Initial release date 25 June 2002 | Composer(s) Marc Canham | |
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Developers Ubisoft Reflections, VD-Dev Publishers Atari, Infogrames Entertainment SA Similar Ubisoft Reflections games, Racing video games | ||
Stuntman is an action-adventure racing video game that was developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Atari, Inc. for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. The game focuses around the career of a motion-picture stuntman. It takes the player through various movies in which they perform dangerous stunts as called by the game.
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Critical reaction to Stuntman varied. The game was hailed for its innovative gameplay and physics, but was criticized for being linear and requiring too many retries. The game was followed up with a sequel, titled, Stuntman: Ignition, in 2007.
Gameplay
Stuntman has three single-player modes: Stuntman Career, Stunt Construction and Driving Games. In Stuntman Career, the player must attempt a series of car chase stunt scenes. Each track has several stunts, which are indicated with visual cues and in voice. The player must complete each track in a limited time and with a specified accuracy of the stunts to be able to proceed to the next scene. After all the scenes of the film are completed, a theatrical trailer of the film is shown that combines pre-rendered scenes with highlights from the car scenes based on the actual performance of the player. After succeeding a scene, the player is rewarded with money based on accuracy and time,and unlocking of vehicles and tools for the construction mode. After completing a scene, the player can watch a playback and optionally save it.
The career mode allows the player to participate in six films, each filmed in a different location and in a different genre. Toothless in Wapping is a gangster film made in London and resembles Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (both of which were directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham). A Whoopin' and a Hollerin' is inspired by Dukes of Hazzard set in rural Louisiana. Blood Oath is filmed in Bangkok and is inspired by John Woo-films. Conspiracy is a Tom Clancy-type thriller where the player uses a snowmobile in Switzerland. The Scarab of Lost Souls is based on the Indiana Jones films where the player uses a jeep and troop carrier in Egypt. Live Twice for Tomorrow is a parody of James Bond where the player uses sports cars in Monaco. Between films, the player must perform stunts in front of crowds.
The Stunt Construction mode allows the player to create their own stunts by placing equipment in an arena and then perform the stunts. The Driving Games mode involves tests of vehicle control, such as maneuverability, precision and timing.
Development
The game's soundtrack contains two songs by Overseer: "Basstrap" and "Velocity Shift."
During the E3 2006 Expo, it was announced that THQ had acquired the rights to the Stuntman franchise. Also announced was that the a sequel for next-generation systems is in development at Paradigm Entertainment. On 28 February 2007, THQ announced Stuntman: Ignition was released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 on 28 August 2007.
Reception
The Game Boy Advance version received "favorable" reviews, while the PlayStation 2 version received "average" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.
Maxim gave the PS2 version a score of eight out of ten and said, "If you think the best parts of movies involve explosions, car chases, and death-defying leaps (is there anything else?), then this homage to Hollywood’s unsung lunatics is just the thing for you." However, FHM gave the same version a score of three stars out of five and called it a "Genuinely great idea, but incredibly frustrating." Entertainment Weekly gave said version a C and advised players to "Wear a helmet while playing, because you'll be banging your head against the TV in frustration." In Japan, Famitsu gave the same version a score of all four sevens for a total of 28 out of 40.