PS1

Driver: You Are the Wheelman

Driver: You Are the Wheelman is a 1999 action driving game where players take on the role of undercover cop John Tanner. Navigate through open-world cities performing dangerous driving missions in this cinematic pursuit game inspired by 1970s car chase films.

Release Date
January 1, 1985
Players
1
Region
US

Share this game

Story

NYPD detective and former racing driver John Tanner is sent undercover by Lieutenant McKenzie to investigate a crime syndicate; McKenzie instructs Tanner to go to Miami and meet a pimp named Rufus. After arriving in Miami, Tanner uses his driving skills to prove himself to some gangsters in a parking garage, and becomes their getaway driver. Tanner carries out jobs for various criminals before meeting Rufus, who tasks Tanner with rescuing Jean-Paul, one of his associates. Rufus is later shot dead by his girlfriend Jesse, whom Tanner apprehends, and she reveals that Jean-Paul is now in San Francisco.

Tanner goes to San Francisco, where he meets Castaldi, the head of the syndicate, and begins working directly for him. He also meets Rusty Slater, his former racing rival, who also works for Castaldi. Tanner later learns from local informant Mojo that Castaldi is working with a man named Don Hancock, who is running for president. He comes to suspect that Slater has been spying on him and wrecks Slater's car during a chase, resulting in Slater being arrested.

Castaldi's syndicate moves to Los Angeles, where Castaldi plans to assassinate FBI agent Bill Maddox. Tanner instructs Lech, a police associate, to ensure Maddox turns up; otherwise, his cover may be blown. The assassination fails and the police ambush the gangsters, forcing Tanner to take them to safety. Tanner convinces the suspicious gangsters that Slater told the police about the planned assassination.

Lech later tells Tanner that McKenzie recently met with Marcus Vaughn, an FBI agent whom Tanner realizes is working with Castaldi and Hancock. The syndicate then moves to New York, where Castaldi plans a high-profile assassination. Lech tells Tanner that Hancock has bribed several people in the FBI and that McKenzie wants him to pull out of the operation, as he worries for Tanner's cover. Tanner insists on staying undercover and keeps working for Castaldi, intent on uncovering his plan.

Tanner eventually learns that Castaldi plans to assassinate the President of the United States , and Tanner is tasked with driving the President's car. However, he ignores all instructions and takes the President to safety. McKenzie then arrives and tells Tanner that Castaldi and all of his associates, including Hancock and Vaughn, have been arrested, then offers Tanner his badge back. However, Tanner suspects that the police and FBI were involved with Castaldi, so he leaves, ignoring McKenzie completely.

Gameplay Systems

" during the "Undercover" mode. Tanner is trying to scare someone sufficiently, indicated by the "Freak" meter. The same mission as seen on iOS. The game is played out in four cities: Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, each of which remain only partially faithful to the actual city layouts.

A fifth bonus city, Newcastle (where Reflections Interactive is based), is unlockable in the PC version through gameplay and in the PlayStation version using a cheat device, but no missions are available and the playable area is small. The game was notable at the time of its original release insofar as the player was able to explore each city as an open world environment. Driver has often been compared to the Grand Theft Auto series. It also bears significant thematic resemblances to the 20th Century Fox movie The Driver (1978).

Sales & Commercial Performance

Total Copies Sold
1 million copies
Total Revenue
$3.8 million

Media Reviews

IGN
8/10
GameSpot
7.4/10
Edge
7/10
Eurogamer
8/10
Game Informer
8.25/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly
8.3/10
OPM
2001

About Driver: You Are the Wheelman

Driver: You Are the Wheelman is a classic video game released for the PlayStation on January 1, 1985. This title has become a beloved entry in the retro gaming library.

This wiki entry provides comprehensive information about Driver: You Are the Wheelman, including release details, gameplay information, and story synopsis. Whether you're looking to revisit a childhood favorite or discover classic games for the first time, Emulator Games Wiki has you covered.

Some information sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 3.0.