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THE ITALIAN JOB (PS)
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Publisher: SCi.
Developer: Pixelogic. Released: October 2001. Genre: Driving. Other versions: PC. Posted 15th July 2022. By Shane Battams © 2022 |
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A movie tie-in released well into the PlayStation’s lifecycle seemed doomed to failure, but The Italian Job proved surprisingly decent fun in 2001. Based on the classic sixties film of the same name, Pixelogic would take a page out of other mission-based driving games’ books to recapture the heist hijinks of the movie and did a pretty decent job. While certainly not perfect, with pretty dire presentation and some mechanical frustrations, it manages to capture the simple joy of speeding around various urban vistas and offers a solid amount of content to keep players engaged, earning a sturdy recommendation in the process.
After serving a three-year stint in prison, Charlie Croker hatches a plan to steal millions worth of gold out of the hands of Turin Police and the mafia. Players take the role of one of his drivers, as you travel between London, Turin and the Swiss Alps, while the narrative follows the general thread of the movie. The story is pretty minimal, told through identical-looking briefings that precede each mission and while fake Michael Caine does add a dose of charm to the proceedings, it’s lacking the remainder of the film’s cast of characters and memorable moments, bar a couple of FMVs that replicate iconic scenes.
The Italian Job doesn't look great, but most of its missions are a good deal of fun
The main body of the game takes place over 16 missions, which run the gamut of objectives but are always timed. Whether it’s driving between points, smashing up another car or delivering dynamite without crashing, you’ll be tested with narrow time limits and some challenging outside elements, such as chasing police or mobsters. Your vehicle is not invulnerable and taking too much damage will quickly end your mission. Later missions can be particularly tough, such as a several-minute escape sequence involving blocked paths, constant police chases and skittish-handling Minis. But the frustration is often tempered by the sheer fun, with missions that are usually anarchic and exciting. The only downsides lie with the physics, which are usually decent but sometimes see your vehicle getting stuck and the handling that ranges from manageable to twitchy.
The main mode should see most players taking around seven hours to beat, but there’s also a handful of special modes to keep you playing, utilising the recreations of each city. Checkpoint sees you vying to race between points before time runs out, Destructor tasks you with smashing cones in a sequence, Challenge tutors you on some of the mechanics through a series of short tasks and Free Ride lets you race through each unlocked city, letting you take in the sights. There’s even a loose multiplayer mode here, allowing up to eight players to take turns in racing across these challenges as you vie for the winning time. These modes aren’t the deepest, but they do add some extra fun to those who enjoy their time with the main story and hunger for more.
The main mode should see most players taking around seven hours to beat, but there’s also a handful of special modes to keep you playing, utilising the recreations of each city. Checkpoint sees you vying to race between points before time runs out, Destructor tasks you with smashing cones in a sequence, Challenge tutors you on some of the mechanics through a series of short tasks and Free Ride lets you race through each unlocked city, letting you take in the sights. There’s even a loose multiplayer mode here, allowing up to eight players to take turns in racing across these challenges as you vie for the winning time. These modes aren’t the deepest, but they do add some extra fun to those who enjoy their time with the main story and hunger for more.
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The only weak point is the presentation, which is uneven and exposes the limited budget of this one. There are some bright spots, such as pretty open cities with little fogging and roughly accurate models of cars including the film’s iconic minis. But the ugly character models, frequent slowdown and garish texture work leave it looking dishevelled. Odd moments of wide-shots seemed to be intended to showcase the locales, but it just shows how hard it is to make out everything. The sound is uneven too, with repetitive music and uneven sound effects dragging the game down. The voicing is cheesy fun, especially the hilarious Michael Caine impersonation, though canned lines become tedious after hearing them repeatedly.
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Turin offers a notable change of scenery to London. Just remember to drive on the other side of the road!
In the end, The Italian Job succeeds on a basic level despite some rough edges. While certainly not the prettiest game and suffering from some frustrations at points, its chaotic missions and a plethora of modes should keep fans happy, even if it don’t quite capture all the charm of the movie. As a mission-driving game, it’s much better than you’d expect a movie tie-in from 2001 to be. If you have any interest in either the movie or mission driving games, this one is worth a look, so long as you’re willing to overlook some frustrations.
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VERDICT
"The Italian Job succeeds on a basic level, despite some rough edges. It’s worth a look so long as you’re willing to overlook some frustrations." OVERALL: 7/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: THE ITALIAN JOB (PS)
Pixelogic’s adaptation of The Italian Job, some thirty-two years after the event, proved a welcome and unexpected success story during the latter days of the PlayStation. Despite suffering from ugly visuals that are riddled with pop-up and dominated by murky, messy environments, the game delivers a healthy dose of fun. The story is given personality through briefing vignettes, handled with gleeful vim by veteran actor Phil Cornwell, who takes on the role of Charlie Croker. There’s a madcap spirit to all, seeing the player take the wheel of camper vans, sports cars, buses and an ambassador’s stolen limo. It’ll have you humming along to “Self-Preservation Society” and there’s even a jollified reimagining of “Rule Britannia” as reward for finishing each level. Missions consist mainly of A-to-B drives, though there’s also the odd police chase and several cool missions leading up to the heist, which including taking down a power station and disabling Turin’s security cameras. They offer a well-balanced challenge, only occasionally straying into the realms of frustration. The environments aren’t quite as elaborate as in Driver and they offer less freedom and variety than Grand Theft Auto, but they’re charming and distinctive nonetheless. “The Getaway” level, which centres on the iconic, coordinated escape of the three Minis across a helter-skelter of Turin landmarks, is genuinely magnificent. It’s worth playing just for this level and whilst the main campaign isn’t huge, there’s a raft of additional modes that give The Italian Job respectable longevity. All-told, a spirited and enjoyable driving game. [7] – Tom Clare © 2022
Pixelogic’s adaptation of The Italian Job, some thirty-two years after the event, proved a welcome and unexpected success story during the latter days of the PlayStation. Despite suffering from ugly visuals that are riddled with pop-up and dominated by murky, messy environments, the game delivers a healthy dose of fun. The story is given personality through briefing vignettes, handled with gleeful vim by veteran actor Phil Cornwell, who takes on the role of Charlie Croker. There’s a madcap spirit to all, seeing the player take the wheel of camper vans, sports cars, buses and an ambassador’s stolen limo. It’ll have you humming along to “Self-Preservation Society” and there’s even a jollified reimagining of “Rule Britannia” as reward for finishing each level. Missions consist mainly of A-to-B drives, though there’s also the odd police chase and several cool missions leading up to the heist, which including taking down a power station and disabling Turin’s security cameras. They offer a well-balanced challenge, only occasionally straying into the realms of frustration. The environments aren’t quite as elaborate as in Driver and they offer less freedom and variety than Grand Theft Auto, but they’re charming and distinctive nonetheless. “The Getaway” level, which centres on the iconic, coordinated escape of the three Minis across a helter-skelter of Turin landmarks, is genuinely magnificent. It’s worth playing just for this level and whilst the main campaign isn’t huge, there’s a raft of additional modes that give The Italian Job respectable longevity. All-told, a spirited and enjoyable driving game. [7] – Tom Clare © 2022