Two words could be used to describe "Stuntman" for Sony's Playstation 2: aggravating and addicting.
The idea for stuntman is like something from a Burt Reynolds movie or the 1980s Lee Majors TV show "The Fall Guy." You are a stuntman, which in this case means a stunt car driver, and you are expected to complete a "scene" by racing your car through city streets, crashing into boxes and jumping bridges.
You earn points and move up the stuntman rankings by completing each scene successfully. Each obstacle course, or "movie," contains several levels, or "scenes," that need completing.
Each scene has to be completed within a certain time limit. Points are collected based on how banged up your car is at the end of the scene, how fast you completed it and how many times you crashed and burned.
The 3D graphics for this game are excellent.
The problem with "Stuntman" is the game is not very forgiving. Taking a turn too wide or bumping into another vehicle is almost a guarantee that the "scene" will have to be shot over. And after 20 takes, shooting the same scene over and over becomes monotonous.
Another problem is the player is left to figure out most of the game by trial and error. A director is allegedly shouting commands as you drive the car, such as "turn left" or "turn right," but in real life this person would probably be fired for a lack of direction.
Because there are so many restarts to each scene, "Stuntman" can get bogged down in a lack of flow, especially for first-time players. Although the graphics are great, they take a few extra seconds to load. Waiting for each scene to reload after only a few seconds of play can get old fast.
That said, a player will probably end up doing a scene over and over despite the frustration level. "This time I'll hit that corner right," or "I'll hit the brakes sooner this time." And the next thing you know an hour has gone by.
Overall, you may find yourself screaming at the TV while playing "Stuntman" and cursing yourself for buying the game. But at the same time, you'll sit and take the abuse over and over again. That's why I'm hoping "Stuntman 2," will build on the good ideas from this game.
"Stuntman" is rated T for teens.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com