smugglersreview

Ready to break the law? Grab some gear, snag some cargo and come take one of the best PS2 rides out there.

The launch of the Sony's PS2 is finally nigh, and with it comes a delightful crop of new games. Some are classics updated, some are
straight ports, but a select few of these are truly fresh and new. Smuggler's Run, a racer at heart, certainly fits the innovative bill with down and dirty gameplay and attitude enough to fill a spare. When lined up against some of the admittedly more complex launch titles, Smuggler's Run doesn't have quite the same visual panache -- but the devil's in the details, and the finest aspects of this game reveal
themselves after considerable in-depth play.

The game is as straightforward as many an arcade classic -- and we don't mean this as a criticism. As the newest member of a pack of contraband-running outlaws, the player's mission is to collect cash and
kudos by pulling off a series of auto-based missions -- usually involving cargo from stolen data to spare body parts on ice. Over 30 missions include recovering "stolen" booty from the cops, outrunning rival gangs, even simply smashing a set number of obstacles such
as radio towers (a satisfying nod to the more destructive mission parameters of car combat classics such as Vigilante 8). In addition to the Smuggler's Mission mode, there's a Turf War (which allows for tailor-made one-game match-ups) and the requisite Free-Ride mode. Unlike those in so many other racers, the Free-Ride mode here is a useful tool for gaining familiarity with the layout, as well as a
pleasant way to ride recklessly without time limit or police interference.

Set at the Mexican/American and American/Canadian borders, the game takes place in three entirely realized worlds (the two Canadian levels are split into frosty winter and lushly forested zones), each
spanning over 25 square miles. And when we say spanning, we really mean it -- it's a little difficult to convey other than to say that these levels are enormous. Given enough perseverance and successful
police elusion, any point visible can be driven to, and this is no gimmick. Later levels are increasingly difficult, and successfully completing these runs really does rely on a sense of familiarity with the lay of the land. Visually, the game is a mixed bag -- draw-in,
textures and smoke and animation effects are excellent, if a little unspectacular. No one thing in particular is lacking or flawed, but the emphasis on real-world action lacks the dazzle of other, less earth-bound titles.

While a fine coat of detail has been applied to the game's sprawling environments, equal attention has been lavished on the physics engine under the hood. Different surfaces affect velocity, while less-than-cautious driving leads to the loss of less-than-essential car parts -- from the hood and trunk to the doors themselves. Watching a coupe d' caper careening off a small cliff and into the air, it's very impressive to see each wheel spinning freely. Better yet, skilled wheelmen can deftly level off their landings, making for speedier recovery and (equally important) avoiding any depreciation in their cargo's value. We've seen this sort of attentive balance between real-world physics and exhilarating arcade fun before, but that was in less flamboyant racers, and rarely on the run from the law. Still, for as detailed and intricate as the physics may be, everything about this
game is refreshingly simple -- a rarity in these highly complicated next-generation times.

Even the controls are a refreshing throwback to simpler times -- there's the gas pedal, a (rarely used)
brake, and a (periodically very useful) handbrake. This
simplified control scheme lends itself well to
third-party steering wheel controllers, although
steering is handled with perfect aplomb by the Dual
Shock's analog sticks, and most gamers will no doubt
find themselves past the first levels in no time. Which
is not to say that this is an easy game. Time and
mission limits are finely tuned to make for a
progressively challenging criminal career, and a
particularly vicious cop AI does its best to ram, smash
and flip the inattentive smuggler into submission and
arrest. Of course, this pack mentality has its benefits
-- deftly sideswiping a police blockade or sailing over a
jumbled pile of cop cruisers (both of which happen
often with hilarious, unscripted regularity) is what we think of when we think gaming bliss.

Smuggler's Run is just the sort of innovative title that every launch needs. We hadn't played anything like it before, but it will be instantly comfortable to budding cons of all ages and skill levels. While it won't blow anyone's eyebrows clean off, dedicated gamers will find that developer Angel Studios has really made the most of the PS2's Emotion engine in creating such thorough playfields. Entry-level gamers will be impressed with the easy learning curve and intuitive gameplay, while the hardcore among us will appreciate the innumerable thoughtful details and nuances that help bring the wild and rugged world of Smuggler's Run to life.

The Bottom Line: While we all know that a life of crime ultimately doesn't pay, a joyride with the fresh and fast Smuggler's Run is rewarding through and through.