Pursuit Force

Platform: PSP
Publisher: SCEA
Review Type: Touchy
Version: Retail

Pursuit Force feels like something new. Or maybe newish. The game, like all the greats this generation, is part genre hybrid and part genre refinement. Here combat racing earns a much-needed tweak. Pursuit Force's "big idea" is the ability to leap from car to car at full speed. Were this the game's only novel feature, it would have gotten dull quick. But the designers have injected just enough variety in the game to keep things interesting. There are levels that take place in speed boats. Other's call for you to fire a gatlin gun at enemies from a helicopter. Some missions cram a few of the action flavors into one sprawling chase. Only the game's on foot missions slow the pace, but these moments are brief and forgiving.

I'm a big fan of Pursuit Force's high camp. It's fairly evident that the game is meant to emulate the American Action film -- particularly the Bruckheimer variety -- with big action, pulse-pounding orchestral scores and over-the-top, cliche-ridden dialogue. Early in the game, when you're rescuing a mob snitch he tells his would be assasins, "I told you guys not to eat so much canolli!" A stinging bon mot to be sure. Unintentional humor perhaps, but it made me laugh.

Recommended