Stuntman

Stuntman for PlayStation 2 is a 2002 stunt-driving game developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Infogrames under the Atari label. Rather than putting the player in an ordinary race, it casts them as a rookie vehicle stunt performer working on action films. Each assignment is a tightly planned take: cameras are rolling, a director calls for specific manoeuvres, and the route has to be completed well enough and quickly enough for the production to move on. Reflections brought to the concept its experience with cinematic driving games, using controlled slides, crashes and near misses as the point of the performance.

The central Stuntman Career mode is built around a series of fictional movies with different genres and locations. The production begins with a London-set gangster picture and moves through a rural American chase, a Hong Kong-inspired action feature, a snowy thriller, an Egyptian adventure and a spy-film finale. Each film is divided into individual stunt scenes, so progress depends on learning a set piece, following its marks and successfully finishing the take. Completing a film unlocks a trailer that combines the game's presentation with highlights from the player's own driving, giving the career a fitting movie-industry payoff.

A scene is more than a matter of reaching a finish line. The director gives spoken or on-screen cues for actions such as hitting a target, taking a jump, passing through a marked area or forcing a dramatic collision. The player drives with steering, acceleration, braking and a handbrake that is particularly useful for sharp turns and powerslides. Each required stunt contributes to an accuracy assessment, while the scene also has a time limit. Missing too many instructions, losing too much time or wrecking the vehicle can end the take and send the player back to its start.

That structure makes route knowledge and vehicle control equally important. A ramp may need to be approached at the right speed; an obstacle may need to be struck from a particular angle; and an apparent shortcut can be a mistake if it causes the next director cue to be missed. The game asks players to balance precision with the deliberately unruly spectacle of a chase scene. It also makes its cinematic theme part of the rules: the goal is not simply to survive the drive but to deliver the stunt that the fictional production requested.

The PlayStation 2 release supplies a varied line-up of vehicles to suit its film sets. Cars share the spotlight with vehicles such as motorcycles, snowmobiles, tuk-tuks, jeeps and larger transport, so the feel of a scene changes with the role being performed. Between movie assignments, Stuntman includes stadium-based challenges that test driving skills before the next production. These events, along with the changing film genres, keep the career focused on staged driving scenarios rather than a conventional championship ladder.

Outside the career, Stunt Construction lets players build their own stunt arrangements in an arena. Progress in the main game unlocks additional vehicles and equipment for this mode, including props designed for jumps, collisions and action-movie hazards. Driving Games presents more focused vehicle-control tests, emphasizing manoeuvrability, timing and precision. The package also allows completed scenes to be replayed, giving a successful run the chance to be viewed as a filmed sequence instead of only as a scored mission.

Stuntman arrived during the PlayStation 2's early years, after Reflections had become known for Destruction Derby and Driver. Its emphasis on executing scripted stunt beats set it apart from the open road pursuits associated with Driver, while the damage, sliding and crash-heavy action retained a clear connection to the studio's driving heritage. The game later led to Stuntman: Ignition in 2007. For players interested in a PS2 driving game where memorising a scene and nailing its planned spectacle matter as much as speed, the original Stuntman remains a distinctively film-focused take on the genre.