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Driver 2: The Wheelman Is Back

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You are an undercover driver, trying to survive amidst an international war between American and Brazilian gangs. The action takes you to Chicago, Las Vegas, Rio and Havana, all of which are depicted in detail, with curved roads added from the first game. As before, you have full control over ...

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Developer
Reflections Interactive

Released on
2000

Size
1–2 Players

Version
PlayStation

Requirements
Sony Playstation

Downloads
Action

Publisher
Infogrames

ESRB Rating
T - Teen

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Description

You are an undercover driver, trying to survive amidst an international war between American and Brazilian gangs. The action takes you to Chicago, Las Vegas, Rio and Havana, all of which are depicted in detail, with curved roads added from the first game.

As before, you have full control over the car as it storms around the streets. A new feature is the ability to get out of the car, and carjack others. This is especially useful when you have fallen victim to the advanced damage modeling.

There is a full sequence of missions to complete, as well as some pre-set challenges and a Free Driving mode allowing you to explore at your leisure.

Driver 2: The Wheelman Is Back

Overview & History

Released initially in 2000 by Reflections Interactive and Infogrames for the PlayStation, *Driver 2: The Wheelman Is Back* pushed hardware limits by introducing groundbreaking 3D urban environments and pre-rendered cinematic storytelling. While the original game kept players strictly behind the wheel, this sequel dared to let Tanner step out of his car. The storyline plunges undercover detective John Tanner and his partner Tobias Jones into a high-stakes international crime syndicate war spanning Chicago, Havana, Las Vegas, and Rio de Janeiro. They must track down a ruthless Brazilian gang leader attempting to broker a massive turf war between Chicago and Vegas mobs. Though critics at the time noted the technical strain on the original console hardware—resulting in pop-in and a fluctuating frame rate—the ambition of its open-world design laid the crucial groundwork for the modern sandbox crime genre. Playing it today highlights its gritty, cinematic atmosphere inspired by 1970s car-chase thrillers.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike its predecessor, *Driver 2* expands the core gameplay loop by introducing mandatory on-foot segments. Players can finally exit their vehicles to carjack passing motorists, trigger switches, and explore densely populated city blocks. Driving mechanics remain deeply challenging and physics-driven, emphasizing heavy inertia, realistic weight transfer, and punishing AI opponents that demand mastery of the classic 'tail-whip' and precision handbrake turns. The mission design is notoriously unforgiving, requiring absolute memorization of city layouts and split-second reactions during frantic pursuits, undercover surveillance operations, and explosive escapes.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Steer vehicle / Walk on foot
Action Keys: Accelerate (Up), Reverse (Down), Handbrake (Space), Action/Enter Vehicle (Ctrl)
Enter: Start / Pause