VIDEO GAME REVIEW: PS3 not so speedy with 'Fast’ release
Wow, talk about showing up a little late to the party.
“The Fast and the Furious" was a movie screaming for a game tie-in back in 2001, when street racing games were still a novelty and the film’s popularity was at its peak.
Yet here we are, three films and five years later, with the PS3 looming and street racers a dime a gross on pretty much every gaming medium down to and including mobile phones. “Furious" has arrived, but its tardiness guarantees casual observers will dismiss it as an also-ran based on a has-been. Perceptions aren’t helped by the game’s almost superficial ties to the films: The Tokyo setting from the third movie plays the part of host, but the not-quite storyline features none of the main characters and functions more as glue than anything else.
Let’s be honest, though -- the only good thing about the films was the racing. And purely as a racing game, “Furious" is much better than a mere also-ran -- a little too similar to its contemporaries, for sure, but no slouch in their presence and just different enough to justify its existence.
For starters, the game is fast: The sense of speed on the asphalt is terrific despite a slightly jumpy framerate, some grainy visuals and other indications of the PS2’s limited power.
More importantly, though, the cars _ which are licensed and extremely customizable _ handle nicely even in the lowest class. The sense of power and weight, combined with awesome drift controls and the aforementioned speed, mean you won’t have to wait until you can purchase faster cars to enjoy the game like it’s meant to be enjoyed.
The attention to control becomes especially apparent during mountain drift races, which have you peeling around a peak in a frantic tug-o-war between speed and control. “Furious" is fun on the streets, but you’ve likely been there and done that in other games. If your street racing thirst still burns and you want to try something truly different, head for the mountains ASAP.
For: Playstation 2 From: GoBig!/Bandai Namco ESRB Rating: Teen