Driver® Parallel Lines
- February 13, 2009
- Ubisoft Reflections
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Driver: Parallel Lines" is a thrilling action-adventure game set in New York's criminal underworld, where you seek revenge after being wrongfully imprisoned for 28 years. The game features two time periods, the 70's and modern times, and offers a wide range of customizable vehicles and weapons. Your mission is to rise through the ranks of the criminal world and settle the score with those who betrayed you.
Reviews
- Nostalgic experience with a great soundtrack that captures the 70s vibe.
- Fun driving mechanics and a variety of vehicles to customize and use.
- Engaging storyline that transitions between two distinct eras, providing a unique gameplay experience.
- Clunky controls and shooting mechanics that can be frustrating.
- Repetitive missions and a lack of side activities make the game feel limited.
- Frequent crashes and performance issues on modern systems can hinder the gameplay experience.
- story247 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is a nostalgic blend of two eras, transitioning from the vibrant 1970s to a grittier 2006, which many players found engaging and memorable. While some praised the plot twists and character development, others criticized the story for being predictable and the overall campaign for its brevity, lasting only about 5-8 hours. Despite its flaws, the atmosphere, music, and unique mission designs contributed to a generally positive reception of the narrative experience.
“The 70s setting, with its music and cars, was amazing, and the twist in the story was one of the most memorable ones in my childhood.”
“Set in the 1970s and 2006, this game offers a unique blend of classic car chase action and gripping storytelling that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
“The storyline is interesting and has many twists which keep you engaged, the car and gun gameplay is brilliant and the characters are all voiced well.”
“The story is really boring though; you can pretty much skip the cut-scenes.”
“The main campaign feels rushed; there should have been more missions revolving around the main characters.”
“The story is generic - you're an 18-year-old 'prodigy' wheelman, the best one in town, and you're hired by criminals to help them do their dirty work.”
- music117 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and memorable soundtracks, particularly the 1970s tracks featuring iconic artists like David Bowie and Blondie, which enhance the immersive experience of the game's two distinct eras. While the 2000s soundtrack is generally considered less impressive, many players recommend using mods to restore removed songs for a more complete auditory experience. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment, making it a standout feature for many players.
“The soundtrack alone makes this game worthwhile.”
“The immersion is supreme, with two distinct eras, 1978 and 2006, the soundtrack is just amazing in every way imaginable, the cars are great fun to drive, the map is expansive, and the police introduce a challenge to the game.”
“The soundtrack in this game is phenomenal, with the likes of David Bowie and War in the 1978 soundtrack plus the Audio Bullys and Yeah Yeah Yeahs in the 2006 soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack's been neutered, but there's a mod to restore it somewhere in the guides.”
“Once the story stepped into the 21st century, I simply couldn't stand the songs on the radio and had to turn that obnoxious sound cacophony off.”
“The modern era OST is absolute garbage, which is rather sad in my opinion.”
- gameplay70 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its strong driving mechanics, which many players find enjoyable and ahead of its time, offering a mix of fast-paced driving and action-packed missions. However, criticisms arise from repetitive missions, clunky shooting mechanics, and some frustrating gameplay elements, such as the need for specific funds to access main missions. Overall, while the driving experience is often praised, the on-foot mechanics and mission design leave room for improvement, leading to mixed feelings about the overall gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is a perfect balance of fast-paced driving and intense, action-packed missions.”
“The driving mechanics are still the same, and offer plenty of fun joyriding and cruising the city.”
“It seriously has one of the best driving mechanics that I've experienced in my life and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good driving game.”
“Cutscenes actually look worse than gameplay.”
“Repetitive missions, fixed camera view, clunky shooting mechanics.”
“Gameplay is a joke that doesn't make you laugh.”
- graphics66 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its release period, with many reviewers noting that while they may not be impressive by modern standards, they are acceptable for a game from the mid-2000s. Some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the smooth performance, while others criticize the visuals as cartoonish or lacking detail. Overall, the graphics do not detract significantly from the gameplay experience, allowing players to enjoy the game despite its visual shortcomings.
“The graphics are slick!”
“The graphics were great for the time and still hold up today.”
“Graphics and gameplay look really good for its age and adding the widescreen patch makes it look a bit more modern.”
“Graphically, it looks like everything is made out of paper.”
“This is a pos game, jerky controls, janky graphics, no redeeming qualities as far as I've seen.”
“The graphics are really minimal; it seems that the PC version of this game is a portable version of the PlayStation version.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Driver: Parallel Lines" is widely praised for its immersive quality, effectively capturing the distinct vibes of both the 1970s and 2000s through detailed environments, music, and cultural elements. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel and the game's ability to transport them to different eras, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms regarding mission design and combat dynamics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of driving and open-world gameplay.
“What sets Driver: Parallel Lines apart is its immersive atmosphere and attention to detail.”
“Driver: Parallel Lines has the perfect mood, atmosphere, setting, sounds, and interactions to make you feel like you are truly in the game.”
“However, I lived in 2006 and was really surprised by how developers managed to capture and transfer that atmosphere and spirit of the early 2000s into the game: I just drove around, looked at the city, listened to music, and this is nearly the only game that gave so many nostalgia vibes.”
“The only thing that I didn't like was the stark change of atmosphere between the two eras that the game takes place: the changed radar, the completely different weaponry, not seeing a single car on the streets from the previous era, but I suppose that would be accurate for getting out of prison twenty-eight years later.”
“Comparing it to GTA: the atmosphere isn't as active or dynamic, and the combat isn't as fun.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, frame rate issues, and crashes, particularly on PC. While some players experienced smooth performance, especially on specific setups, the overall consensus highlights a lack of optimization and persistent instability, especially for those using newer hardware.
“I'm using Windows 10 and an Xbox One controller, and it runs great.”
“After that, though, it runs great.”
“Runs great on my ThinkPad!”
“Also very buggy, frame rate issues, and indecisive whether or not it supports gaming controllers.”
“I don't know why this game is so buggy on PC, but it's pretty bad.”
“Sadly, I was hoping to try out this game, but it really seems unoptimized. I was experiencing 10-15 fps with freezes, and the game crashed on me once. What can you do with these older games running on newer hardware?”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. While some players highlight its good replay value and the ability to replay missions, others feel it lacks depth for extended play. However, many agree that it remains enjoyable enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“Npc are stupid, the cops are impossible, and man does it have replay value! I can't stop playing it!”
“Classic game with great replayability.”
“This game has great replayability too.”
“So I think it's a good game to try, only it doesn't have a lot of replay value.”
“Replayable (can make loads of saves and replay missions though you need to 100% the game, I think).”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews on optimization are mixed; while some players report smooth performance and good graphics on mid-range hardware, others experience significant frame rate drops, freezes, and crashes, indicating that the game may not be well-optimized for all systems.
“Fun, great city, graphics hold up very well, and it runs smoothly.”
“The story is so awesome and the game is wonderfully optimized.”
“Anyways this one hour (at the time of writing this) was all good, no performance issue I am running on a GTX 1650 Max Q, so nothing fancy here.”
“Sadly, I was hoping to try out this game, but it really seems unoptimized. What I was experiencing is that it's running at 10-15 fps with freezes, and I had the game crash on me once. But oh well, what can you do with these older games running on newer hardware?”
“I know this is all to do with optimizations and whatnot; I still expected some decent performance in this game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its poorly coded NPCs and their amusingly stupid behavior, as well as comical in-game scenarios like smashing a donut stand to provoke cops. Additionally, the choice of mostly subpar 00s music adds an ironic layer of humor, while frequent AI mishaps contribute to the overall comedic experience.
“The NPCs are so poorly coded and really stupid, it's funny.”
“Funny moments in-game (smash the donut stand to piss off the cops, lol).”
“There are often hilarious AI-controlled accidents that occur throughout the game.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding character development; while some players appreciate the engaging storyline and character design, others feel that the character development could be improved to enhance the overall experience.
“Music is great, character design is pretty good, even great at times; the story is better than one would expect.”
“Driver: Parallel Lines is an amazing driving game from Reflections; this game has a brilliant storyline and character development.”
“The game needed better character development.”
“The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth.”
“I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved throughout the story.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling immersed in the role of a getaway driver as they navigate NYC streets. The combination of engaging gameplay, nostalgic music, and dynamic city life enhances the emotional experience, fostering a deep attachment to the characters and the environment.
“Watching time pass in the city, the characters, guns, and the vehicles really created an emotional attachment in this game.”
“I somehow managed to get my wheel to work and it truly made me feel like a getaway driver, speeding down NYC streets, diving through traffic trying to lose the cops, all the while listening to some sick tunes from the 70's.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization model of "Might & Magic Duel of Champions," a free-to-play game with microtransactions, faced criticism due to the game's abrupt closure, which not only removed it from stores but also erased player achievements and statistics, leaving users without access to significant personal data.
“A more serious case was that of Might & Magic: Duel of Champions, a free-to-play game with microtransactions, whose closure not only removed the game from stores but also erased achievements and statistics from accounts, rendering important player information inaccessible.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it difficult to progress without spending real money.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
“The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers something new to strive for.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
