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From The UK - played it (for once the UK has a game first!)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 47 / 53
Date: December 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

OK, most of you will have played Vice City, and all of you will agree that it is pretty much the best game ever made. But The Getaway is different, expect a more grotty, realistic experience. It is nothing like any other game out there, with the no frills gaming screen - no bars or ammo counts - like in rel life you must count your bullets one by one to keep track, and you must keep track of your health by your characters reaction, and if you get too blood stained - just lean against a wall to replenish your claret. Add to that the fact that the city isn't a represtation of London - it is London beautifuly mastered.
OK, here are a couple of nice details - go inside and shoot a crate of beer, and it spills bud all over the floor, and like in vice city, if you shoot a car window - it will not just smash - it actualy leaves a bullet mark until it smashes!

To sum up - take all the free roaming and shooting elements of GTA:VC, and add that to MGS:2, mix in a bit of Lock Stock, and you just about have it. If you are going to buy any game with your chrismas money - buy this (and a PS2!!!).

A Great cinematic experience set in the heart of London.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: December 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

When first hearing about a cockney speaking version of GTA, I instantly thought it'd be a 5 minute interest and everyone would be done with it. Obviously not! When playing a demo of the game, I needed to buy it when released. Over here in England it was released the beginning of December. Being presented in a widescreen format, brilliant voice acting and a down-to-the-cashpoints (EXACT) replica of 46 square kilometers in London, makes this game a must for the people who like realisim. Unlike GTA all cars are real makes, the place is real, the feeling is real. I suggest anyone who likes gta get this game, its great.

Getaway, from me

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 13
Date: December 17, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If you want to be in an underworld environment get GTA:VC (Praise) and get an English guy to sit behind smoking a cigar saying "Markie Boy" "Good job my son" "Want some afternoon tea?" "jolly good gov'ner" "where's the gaffer?" "you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" " three lions on the shirt" "1966". The guy you play is called Mark and he runs stuck in like an alabama tick, he cant shoot, he fires blanks and so his wife is dead, either by a Bullet or boredom, we dont know.The guys out for revenge but mid game he ends up teaming up with the woman involved with killing his wife, talk about an idiot. Dugh!
Basically Driver meets GTA meets a Army men 3D game with an element of "cockney slang" Why could'nt it of been staged in God-bless it these United States.

good, not quite good enough

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 19, 2002
Author: Amazon User

if you have any sense, you will buy this game over christmas, the gameplay and the game itself is first class. just ask yourself which other game over christmas will copmare to the breathtaking realism of the getaway??
Most of you will believe that vice city is still the greatest title of this type of game, however, for those of you who want more than just the basic concept of vice city then the realism of this game will ensure that this will be the game to have ovewr christmas!!
YOU MUST HAVE THIS GAME!!!

3 years in development, 3 minutes in playtesting?

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: December 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Well, that's what it seems like anyway. People vanish in midair and talk after you've killed them, the camera angles don't show you who you're shooting at half the time...what gives?

Apparently the game is very 'realistic', as evidenced by features like the lack of a health bar...Hammond can't even open a bleedin' door, how realistic is that?

Nice touches like leaning out to the side when crouching behind a barrier or leaning against a wall, and taking hostages, are ruined by the fact that you can't shoot at the same time, and the poor transition between these 'stealth' modes and the 'combat' mode, which will often see the camera angle change your viewpoint completely. And don't even get me started on the dodgy targeting system. How about just letting us use the right joystick Team Soho?

Although the voice-acting and cut-scenes are well done, you won't appreciate it after having to watch the same cut-scene for the fifth time as you reload a saved level...that's right, you can't skip them and they go for anything up to 5 minutes.

Unfortunately this game lives up to the common criticism of hybrid games; the driving bits aren't as good as a dedicated driving game and the shooting bits aren't as good as a dedicated third person shooter (oh for some Max Payne-like control!).

In summary a good concept poorly executed and obviously rushed out for Xmas. If you feel like shelling out your hard-earned bucks to Beta-test a game, be my guest. My copy will be getting traded in tomorrow. Not Happy Jan!

Good game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: December 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Well, I finally got to play Getaway(U.K version) and for the most part, am quite pleased. I only played it for about 1 hour, and then took it 'round a friend's house, where we induldged in some serious playing tme with the game. General census after a few hours was that at first it's a bit hard to like, but it does start to grow on you eventually (we played into the very early hours, which is kind of testament to the game's charm). It's neither a GTA clone and doesn't try to be, but it mixes aspects of GTA and SC with driving and stealth.
In the game, you're Mark. Mark's wife goes outside their house with son intact and out of nowhere some Landan (which is how it's pronounced in Cockney rhyming-slang) gang try to kidnap the kid. Wife interferes - gets shot). Mark hears the shot and out he goes. The kid's kidnapped and the cars burning off. He stupidly handles the gun used to shoot his wife and hence he is the number one suspect and accused of kidnapping his own kid. Mark tends to his wife, and then jumps in a car and the chace begins. The whole game then revolves around you getting your kid back by working for this gang and doing everything they tell you.
The cars actually control quite nice. Framerate's pretty good, but studders in spots. It runs 60fps mostly but dips to 30fps on occasion. Especially when there's too much on screen/or you crash into someone and multiple cars catch fire. The streets are much more populated than the barren streets of GTA Vice for instance, there is alot of traffic, just as there always is in London. There's also a nice little touch where your indicators blink when you need to turn (in relation to your mission) and both flash when you've got to your destination. The city is also rendered very well. If you live in London, you'd be amazed that a game could be designed so cloesly to it's real life structure. The cars are modeled extremely well, with enviroment mapping and impressive physics. All the cars are licensed from real manufactures, unlike GTA. Draw distance is also quite good. In comparison to GTA3/Vice, the Getaway looks ten times better, it really does.

Controlling Mark on foot is gonna be where the game gets its criticism by some. Aiming is a bit ropey, along with controlling the camera. Control of Mark on foot is akward at first, but get's a bit easier as you play. For example, the shooting sections of the game, I discovered I'd been using the wrong button to enter shooting mode - I'd been using manual aim rather than auto-aim. With that minor correction, I was silently flitting through the warehouse MGS style, popping up over benches with a shotgun, or firing two guns round doorways. You can only carry one [set of] weapons, and walking over another one will automatically result in Mark picking it up. Whether or not you intented for him to is another matter. Though it must be said there is a nice variety of weapons in the game.

The basics of what Mark can do is back up to a wall (peer around). You can point your gun around the corner and take random blasts in hope of hitting someone with the benefit of them not being able to hit you. This usually leads to mass ammo being wasted. You can crouch under small walls (waist height) and strafe around them. Also a nice little tactic is to line yourself up with someone behind the wall and press shoot to point your gun over and fire off a few rounds. Like GTA, you can take any car you want, stealing or otherwise. You can also hold people hostage at gunpoint, if the cops get too close for your liking. Also, you get to play as two different characters in the game, one is Mark, I'll keep the other as a secret. The AI is standard stuff. The cops (when in a vehicle) are lethal in trying to run you off the road when you're wanted, and makes for some pretty exiting police chases, espescially in the crowded London streets. The vehicles do take damage so if you bang up your ride too much, you'll need to ditch it and steal another one. All in all, the missions are fun and are quite varied. They take place both outdoors and indoors. You're probably asking if there is a non linear free rome mode, ala GTA, and the answer is yes, and it's a blast to play. It will definitely take you awhile to completely finish the game, and offers fairly good replay value.

The cinematics/voice acting is superb. Some real nice cinematics, and some of the dialogue is L-O-L funny. Some nice product placement going on. Cans of Stella, XXXX, Sony mobile phones and most high-street stores (Burger King, McDonalds, Odeon Cinemas, etc, etc). These is some adult words used here as well, actually alot. All in all, Sony delivered on a very ambitious game and I am quite plesaed with the results. I'd give the game a 9/10 score overall and definitely recommend fans of the genre to pick this game up when it hits the States.

The Getaway

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 30, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Well if youre wondering why im writing a review on a game thats supposed to be released early next year,
the reason being that ive played "The Getaway", on my PAL version which was just released lately.

You play as Mark Hammond, an Ex-Gangster, brought back into the spotlight of crime, after the kidnapping
of his son by his ex-boss. This is where the first level starts off from. "The Getaway", is a story-driven,
3rs person shooter game, very similar to "Mafia", and 'Max Payne".

The graphics are stunning. Simply superb. You can drive around London within a 40Km area, which is
highly detailed with traffic signals, pedestrians, sidewalks, real time cars(Including Rover,Lexus,
Mercedes,Range Rover,Volvo, Fiat and quite a few more), and not to forget, the Police. For your navigation
in the game, there isnt a map(which I found quite bothersome), rather you navigate throughout the
metropolis following your Car Indicators. So if youre not in a car, then theres absolutely no way of
knowing where you are, and where you need to go. Visual effects of the cars getting damaged is very
realistic, and so is the effect when you or anyone else gets shot.

The controls is where "The Getaway", loses a star. The controls are awfully sluggish and slow. As stated
before by another viewer, Hammond moves like an 90 year old man. It takes him about 5 minutes to
turn around, and 10 minutes to get from one end of the street to the other. The driving controls are
nothing different. The car moves slowly, takes ages to come to a halt and takes ages to
accelerate. There is no auto-aim, so you have to aim at the enemy yourself, which is pretty
difficult and frustrating.

The gameplay deserves some praise. Well thought out story and well executed. Levels are highly detailed,
however are pretty difficult. Player damage can effect Mark Hammond. If he gets shot too many times, then he slouches
and gasps for breath. You can increase his health by making him lean against a wall, thus there
are no Medi-paks in the game.

In conclusion, "The Getaway", is a fun game, but extremely difficult. Its not as fun GTA:Vice City
or GTA, but its still an entertaining gaming experience!

wat did u say

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 32
Date: December 31, 2002
Author: Amazon User

so u like gta3
well from wat u see in the simpsons and things like that u yanks(americans) think we brits are all suits tees and posh
...
its gta3(another british game) meets max payne the driving is amazing you can actully drive a fiat de punto or a merc no rubbish names like murcedas bens then and the look is brilliant its like a london tour without payin 200 quid or about 300 bucks to you its worth the money on the fact its a free tour and its 40 bucks
GET IT!!
and the other reviewer said u have to wait 5 minuits
i dont think so push R3 on the controller and u do get all the best bits about gta3 in their and yes i mean the golf buggy and go cart
think bout it driving a golf buggy on some of the bussiest streets in the world or a london bus and in gta3 u cant open doors so stop wingin
have u noticed all the ppl who complain are yanks because your jelouse we have a cool game in london and dont worry gta4:london is out in 1 year

u get hostages,no stupid police,strip clubs,gangsters,cool cars,huge huge huge city wat takes like 1 hour to get to 1 side to the other,and best of all HARD ASSED BRITS

DO NOT GETAWAY FROM THIS ONE! AMAZING GAME!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: January 08, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Oi!!! This game is wicked!!! Oops, the authentic british accents on this game really gets in your head. But the very second I turned the game on, my jaws was opened the whole bloody time! The graphics are top notch. The character animations are smooth and accurate. The language in this one is not for the young peeps, violence is off the charts. I have never heard so many uses for the F-word in this game anywhere. And the large detail and authentic look of London they created for the game gets high marks from me. This game has everything! And I'm talking about the demo game not the full version. Imagine how much time you will lose once the full version comes out this coming January 22nd.
The game is like this. If you got the teams of Grand Theft Auto, Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid 2, Splinter Cell, and Dead to Rights with Guy Ritchie directing the whole project and having the elements of the movie "Snatch", and "Locks Stocks and 2 Smoking Barrels, with a dash of Micheal Bay and the game Max Payne, mix it up and you get "The Getaway". This game is surreal!!!!!! You get so many out of this one game!!!!!!
The game is going to be compared to Grand Theft Auto automatically. So that aside, you can jack any car you want. Anytime and anywhere you want. The car explodes when you crash it too much. It smokes up and boom! You can even shoot out the tires. You can go on foot, or go the faster way by jacking one of the many licensed authentic cars in the game. The best part is that you can kill anyone you want. It even has that "Dead to Rights" hint where you can sneak up behind someone and hold them as hostage and use them as shield. You can either let them go afterwards or shoot them on the head. I usually shoot them.
This game requires stealth as well as brains to survive the onslaught on the London streets. This is where you can be like Snake in Metal Gear. Go up against the wall to sneak around the corners. Use an arsenal of machine guns, handguns, and other goodies to the mix. The cut scenes are very cinematic and well done. You can now tell why this game took such a long time to make. It is worth the wait for the visuals it produces.
The lighting in this game can compare to "Splinter Cell's" lighting. The shadows and light is well placed and realistic looking. The movements and muscle tensions are all there. You got to be tactical so you must place some well timed bullet firing to your enemies and make sure no one is around to shoot you on the back.

Now let's talk about the driving experience. WOW!!! The cars are almost as detailed as the ones in Gran Turismo 3! Really great lighting and reflections and all. The driving dynamics and feel reminds me of Gran Turismo 3. If you brake too fast and turn the corner, you will spin out of control. The damage control is really good as well.
The game has no map, no time limit, and no damage/life bar. So if your navigating your way to the destination during a mission, whatever car your driving will have its blinkers flashing to indicate what direction your suppose to go to. It takes time to get use to it but it's no big deal once you get the hang of it. But make sure your backside hasn't sustain too much damage or else your blinkers won't work. And there is no life bar to indicate what damage state your in. Instead the damage indicator relies on how much blood is on the main characters suit. To gain your health back, you have to lean against a wall to rest a bit and get some energy back. It takes about maybe 15 to 20 seconds to get back to full health after a heavy fire fight. Team Soho the makers of The Getaway wanted to let the game have a movie feeling to it by not including any icons or maps on the screen. Yes it also takes time to get used to but after a while, it actually isn't a big deal too.
The game also boast one of the best environments I have ever seen. It recreates about 30 miles of London to drive and explore around. Think of it as a game that can also be a tourist guide for you when you go to London. After playing this game for a while, you might just know the streets of London by heart. It's that accurate!
In closing, The Getaway for the PS2 is a must have and a good game to get for the beginning of this year. From the demo I have seen so many things that reminds you a lot of the great Grand Theft Auto games. It will and always be compared to GTA, but this game offers a lot more difference for a fresh playing experience. It won't be as fast paced as GTA or the cars won't be that easy to drive just like in GTA, but this game you can say is an answer to GTA in full british style. BUY THIS GAME!!!!

One of the best games ever!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: January 15, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game has to be the most realistic game. The cars look real and there is real body damage not just panel damage. The game will definatly be a challenger to the Grand Theft Auto series. I am not saying GTA [...is bad] because it is probably the best game but this game is equal in gameplay.

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