Driver: San Francisco Critic Reviews

Until then, Driver: San Francisco is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining, innovative, and challenging racing games you can play on your console or PC.

Fact is, I haven't had as much fun with a racing game in a long time, and this is one even non-racing fans can look to for a good time. With any luck this won't be the end of the renovated Driver and we get to see the mechanic return in a sequel.

The most fun you'll have behind the wheel this year. It feels different from anything you've ever played before and you'll find yourself itching to complete every single task it asks of you. After knocking it out I'm still eager to take it for another spin and you can't give a game a better endorsement than that now, can you?

Ubisoft Reflections has pruned the dead weight from Driver's branches, and the result is a pure, focused experience, unencumbered by redundant mechanics and "me too" design choices.

Driver: San Francisco blows our minds; it's 100% more fun than we expected and immediately re-establishes the franchise front and center in the marketplace.

It has been thirteen years in the making, but Driver has the sequel it always deserved, aside from a restrictive progression model, there is nothing but pure driving and gaming bliss. Even the shifting gimmick works in such a way it adds to the experience rather than hampering it. It is great to be back behind the wheel and back in the directors chair.

It's a shame that this may slip past the gaze of many for it truly is one of the best games that has been released this year. If you want your faith restored in the Driver franchise, then go out and buy Driver: San Francisco.

The spirit of the original Driver returns in a great and very complete game, with a very long campaign that offers plenty of hours of fun, and a multiplayer mode full of variety.

San Francisco has been faithfully re-rendered, down to every street block and tourist spot. And you can easily view and zip to events on a map using a useful HUD that shows you where everything is. The characters look great, too, and, thankfully, they never get out of the car to run around, like they did in Driver 2. This is one smooth-looking ride, baby.

Action-paced racing in an intense thriller setting – highly recommended.

The Shift-Feature is maybe a bit weird but it fits perfectly into the game. The racing speed of Driver: San Francisco is really high and the missions offer a lot of fun.

The car's handling is great, San Francisco is nearly perfect and the progression system and on-line modes are great. There is so much to do in the new Driver.

So the story will get in the way at first - Reflections is obviously a bit nervous about introducing its zany Shift concept without narrative explanation - but, once you're behind the wheel, you'll realise that San Francisco is definitely a long-overdue return to form for the Driver series.

Aside from a story that is sometimes too silly and a difficulty too unforgiving, there's not a lot to complain about in Driver: San Francisco. There are certainly a lot of things to love. The gorgeous graphics and entertaining gameplay definitely make the game a thrill ride.

After the mediocre predecessors, Driver: San Francisco is a really good game, which offers a gripping story and lots of multiplayer modes.

All in All, Driver: San Francisco is a successful rebirth for the series.

Ubisoft Reflections successfully returns the Driver franchise back to its roots by putting the action behind the wheel.

Driver: San Francisco has allayed most of the concerns I had when it was first announced, fixing most of the problems that the previous games were marred by.

The short of it: I don't like racers, and I rarely like driving games, but Driver: San Francisco hit a sweet spot with its gameplay that had me continually coming back for more.

The new Driver is something that has been long in the making. The result is quite good, despite the surprisingly tight difficulty level. Soul shifting is a nice innovation and the arcadish feel for cars makes it fun to push through the tight streets of San Francisco.