ramp-assisted bust yields the biggest rewards, but on select levels there are also bonuses for dropping off your prisoner with a paddy wagon, or getting him air-lifted away via a roaming helicopter.

'Calling All Cars!' Screenshot 1

Unfortunately, Calling All Cars!'s emphasis on the multiplayer game modes is not good news for the solo player. For a start, there are just two game variations. The first sees you selecting one of the four levels and playing it. Simple as. The second 'tournament' option has you gaming through each stage in turn, with progression from one level to the next dependent on finishing each round with the highest points tally. The only real point to participating in the latter is that completing it gives you an additional pursuit vehicle to select. Game AI is also somewhat uneven, but the core issue with the solo mode is that it's like playing a Quake Deathmatch against bots - there's no sense of achievement in beating them, and you don't feel that you're learning anything from the experience that aids your multiplayer prowess.

As you'd expect, Calling All Cars! gives a much better account of itself in multiplayer mode. The developers have seemingly covered all the bases in offering two- and four-player split-screen, as well as supporting proper online gameplay, including headset support. While the basic objective is totally identical to the single-player game, the ability to play against 'real' people effectively wipes out the criticisms of the AI, and the enjoyment factor increases exponentially as the sense of competitive one-upmanship kicks in. The game creates a fun, infectious atmosphere of Itchy and Skratchy-style cartoon violence and it's difficult to avoid being drawn into the fun of it. It's clearly designed for what David Jaffe refers to as "trash-talking multiplayer" gameplay and in this respect it mostly delivers. It's simple and undemanding stuff, accessible to all, and very much a game where the human factor keeps the game's interest level sustained. It's a party game best played with four players on the single console, clearly aiming to engender the same kind of competitive spirit we saw in the likes of split-screen Mario Kart.

'Calling All Cars!' Screenshot 2

Calling All Cars! does have its irritations though - even in multiplayer. The main issue I have is that once you have your crook onboard you're essentially completely defenceless - it's a case of when, not if, you're going to be rammed off the road or hit with a weapon. To illustrate your helplessness, it's like playing Capture the Flag in an FPS where you can't shoot back if you're carrying the flag.

More than that though is the fact that Calling All Cars! can swiftly descend into a series of multiple bumper car-style melees, with little reliance on skill required to emerge victorious from the scuffle. Too many journeys back to the clink are essentially one-note, repetitive ramming contests that effectively randomise who the eventual winner of the round will be. Short of an extremely well-timed nitro boost it's difficult to break out of this cycle once it has begun and you can't help but think that it wouldn't be happening with more balanced gameplay.

That said, it's difficult to overly criticise Calling All Cars! because it's cheap, looks and feels good (native 1080p at mostly 60fps does make a difference) and in multiplayer mode you definitely get a decent return from the impulse purchase price tag. It's just hard to avoid the sensation that some select gameplay tweaks, a couple of extra maps and a wider range of weapons could've made Calling All Cars! a minor classic as opposed to a promising but ultimately disposable game best sampled in small doses.

6 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Richard.

About Richard Leadbetter

Rich has been a games journalist since the days of 16-bit and specialises in technical analysis. Commonly known around Eurogamer as the Blacksmith of the Future.

Read more articles from Richard by visiting the Richard Leadbetter archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (35) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • TripSkyway #1 5 years ago

    The lack of a demo has been holding me back from trying this. Looks fun.

  • bioreit #2 5 years ago

    I'd be careful Richard - you gave a decent but not an "ohmygod this game is the best thing EVER!" review. Expect words of obscenity to spew forth from Jaffe any minute now...

  • Artemis_Matsas #3 5 years ago

    I have to agree with the review. It is good, but it could have been so much better.

  • morriss #4 5 years ago

    Shame. Unless the 25 people or so on my contact list actually play their PS3 once in while, then there's no really point in me getting this.

    Also, is this out on the European store now?

  • NewYork #5 5 years ago

    It's a bit CAC, really.

  • MrFlintBlackman #6 5 years ago

    David Jaffe is going to eat your soul Eurogamer!

    either that or throw a hissy fit.

  • woodnotes #7 5 years ago

    So, as good as Shadowrun then.

  • Dizzy #8 5 years ago

    You know who is coming for you now!!!!

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #9 5 years ago

    I give it two days before Jaffe's on here telling Eurogamer to fuck off. Either that or relaying it through Kotaku!

    I'm just glad that God of War was such an excellent game otherwise he may just have gone on some gamer/journo slaughtering rampage.

  • hobnob #10 5 years ago

    This game looks good do any one now the date for the UK. !!!! CANT WAIT !!!!
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/07 @ 09:50

  • zuljin #11 5 years ago

    I wouldn't mind knowing the price... They say in the review its cheap, but are we talking £3.50, £5 or or £10 here?

  • dadrester #12 5 years ago

    so as good as go puzzle then :D

  • kangarootoo #13 5 years ago

    Does Jaffe really turn up on sites complaining if his games get less than great reviews?

    There is NOTHING more embarrassing than someone talking back to their critics (especially if thise critics are the gamers themselves). The customer is never wrong.

  • NewYork #14 5 years ago

    Gaming celebrities.

    Eeew.

  • Syrok #15 5 years ago

    Who is David Jaffe?

  • Steroyd #16 5 years ago

    I wouldn't mind knowing the price... They say in the review its cheap, but are we talking £3.50, £5 or or £10 here?

    Because it's an orignal PSN title I'm guessing it'll be £10.

    That seems to be the pattern on Sony's PSN titles.
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/07 @ 10:05

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #17 5 years ago

    Who is David Jaffe?

    I believe he's a biscuit (although legally cake) designer for McVitties.

  • SeesThroughAll #18 5 years ago

    I can't wait for Jaffe's blog telling Richard to go f*** himself.

  • NewYork #19 5 years ago

    Who is David Jaffe

    One of the few guys who get mentioned in reviews of their games. Go figure.

  • MrFlintBlackman #20 5 years ago

    Actually if you read Jaffes blog it says he has gone "dark" like some rogue op or something, which mean he might sneak up on you and break you neck.

  • SeesThroughAll #21 5 years ago

    SCE must have told him to shut the f*** up.

  • JediMasterMalik #22 5 years ago

    lol

    Good review, probably still get it as the, multiplayer does sound fun.

    @morriss - I've never seen you play yours, are you ever on?

  • G-Money #23 5 years ago

    So is this on UK PSN now?

  • miiiguel #24 5 years ago

    We have loadsa games like this allover XBLA, with demos, and actually ppl to play with on MP.
    Sony plz wake up and start doing your work!!!! The "0h my god is a PS3" needs more than increment a number on the name of the most influencial piece of entertainment HW of the last decade. Or just step aside, and just close your HW division and start making games for the Wii60.

  • hobnob #25 5 years ago

    The american's got it for $9.99 so do the math's.My uk brother's and sister's ;o)
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/07 @ 12:25

  • Goodfella #26 5 years ago

    We have loadsa games like this allover XBLA, with demos, and actually ppl to play with on MP.
    Sony plz wake up and start doing your work!!!! The "0h my god is a PS3" needs more than increment a number on the name of the most influencial piece of entertainment HW of the last decade. Or just step aside, and just close your HW division and start making games for the Wii60.

    Wow, what a d**k.

    How long has the 360 been out now. *rolls eyes*

  • Emth #27 5 years ago

    "The american's got it for $9.99 so do the math's.My uk brother's and sister's ;o)"

    That'll be £10 then sadly.

  • SeesThroughAll #28 5 years ago

    That's 9 euro.

    Sounds reasonable.

  • JYM60 #29 5 years ago

    still think the multiplayer will be an absolute blast, cant wait, who gives a fuck about 1P in a game like this.

    @morriss

    I'm on most of the time.

  • urban #30 5 years ago

    i've already got it, and i'm happy with the fact it cost £5, i took it around to my friends house last night and we had a night of calling all cars and tekken, it was considerably fun.

  • Machetazo #31 5 years ago

    "Too many journeys back to the clink are essentially one-note, repetitive ramming contests that effectively randomise who the eventual winner of the round will be"

    The game's meant to be madcap, though. It's just in the nature of the thing. Every trailer that's been released, or piece of footage should have made this emphatically clear. Randomness surely comes part and parcel?

    Latest PSW has it listed as £3.49, but I agree it's more likely to be £6.99.
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/07 @ 16:58

  • Gibroon #32 5 years ago

    I'm hoping its £3.49 to sweeten us Europeans for having to wait that little bit longer.
    Bah! Who am I kidding it will be £6.99. Like the PS3 itself, we will have to wait longer and pay more.

  • steoc4 #33 5 years ago

    I picked this game up on the American store a while back - it's easy to do if you just use a fake address, they don't seem to actually check the credit card's address.

    I quite like it in single player, unfortunately my net connection hasn't been good enough for online play recently but that should all be sorted this week and I'll have a proper go at it then - it definitely seems like it'll be fun though.

    More of a game to play on the couch with friends though, very much more of a party game than a typical online game. I can see how it would often be random because it's so easy to screw over other players, but that's all part of the fun :)

  • JYM60 #34 5 years ago

    If they get up the downloads for Resistance, motorstorm and then this it will be a good week for the store.

  • TheJanitor #35 5 years ago

    "disposable game best sampled in small doses."

    but that's what its supposed to be.

    if this were on wii's vc it would have gotten a 9.