For: PS2, GameCube, X-Box, PS1, Game Boy Advanced
Version Reviewed: PS2
ESRB Rating: T for Violence
Learning Curve: 10 minutes

This game is the conversion for arcade games. Based on a 1983 Midway arcade game, SpyHunter follows a new story of a spy going against a major corporation. The head of this corporation, an evil madman (sigh--such typical fare) is out to destroy the world. He plans to launch satellites from 4 separate locations, in 4 different, major cities to release an EMP that will cleanse the world of humanity. You drive a G-6155 Interceptor with 4 different modes to destroy this evil. The first mode is a Bond-esque car, where you have a machine gun, guidance missiles, EMP pulse (available in later version of car), GPS trackers, and an infra-red scanner. The second mode, the motorboat, comes equipped with all of the above, but is only available when you hit water. The third mode, a motorcycle, comes only when you have more than 50% damage on your car, and will transform into a jet ski when you hit water. The locales of the game are attractive, ranging from Frankfurt, Germany, to Venice, Italy, to Austin, Texas. These visuals are very detailed, and almost make you think that you are actually in the cities, if you can stop going 130 mph to see them. Really, the only things that you do see are the enemies, and even those are hard to detect at times. The launch shotgun blasts, machine gun bursts, firebombs, and conventional missiles at you, from the sky, as well as the ground. So, even though you are on the ground during the game, you have to fight on both fronts, and that is what makes the game so difficult to master. From a Christian perspective, this game is VIOLENT. It may not be as violent as Carmageddon, but with the fiery explosions, this game is sometimes hard to see. In fact, while playing this game, my friend asked me if I was hired to kill people because I could kill the bad guys in this game so well. I assure you, I am not hired to kill, and this game is quite a few steps above most violent games these days. At least there isn\'t any blood. The worst you can get is taking out foot soldiers and people on motorbikes. Still, be cautious when using this game around young children. Luckily, this game does not have any sexual content in it, nor does it have any cursing found so often in spy games. Rather, the game gives you big explosions for your efforts, including, but not limited to: water mines, toxic tanks, cars, bombs, motorcycles, helicopters; all these will explode during the course of the game. So, here\'s the deal: you need to combine those hours of Stunt GP, Rumble Racing, and Star Wars Racer, mix them up, put in some Bond, and you\'ve got yourself SpyHunter. Prepare to be hunted, if you so choose.

Ratings:

Appropriate: 3/5 Controls: 4/5 Game Play: 5/5 Music/Sound: 5/5 Graphics: 5/5

Overall 88%