Getaway 2: Details & Hi-Res Screens

Check out these lovely hi-resolution screenshots from The Getaway 2, along with everything we know about the game so far.

We've not done much on The Getaway 2 just yet, so here's all that's known on the game so far, along with a selection of lovely hi-res screens.

Although several key staff departed Sony's London Studio (previously known as Team Soho) after the original's release, including director Brendan McNamara who returned to Australia to set up his own development team, other key staff remain. Chun Wah Kong has returned as lead designer - he started work on the sequel as soon as the original was finished.

The game is set two years after the original and follows the sordid adventures of a brand new cast, led by fighter and bouncer, Eddie O'Connor. He's something of a local celebrity, as a star amateur boxer, born and raised with the traditional values of the East End. London Studio warns us: "You want to be on Eddie's side when things get rough."

Indeed, things can get very rough in London these days, and it's those very same values that risk dragging Eddie into a world he can't control, it says here.

The setting is still central London. Speaking to the UK's official PS2 magazine, the game's new director Naresh Hirani explained, "The focus this time has been to add more detail. There really was no point in expanding the city outwards to the suburbs. For one thing, it's not much fun driving around Wembley." Especially not with two fallen twin towers, we'll bet.

The inclusion of London's Underground system in the game has been a hot rumour for around a year now, but can't be confirmed 100% just yet. Exactly what its function might be has yet to be revealed - but perhaps it might serve as a game map, making it easy to get from location to location, with the occasional storyline intervention when there's a delay from somebody jumping in front of a train.

Hirani continues, "Overall, the ambition is to add depth across the whole experience. From the actors' performances to the police AI and the sheer size and scale of the [interior] locations... I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised at the range of vehicles we've got for the game."

The original Getaway, which was in development for about seventeen years, provoked a series of fiercely mixed reviews when it was finally released. In particular, many gamers complained about the combat system, and certain elements of the mission-based gameplay, while the storyline, and authenticity of in-game London were praised across the board.

But with some considered improvements and a whole lot of extra polish being promised, The Getaway 2 could be a vastly superior experience to its predecessor - and in any event, is certainly one to keep an eye on. Stay tuned for all the latest on The Getaway 2, but don't expect much more until E3.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com