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There are many games lost to the tide of time. One such game is Driver Parallel Lines. An odd instalment in the franchise but a great one nonetheless. This is why we need a Driver Parallel Lines Port.
The Series So Far
Driver 1 through to 3 focused around the undercover cop Tanner. An excellent wheel-man using his skills to infiltrate criminal organisations.
The first one had a very memorable intro mission in a car park. Having to pull off various driving techniques in a tight space. For many this would prevent them from progressing the game. As the level was made by the developers late into the game and they had become experts at the driving mechanics.
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Driver 2 allowed the player to leave the confines of the vehicle and run around. While also being able to hijack vehicles. All I can remember from this game is unlocking secret vehicles while playing the free-roam mode.
Driver 3 took this even further by allowing Tanner to use weapons to put down enemies and vehicles. It was an okay game, where I spent most of my time blowing up the police.
Then There Was Driver: Parallel Lines
Since the dramatic ending of Driver 3. The series took a turn. It swapped its main character for TK (The Kid), a getaway driver for various nefarious individuals. The beginning of the game is set in 1978. Unlike previous titles, free roam is fully integrated into the main game. And there are mini-games for the player to complete.
Once you get to a certain part of the main campaign TK is arrested and is sent to prison. Fast-forward all the way to 2006 and TK is released. With a vendetta against those that have done him wrong.
New York city completely changes from 1978 to 2006 as well as there being new cars and weapons for TK to use. Which really set it apart from Grand Theft Auto at the time. New York feels a lot colder in 2006 than 1978 with the city taking more of a greyish blue tint. Compared to the brighter yellow tint of 1978.
It was a huge improvement over the previous games, but unfortantely it could not compete with the success of GTA.
The Legacy
There was one more mainstream game in the series after Driver: Parallel Lines. Which was called: Driver: San Francisco which put you back into the shoes of Tanner. It was a fine game with the ability for Tanner to transfer his subconscious into other drivers. Rather than have him exit the vehicle himself.
There were a few over games, mostly mobile or on a portable handheld. But Driver never came back. Especially considering that GTAV has now outstayed its welcome. It could have taken advantage of the situation and became the next big game. For now we have to make do with Saints Row. Which itself isn’t a bad series.
The Hopeful Future
If there was to be another Driver game, I hope it would be a complete reboot of the series. Give us Tanner when he was discovering his talents for driving. Have it set in the early 00s. The real issue is whether you can control Tanner outside the car. Personally I would rather they focus on the car driving sections more. Making the cars feel like their real life counterparts.
Give us free-roam, with fast travel so we can hop to the missions if we would rather not play around with the open world. But instead of giving us one city. Have two cities set in different climates and possibly wealth brackets. Where in one city its very rare to see a non banged up car, let alone a sports car.
Let TK from Parallel Lines also make a cameo. As either a petty criminal or even the big bad. This could then set up Driver 2 where you have to break him out so that the two of you go undercover. To beat a bigger threat.
And don’t whatever they do, don’t try and make the characters comedic. Leave that to GTA and Saints Row. Let Driver be a serious game which would be a breath of fresh air. Also don’t include any RPG elements. Let the player’s skill shine through.
Multiplayer
Of course to truly successful the new instalment of Driver would need multiplayer. Since the driving would be closer to a sim racer mechanics. Racing modes could be included with destruction derby elements. Have a Cops and Robbers mode which was in the previous games. Take inspiration from the Burnout and Forza Horizon series for game modes.
Unlikely
I don’t see Ubisoft bringing out another Driver game. A reboot would be unlikely. But if they could bring out a HD remake of the original games this may spark some interest from gamers. Which could then lead to an eventual reboot of the series. You can still play Driver: Parallel Lines on Uplay however the consoles have to do without.
Are there any games You would like to see resurface?
