Driver Parallel Lines is another game that just doesn't stand out in a crowd. It's getting really hard here at the end of the generation. Plain and simple, if you've played Grand Theft Auto or True Crime, then you've played the latest Driver. The game flow and mechanics are exactly the same. Press triangle to pull someone out of a car and elude the police on your way to the next objective.

Eluding the police is a little different, in that you and the car have a separate heat meter. If you can manage to exit a car that the police have been chasing you in without being seen, you can escape safely in a different one. Running through traffic, which can be the most exhilarating time, can also be an exercise in frustration due to gridlock. The chases get so slow, you might as well be driving a white Bronco. Gunplay is weak, but at least it's not emphasized like it was in Driv3r.

There's a garage where you can store, paint, and upgrade cars, but I didn't find much use for it. Your car is going to get wrecked and you're going to steal another one. The only good thing is they'll haul back just about any wreck to the garage where you can repair it. So, if you get particularly attached to one of these nondescript cars, then at least you count on having it for a while. I get the impression that far too much effort was put into locking up a great soundtrack. I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that over half of the manual (yes, from before the stapled middle to the last page) is music credits. Meanwhile the gameplay feels old and shallow without interesting dialog or an entertaining storyline to keep it moving.

1. Good soundtrack
2. Heat from the cops separate for car and driver

1. Car upgrades not worth it since so many cars are at your disposal
2. Traffic violations are a bitch
3. Gridlocked traffic can put a damper on the excitement of the chase
4. Driving portion isn't as great as it should be for a game called Driver
5. Did I just get done playing GTA?