When we heard that Ubisoft had picked up the rights to the Driver franchise from struggling publisher Atari, we were naturally excited that the franchise had been granted a new lease on life, but we also felt some trepidation about where the new developers might take the series. The first title to appear under this new stewardship is Driver ‘76, a portable prequel to the somewhat disappointing console game, Parallel Lines. Driver ‘76 retains the setting, main character and soundtrack from the console title, but remixes the experience with a new story and set of side-missions. This game is inherently hard to review on its own since it invites comparison to the successful GTA series, featuring both open-ended vehicular gameplay and a gritty criminal setting. Many a “GTA clone” has failed to differentiate itself and offer a compelling new experience; we are happy to report, however, that this new Driver game takes some steps in the right direction in terms of gameplay, and offers a coherent and entertaining package on the PSP. Continue reading to find out what sets this game apart from its peers, and why we think that despite its flaws, it can hold its own in a post-GTA world.

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