Stuntman

by Atari

Product Features

• You'll watch explosive film set action as you go stunt-driving in six glamorous movie locations
• Test vehicles to destruction as you smash up everything from snowmobiles to Jeeps to sports cars
• Hit the gas and go the for best crashes and the wildest stunts -- if you don't try, or chickenout, your career is over
• You can even replay the action-packed shots you pull off in a movie trailer!

Product Details

• ASIN: B0000631WI
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 0.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (137 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,148 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #12 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Arcade

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Stuntman, made by the producers of the highly acclaimed Driver series, is a unique game that, despite its flaws, still packs a ton of fun--especially for those who love action-style driving games like Burnout.

The game puts you on the sets of several fictitious, stunt-heavy movies, including the 007-inspired Live for Two Tomorrows and the Guy Ritchie-inspired Toothless in Wapping. You're to execute detailed driving stunts by following the director's instructions over a radio and several onscreen visual cues. The stunts are constructed mostly out of driving around, through, and over obstacles, but there are more than a few inventive sequences that you have to time just right. If you do it wrong, or mess up the timing of the shot, you have to retake the scene.

The game can be quite a strain on one's patience, however. There's no initial "walk-through," as there would be for a real production, so it takes several passes to even get a grasp of what you're doing. Plus there's a pause for reloading between each scene that can be grating. Still, players receive tremendous satisfaction from mastering a scene.

Gamers may be disappointed in the quality of Stuntman's graphics--it seems only a half-step above Driver 2--but they'll love the handling of these vehicles and the interactivity of the environments. Nearly everything in the game can be moved or broken. The really versatile Stunt Constructor tool lets you play with all kinds of fun toys or tricks, such as jumps, loops, and even cannons. Lay them out in an arena and then drive the course. You have to unlock all but the most basic toys and vehicles by completing scenes, but it's a great way to blow off steam. --Porter B. Hall

Pros:

• Car handling is easy and responsive
• Great game physics with lots of interactive items
• The Stunt Constructor tool lets you wreck stuff in lots of different ways

Cons:

• Lack of walk-throughs adds a needless level of difficulty to an already challenging game
• There are reload screens between each take

Product Description

In Stuntman you're a rookie stunt driver for a major studio, looking to prove what you can do!

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good idea, bad execution, January 1, 2003

By 

Douglas Welzel (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stuntman (Video Game)

Stuntman gets points for being an original idea, but unfortunately the game itself doesn't live up to the possibilities.

In the game, you play the role of a stuntman who works on several different films and also performs in stadium stunt shows. The stunts themselves involve piloting a variety of vehicles (including cars and snowmobiles) through stunt courses. A director's voice guides you through the stunt course, telling you what jumps to make, items to crash through, etc. After you have completed all of the stunts for a movie, you are treated to a trailor of the movie that included footage from your stunts.

Sounds pretty good, but the annoyances begin shortly after you pop in the disc. First, you must complete a stunt almost exactly as the director says, usually within a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, prior to beginning a stunt you are given no walkthrough of the stunt, so you are left to figure out the details through trial and error. Continously repeating a stunt gets old very quickly.

Next, you must complete a stunt before moving on to the next one. There is no way to jump between films or bypass a difficult stunt for a while. This alone removes much of the fun from the game. If you find yourself stuck on a stunt, there is nothing you can do about it and the game just isn't fun anymore.

If you're still interested I would recommend at least renting this one first.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly difficult!, July 3, 2002

By 

A. Ectal Greenhaw "ectal" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stuntman (Video Game)

In Stuntman, you take on the role of a Hollywood stunt driver, performing precise maneuvers and complex stunts for a series of movies, ranging from cheap B-movies all the way up to blockbuster action flicks. It's a brilliant idea, really.

Overall, this is a great game. The controls, though sensitive, are easy to get the hang of. The graphics, though not the best out there, more than do the job--the lighting is especially nice. Collisions look very convincing; bits of metal fly off vehicles, front ends get smashed in, doors get torn off. The levels are exciting and there is a constant pressure to perform and a need to constantly keep your eyes open.

Having said all that, I should point out that I returned this game the same day I bought it. It is just way too difficult. Each level is between about 30 seconds and one minute, and the SLIGHTEST error throws you back to a loading screen, which you stare at for about 20 seconds. There's no detailed explanation of what you're supposed to do in a level until you're there, so expect to spend several minutes just figuring out what's expected of you. And once you know what you're doing, expect to do it over and over and over again. There are no check points, there is no way to save during a level, there is no way to lower the difficulty of the game: you just have to do the same thing repeatedly until you get it.

I spent two hours trying to complete a 40 second level. Then I went back to the store where I purchased the game. At first, I found Stuntman fun. After a few hours, all I felt was anger and frustration. For me, it stopped being a game and became an annoying chore.

If you are incredibly good at games, particularly driving games, and if you have an endless supply of patience, by all means, buy this game. It will be right up your alley. If you are not the Zen Master Super Gamer, rent it first, or you might find yourself loudly practicing every bit of profanity you're familiar with.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Frustrating, June 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Stuntman (Video Game)

After spending some more time with this game, I have decided it is necessary to update my review. I have changed my rating from 2 to 3, but many of the statements I originally made still stand. I don't understand the claims that this game is too easy. This is one of the hardest and most frustrating games I have ever played. It is an innovative concept - you're a movie stuntman and you drive around doing whatever the director tells you to do, whether it's slamming into some boxes, jumping a gap, tailing a car, or executing a cannon roll. Some of the scenes have really cool segments, like jumping through trains and stuff. And the graphics are good as well, although you do experience some slowdown if there's too much action going on. The biggest problem with this game is it's infuriating difficulty level. You can expect to restart most of the levels at least 50 times. When you get to the last movie, it's more like 100 times. What's worse is that every time you restart, the level has to reload. I've never understood why some games have to do that while others do not. Realize that unless you are a very patient gamer who actually enjoys extremely difficult games, you will experience many instances of controller-hurling fury.

This game does have its good points, however. Once you finish some of the more insane scenes, it's great fun to be able to sit back and watch the replay, and then save it so you can show your friends. There are also some extra modes in the game that add more depth. After each movie you finish, you unlock a daredevil stunt show where you get to attempt some pretty cool stunts in an arena. And I found myself spending a lot more time than I thought I would with the stunt arena constructor. As you progress through the game, you unlock toys to create your own stunt arena and vehicles to try them out with. My only complaint is that you are somewhat limited as to how many toys you can put in your arena.

Overall, this is a pretty solid game. You will get many fun hours out of it if you have the patience to endure the time it takes to nail down the route you have to take through each scene. I just can't help but think that a few changes here and there could have made the game a lot better.