The Getaway : Black Monday

The Getaway: Black Monday PS2 is a single-player action-adventure set in a stylised reconstruction of contemporary London. Developed by Team Soho and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it arrived in Europe in 2004 and North America in early 2005 as the PlayStation 2 sequel to The Getaway. Rather than continue the first game's central protagonists, Black Monday builds a new crime-thriller story around a police investigation, a failed criminal job and an escalating struggle for control of the city.

Its campaign alternates between on-foot action and driving assignments. Missions ask players to reach locations across London, pursue suspects, escape danger, search hostile interiors or survive firefights, with cinematic scenes connecting the action. The game has 22 chapters and shifts its viewpoint among Metropolitan Police Sergeant Ben “Mitch” Mitchell, boxer Eddie O'Connor and young hacker Sam Thompson. Their separate motives and overlapping encounters reveal different sides of the same criminal conspiracy.

Mitch's portion follows an officer returning to duty under a cloud of controversy. His work brings him into contact with journalist Jackie Phillips as he investigates organised crime and the influence of Russian financier Viktor Skobel. Eddie's route begins after a bank operation leaves his associates dead and puts him and Sam in danger. Sam, a resourceful computer specialist with links to the crew, adds a third perspective to the intertwined story. Familiar names from the earlier game appear, but the sequel is designed to stand on the new trio's circumstances and choices.

On foot, The Getaway: Black Monday combines third-person shooting, close-range confrontation and cover-based movement. Players can take weapons from defeated opponents, use corners and obstacles for protection, and approach encounters differently depending on the character. Mitch can make arrests and use police equipment, while Eddie can punch, grab enemies and use a captive as a temporary shield. Sam's sections place more emphasis on stealthy movement. Context-sensitive actions, manual or assisted aiming, weapon changes and camera control are all handled with the DualShock 2 controller.

Driving remains a major part of the PS2 game's identity. Characters can commandeer stationary cars and motorcycles, travel between story objectives and take part in pursuits through London streets. Turn indicators provide route guidance during driving sequences, preserving the series' distinctive in-world approach instead of relying on a conventional navigation display. The game also includes a separate Special Features area with unlockable Race, Chase, Black Taxi and Free Roaming activities, allowing players to race traffic, stop a getaway vehicle, carry fares or explore without a mission objective.

The setting is more than a backdrop for the plot: its streets, estates, stations and interiors support the game's mixture of driving and crime drama. Team Soho, later known as London Studio, continued the series' cinematic PlayStation 2 approach through performed and motion-captured characters and a London-focused open environment. Black Monday therefore occupies a clear place in the franchise as the direct PS2 follow-up to The Getaway, while Gangs of London later took the series in a separate direction on PSP.