Vigilante 8
(Activision for the PlayStation)
by Jason Carr
So, did you have a bad day? Work suck more than usual? Your significant other run off with the mailman? Find out you have a raging case of herpes? Feel the need to let out copious amounts of frustration? If you answered yes to any of these, Vigilante 8 is just the thing for you. This is the best driving-combat release for the PlayStation thus far, and the boys and girls at Luxoflux deserve a round of hoots and hollers. What could be better than having 12 screaming, supercharged v8-powered vintage ’70s war wagons complete with independent suspension and loaded with enough firepower to level a small town at your control? How about tossing in ten 3D, fully interactive and destructible environments set in the desolate Southwest, special weapons for each vehicle, two single-player game modes (quest or arcade), head-to-head competition or cooperative ventures with a second player, cockpit or external views, breakthrough graphics, and a very funky soundtrack (if ’70s-style jam is not your thing, just pop the lid and put in your favorite CD after the level starts). Even if the game did suck, the animated cut sequences make it worth striving to complete each of the odd-ball character quests.
Now toss in the Dual-ShockTM analog controller, a few beers, a comfy chair, and prepare for a mind-numbing, arm-vibrating experience that’s guaranteed to get your ass kicked for monopolizing the communal TV for hours on end.
