It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay post! This is the series where we voyage back in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself yearning for more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this January 19 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re diving back 17 years in time to when The Getaway launched on PS2 in North America. This mature-rated titled was developed by Team Soho and published as a PlayStation 2 exclusive by Sony Computer Entertainment. If you owned a PS2, then you could dive into the open world of The Getaway. Set in London, the game follows the story of Mark Hammond, a criminal whose family suffers a tragic end at the hand of a rival gang. Naturally, revenge is the next logical step for this British gangster.
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The Getaway GameRevolution review awarded the game an average 2.5/5, praising its “great story and voice acting,” the “good driving sequences,” and ambitious “shooting for the stars.” However, it still fell short with its “stilted gunning sequences,” “gameplay and control problems,” and “no maps or camera controls.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
The Getaway simply aimed too high, and fell short. The basics of the game, like control and fun, should have been figured out before anyone tried to make it into a movie. Still, The Getaway can be fun despite its flaws: weaving and darting through oncoming traffic, or finally, after trial and error, emerging alive from a tense firefight. Just driving around London is great because you get a real sense of the city. I am hoping there will be sequel because you can see where the over-ambitious developers were trying to go, and I’d really like them to actually get there.
What’s next for The Getaway? Unfortunately, the series’ future isn’t looking very bright, as there has been little talk about the franchise since 2008. Of course, old IPs always seem to be popping up again, even after so many years, so perhaps hope isn’t entirely lost just yet!
You can get a good feel for the game’s attitude by watching the live-action trailer from 2002:
