Driver: Parallel Lines

Driver: Parallel Lines is the fourth installment in a popular action game series featuring car races as the core element. Renewing the franchise, after very poorly received third game in the series - Driv3r - was a risky decision, which must have taken a lot of courage from Atari.

Driver: Parallel Lines takes you to New York of 1970s. Driving all sorts of cars is still the key aspect. In contrast to the previous game, there is less walking on foot and more traffic in the streets. Also, Artificial Intelligence was improved.

The story of Driver: Parallel Lines is split into interconnected episodes. The first one is set in 1970s, when a 18-year-old New Yorker nicknamed TK (standing for The Kid) pursues fame and fortune. Talented, popular, and extremely arrogant, the young man excels at driving cars. His activities quickly draw attention of other people, not only teenage street racers, but also gangsters. The latter appreciate the kid’s talent and pay him for doing various jobs for them.

TK clearly has bad luck, though. During one of the well-prepared jobs for a local crime lord, something goes wrong. Someone rats the protagonist to the cops, resulting in a police swoop. Instead of a wheel, TK finds himself behind jail bars, facing a 28-year sentence.

The second episode starts in 2006, when the hero finally gets out of prison. TK craves for vengeance. In order to do this, however, he has to refresh his driving skills. This is not that simple, though, as he has not been driving for more than 20 years.

Most probably influenced by fans, the developers of the fourth Driver decided to slightly decrease difficulty of gameplay and offer more freedom in world exploration, making the game non-linear. For example, if TK finds a mission too difficult for the time being, he can pursue other activities, and return to that mission later. The extra activities include, but are not limited to, car races in special tracks, available at any moment. The money you win can be spent in a garage on car customization – both in terms of performance and appearance. Other than races, there are mini-games, taking the form of side quests, which boil down to street racing as well. You can, e.g., stop in the Central Park and take part in a time race or challenge people from Bronx in Destruction Derby.

Last updated on 09 June 2015