Driver : San Francisco

🎮 Overview

• Title: Driver: San Francisco

• Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, PC, Wii; later streamed on OnLive)

• Release Year: 2011

• Developer: Ubisoft Reflections (creators of the original Driver)

• Publisher: Ubisoft

• Genre: Open-world driving / Action

• Series: Fifth main entry in the Driver series.

📖 Story

The game takes place a few months after Driver 3.

• You play as John Tanner, an undercover cop and skilled driver, who is in pursuit of crime lord Charles Jericho after he escapes custody.

• During the chase, Tanner gets into a severe car crash and falls into a coma.

• The events of the game occur within Tanner’s coma dream, where he discovers he has the strange ability to "Shift"—teleporting into other drivers’ bodies across San Francisco.

• Tanner uses this power to continue the fight against Jericho, blurring the line between dream and reality.

🕹 Gameplay

Unlike most open-world driving games, Driver: San Francisco has a unique twist thanks to Tanner’s new ability:

• Shift Mechanic:

  • Instead of stealing cars on foot, Tanner can instantly jump into any car in the city.

  • This allows you to swap vehicles mid-chase, possess civilian drivers, or set up creative takedowns.

  • For example, you could jump into a truck to block a road, then shift back into your getaway car.

• Driving & Physics:

  • Emphasis on arcade-style handling with cinematic chases, drifts, and high-speed pursuits.

  • No on-foot gameplay (unlike Driver 3); it’s purely vehicle-focused.

• Missions:

  • Story missions involve pursuits, takedowns, and races.

  • Side activities include street races, stunt challenges, time trials, taxi jobs, and police chases.

  • Some missions even have Tanner helping everyday citizens (e.g., helping a driving instructor, aiding a cop, etc.).

• Multiplayer:

  • Online multiplayer supports various modes (cops vs robbers, tag, shift-based races).

  • Split-screen local multiplayer is also included.

🎨 Presentation

• Graphics: Large, detailed recreation of San Francisco, with dynamic traffic and weather effects.

• Cinematics: Stylish, with cinematic camera angles during crashes and takedowns.

• Soundtrack: Classic rock, funk, and licensed tracks fit the car-chase theme.

• Voice Acting: Strong performances, with Tanner voiced by Michael Madsen, giving the game a gritty crime-drama feel.

📝 Reception

• Praise:

  • Innovative Shift mechanic breathed new life into the series.

  • Fun, fast-paced car chases that captured the spirit of Hollywood action films.

  • Large, vibrant open world full of side content.

  • Nostalgic nods to the original Driver games.

• Criticism:

  • Story’s coma twist felt odd to some players.

  • Repetitive side missions over time.

  • No on-foot exploration (which some fans missed after Driver 3).

✅ In short: Driver: San Francisco is a unique, stylish driving game that sets itself apart with its “Shift” mechanic, letting players teleport between cars in real-time. With cinematic car chases, a lively San Francisco setting, and a mix of serious and quirky missions, it’s often remembered as one of the most creative and fun entries in the Driver series.