Wheelman (PC)

Release Date: 27/03/2009

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SummaryProduct Details

Combining spectacular Hollywood-style stunts with a gripping storyline, Wheelman on PC provides an adrenaline-fueled, cinematic thrill ride guaranteed to leave you breathless. Vin Diesel stars as an undercover agent and highly skilled driver who must infiltrate the Barcelona underworld to gather intelligence surrounding a covert heist. Posing as a driver-for-hire, he ends up caught in a crossfire of corruption and chaos while trying to stay one step ahead of local law enforcement and rival gangs.

  • Developer: Ubisoft
  • Publisher: Ubi Soft
ReviewsPreviews

Game Reviews

"Venga Venga Venga!"

The Wheelman announces its intentions early. In fact, they're pretty much there on the box: Vin Diesel; cars; bikes; explosions. Seven and a half out of ten. There you go, review done.

In all seriousness though, turn on the game and in just a few minutes you'll know what Wheelman's all about. The opening credits unfold to an evocative Spanish guitar, the menu and intro see a camera swooping through Wheelman's wonderfully rendered Barcelona gameworld, and then you're instantly behind the wheel, speeding away from a bank robbery with cop cars in close pursuit.

New in town

The titular wheelman is Catalonia newcomer Milo Burik – played (if you hadn't guessed) by Vin Diesel. Or rather, the Madame Tussauds waxwork of him, such is the Uncanny Valley look of Wheelman's oh-so-shiny character models. Milo is the latest hotshot driver to break into Barcelona's crime-ridden underbelly… or so his new gang contacts think. In truth, he's undercover for a group known as The Agency, looking to foil a plot which could potentially be, quote-unquote (and we're still not exactly sure what this means)… "nation breaking."

If you want to bomb down cobblestone alleyways, tip over tables then handbrake turn into a highway of traffic, Wheelman's the game for you.

Wheelman's plot won't win any awards for scripting or acting, but as a pretext for the setting and some insane high-speed action, we couldn't have asked for much more. Barcelona is a colourful, buoyant metropolis which lends itself perfectly to the types of real-time driving action you'd find in classic films like The Italian Job. If you want to be bombing it down cobblestone alleyways, tipping over tables, dislodging boxes and generally causing havoc before handbrake turning into a whole highway of onrushing traffic, Wheelman is definitely the game for you.

One of the most pleasing things outside of Wheelman's main story is how much gameplay it actually offers. It's no GTA IV, so there's little of the customisation or focus on minigames of RockStar's title, but there are an absolute ton of side missions to unlock as you progress, and these are where Wheelman's real longevity lies.

Fast and furious

There's several sorts of these side-missions on offer, all of which can be found on the overhead map, accessible via the Back button. Yellow arrows represent Taxi missions (ferry someone to a goal), turquoise means Made To Order (steal and deliver a certain number of cars), red are Rampage (destroy targets within a time limit), purple are Fugitive missions (escape a gang and get to a safehouse) and orange are Fast and the Furious style street races.

All have an in-depth ranking system, there's associated Achievements too; and successfully completing them gives upgrades to your vehicle attack power, performance, health and your focus gauge, which grants you your nitro powers. Plus, you can walk around Barca at your leisure or fast-travel to side-missions using the abovementioned map screen, so Wheelman presents a pleasing split between immersion and accessibility.

Wheelman goes for over-the-top action and awesome set pieces to keep enthusiasm high and pulses racing.

That would be for nought though if Wheelman wasn't fun when you're behind the wheel. Luckily, as mentioned in the preview, it proves an explosive nitro-fuelled riot that plays not unlike Burnout Paradise. Being able to shunt left, right and forwards with a simple flick of the right stick when you're going at full speed is a great idea, and the crash cam makes for cool cinematic moments when you send enemy vehicles careering out of control. The Air Jacking feature meanwhile is as ridiculous as it is handy, meaning the momentum rarely lets up – and the slow-motion bullet time bits on the D-pad add a degree of John Woo gunplay flair which is never a bad thing.

Out and about

About the worst aspects of Wheelman take place outside of the car, in the third-person shooting missions which feature their own unusual cover system. You can't snap to a wall here, instead requiring you to duck under cover, pop Milo's head up, shoot, move forward, and progress like so. It's fun, don't get us wrong, but out of the car it's no Grand Theft Auto.

But then, Wheelman isn't trying to be. Like Ninja Blade which we reviewed last week, Wheelman is a more immediate, less overtly serious take on its genre which goes for over-the-top action and awesome set pieces to keep enthusiasm high and pulses racing. And like Ninja Blade it's no Game of the Year contender, but what it is, is solid, addictive arcade fun that'll keep you smiling for well over 20 hours.

GAME's Verdict
plus points
  • Insane high-speed car combat.
  • Lots of addictive side-missions take the duration to the 20 hour mark.
  • Wheelman's Barcelona gameworld is colourful, busy and beautifully realised.
minus points
  • On-foot missions aren't in the same league as GTA IV.
  • The story and characterisation aren't going to win any awards.
  • Not the game for you if you don't like lots of driving.

Review by: Mark 'Learner Driver' Scott
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 03.04.09

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