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The Getaway Comments by Kristan Reed

4 November, 2002

First Impressions - Kristan goes deep with a pre-release build of The Getaway, and it's a fascinating story

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Comments: 1-48 of 48 in total

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mouse [staff]
04/11/02 @ 13:43
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Whew.
Slim
04/11/02 @ 13:44
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It sounds quite a lot like Mafia from that preview, which is a good thing!

"To sum up, in the same way that Max Payne riled some of the more cynical elements of the press" - um, were you talking about anyone in particular? :)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 04/11/02 @ 13:45
liono
04/11/02 @ 13:56
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I...must...get...that....game....
Nick [staff]
04/11/02 @ 14:08
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This looks brilliant. I'd buy this just as a London simultator which I can bomb around in ... do they keep the level of realism up for the less well known areas of London, or does it become a lot more generic?
Nemesis
04/11/02 @ 14:17
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English gangster film. Guns, violence, swearing. Drive-by shootings on B'Ish sellers?

krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 14:18
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The various bits of london I know of are all accurately modelled. It really doesn't skimp on the detail. I think a few shop fronts etc have been chopped, probably down to licensing issues, but most of them are all there.
brutal
04/11/02 @ 14:18
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are the levels done in a driver kind of style (with big load times before each mission) or are the missions seamlessly integrated into the game world (like GTA3) ??


sounds good.... i'll probably give it a rent


oh - and do you get a £5 fine for driving within the city limits??!!?
Edited 1 times, most recently on 04/11/02 @ 14:19
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 14:19
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It s**ts on Mafia, although I did like Mafia.

And I think Max Payne riled a lot of people didn't it? Not having a dig at anyone in particular ;)
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 14:26
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Missions are seamlessly integrated. No vile loading nonsense. You can drive from one side of the city to the other, and never see a loading sign. It takes bloody ages to drive the length and breadth too. At least ten minutes at a guess, if you go fast.
Blerk
04/11/02 @ 14:28
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I'd really given up hope that this would be any good at all given how long it'd been in development. But it's actually looking pretty good! Unbelievable! A pleasant surprise, to say the least.
skalmanxl
04/11/02 @ 14:30
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That's some impressions I'm telling ya...
bleeptest
04/11/02 @ 14:34
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Can you tell us what the city limits are? Wondering whether I'll be able to drive from my house to my girlfriends in less than the 50 minutes it takes in real life.

There's going to be a lot more of these tedious 'London traffic is crap' comparisons I expect. Sorry.
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 14:45
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north limits are basically marylebone road, nw limit is bottom of Edgeware road,(just before westway/paddington) goes as far east as Old St roundabout (although lets you go up Gt Eastern St), not too sure of southern limits yet - takes bloody ages to explore I'm telling ya! Seems to be more of South London than north. I was expecting maybe a bit of camden, regents park but not so. I'm a norf landenar if you hadn't guessed!
Errol
04/11/02 @ 14:48
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What happens at the city limits ?

Is there just an invisible wall ? Or barriers ?
Nemesis
04/11/02 @ 14:48
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So we get a month of playing GTA:VC before this one comes out. Bonus. I wonder how many will dismiss this as a GTA clone and ignore it.
jaa
04/11/02 @ 14:49
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Great 'first impressions'. But now I want this game. Pretty soon I'll have to steal money for real just to be able to buy all the games I'm interested in...

Or maybe I'll just rob a games store.
skalmanxl
04/11/02 @ 14:53
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Is there just an invisible wall ? Or barriers ?

Invisible walls, just like in real life I hope.
pjmaybe
04/11/02 @ 15:09
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It's all well and good but it will have to go some just to beat the sheer wealth of little touches that make GTA so good. It's realistic eh? Who cares - we play games to get away from realism, so that's not always a great thing. It has a "gritty" storyline then? From what I've heard it sounds like just another cliche-ridden brit gangster thang...

Best bet - save your pennies and reserve judgement till the 28th nov, then at least you can try the Official PS2 mag demo before shelling out yer hard earned.

Peej
brutal
04/11/02 @ 15:12
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i'ld rather pay £3.75 for a 2 night rental of the full game than pay £4.99 for a short demo + fanboy deluxe magazine.

but thats just me
gizmo
04/11/02 @ 15:13
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Just can't wait to try the motorbikes and THE HELICOPTER, the jetskis the black humour, the ped comments, the ... oh, wrong game.
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 15:15
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the barriers are just like red and white stripy barriers.
The realism makes a change from Orcs, space themes and cartoon fodder. Don't knock it - it makes a refreshing change. The script/acting will doubtlessly be picked apart and criticised, but it's still one of the best realised videogame attempts. If not the best.
Slim
04/11/02 @ 15:16
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Krudster, I'm just saying the stylee looks more Mafia than GTA3, what with indoory shooting missions and all that. It's top like, exactly what I'm looking for, tar for the heads up!
Alastair
04/11/02 @ 15:18
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'north limits are basically marylebone road, nw limit is bottom of Edgeware road,(just before westway/paddington) goes as far east as Old St roundabout (although lets you go up Gt Eastern St), not too sure of southern limits yet - takes bloody ages to explore I'm telling ya! Seems to be more of South London than north. I was expecting maybe a bit of camden, regents park but not so. I'm a norf landenar if you hadn't guessed!'

Can you drive along Pimlico Road?
;o)
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 15:18
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Slim - see what u mean. Yes, in that respect, much more like Mafia. More fun though, and no bleeding pop up!
WriterUK
04/11/02 @ 15:33
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If those are the First Impressions, the review should be a monster... :)
Whizzo
04/11/02 @ 15:36
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Hmm the real question is: are there any language school leafleters you can run down? ;-)

I think I'll be getting this then it does sound very good.
Frogger
04/11/02 @ 15:50
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Mark Hammond... Wasn't he the lead singer of SoftCell in the early 80's ?
Blerk
04/11/02 @ 16:07
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I think you'll find that was Marc Almond. :-)
Nemesis
04/11/02 @ 16:08
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/cold shudder/
pjmaybe
04/11/02 @ 16:24
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Yep and we all know what he was famous for don't we....!!!!

Peej
Frogger
04/11/02 @ 16:25
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ah ! Marc Almond !! Right !!

So no "Tainted Love" in the game's soundtrack I guess. But it wouldn't suit the gameplay very well anyway :)

PS : Sorry for putting the music in everyone's head for the end of the day :)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 04/11/02 @ 16:26
pjmaybe
04/11/02 @ 16:25
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Actually while we're on the subject of OPSM2 - they are getting a bit slack aren't they? Nearly every review in the latest ish was a bronze, silver or gold award...Tsk, I remember the time when they hadn't even granted a 10 out of ten, but of course this were all green fields back then...tsk!

Peej
Nemesis
04/11/02 @ 16:27
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Gah, Peej, don't go there.
sam_spade
04/11/02 @ 16:29
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If you go there, we'll have a list of sites and magazines the length of our arms that dish out awards on a daily/monthly basis.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 04/11/02 @ 16:30
Merefield
04/11/02 @ 16:49
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"Clearly there is a fair amount of artistic license. For a start the traffic is relatively light to allow you to actually drive, while you don’t get cars parked on both sides of the road. It’s a London that clearly has never existed, but we won’t get too hung up on it"

Actually, it's probably simulating London post congestion charging which will be introduced in February.

Obviously they consulted Ken during the development of this game...LOL
ST..
04/11/02 @ 16:53
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But is there as much to do outside of the main missions as in GTA3? A realistic London recreation is all well and good but not if theres nothing to do in it.
bleeptest
04/11/02 @ 17:09
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north limits are basically marylebone road, nw limit is bottom of Edgeware road,(just before westway/paddington) goes as far east as Old St roundabout (although lets you go up Gt Eastern St)

Old street to Edgware road is quite a long way - that map is sounding huge, especially if you're saying there's a bias toward sarf London. Any word on a late night illegal cabbie mode, points awarded for scaring the bejeesus out of terrified young passengers?
Nobby
04/11/02 @ 19:09
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Excuse me while I snap my jaw back into place...

We really are spoilt, this and vice city. It's going to be a good Christmas I think.
skalmanxl
04/11/02 @ 19:29
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We really are spoilt, this and vice city. It's going to be a good Christmas I think.

I never think I've seen so many quality games coming out in such a short period of time. Sure it's soon christmas, but still.
Merefield
04/11/02 @ 19:51
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"Old street to Edgware road is quite a long way - that map is sounding huge, especially if you're saying there's a bias toward sarf London. Any word on a late night illegal cabbie mode, points awarded for scaring the bejeesus out of terrified young passengers?" - bleeptest

Man, cabbies'll be brushing up with this game to pass "Da Knowledge"...
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 20:11
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I'm not aware of any GTA-esque freedom in the free roam bits. But then, this isn't a finished build. I'll see from Mr Macnamara himself what's what.
Apparently the bits I complained about have been fixed.
krudster [mod]
04/11/02 @ 23:55
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ok, hidden *fast* vehicles are your reason for exploration. I've only found a park buggy myself, so far...
Max_M
09/11/02 @ 22:34
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Can you go in any of the real life shops?
pjmaybe
11/11/02 @ 09:13
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This game has got a mountain to climb to beat GTA VC. It really has...

Peej
Khab
17/11/02 @ 03:50
#45
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Uh... I dunno what screens you are looking at, but... I see shadows. Maybe you've been down your groundhog hole a little too long?
Blerk
10/10/03 @ 08:41
#46
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Spot all the people with a pirate copy of 'The Getaway'.

Hint: They're all the ones who 'magically' don't have a map!
Alastair
10/10/03 @ 08:45
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Whnever I need a map I look on streetmap.co.uk. Have you tried there?
Or you could try the RAC site. Just put in your start and end postcodes and they work out the route for you.

Saying that, isn't The Getaway based in London - just get an A-Z!!
disc
10/11/03 @ 11:30
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there is a walkthrough guide you can get...
there you have maps covering every mission...

but the cool thing is if you know london you can navigate that way...

Comments: 1-48 of 48 in total

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