Discover games · NexWave Games
Forgotten PS2 adventures for those who have already completed GTA
A big part of the appeal of GTA is the walking around between missions. You take a wrong turn, try out a vehicle or discover how a city reacts to you. More games that played with that idea appeared on the PlayStation 2. Some made city life more serious, others opted for a smaller setting. These four adventures give you a new destination without losing their own character.
The Getaway: London as a crime drama
The Getaway takes you to London, with traffic on the left and streets based on the real city. The developers wanted to create a cinematic experience. You will notice this in the presentation: the environment must provide information that other games put in a striking screen menu. Driving and confrontations on foot are part of the same crime story.
Here the limitation is interesting. You do not play an endless collection of activities, but move through a focused drama. Those who especially enjoy the atmosphere of a gangster film have another reason to explore the London streets. Be aware of controls and missions that are clearly from the PS2 era.
Driver: Parallel Lines is all about the ride
In Driver: Parallel Lines the car plays a leading role. New York forms the backdrop for driver TK's story, which spans two eras. Chases, escaping the police and getting to know the streets give the city its meaning. A car here is something with which you have to solve a difficult situation.
That makes this an attractive adventure for players who want to get behind the wheel again and again in an open world. The change of era also offers a reason to pay attention to details. It's not just about the next destination, but also about how that world feels along the way.
True Crime: New York City on the Other Side of the Law
True Crime: New York City casts you in the role of Marcus Reed, a former gang member turned police officer. You investigate crime in Manhattan and are faced with choices about your actions. The combination of driving, gunplay and bare-handed fighting fits an urban action adventure, but your position as a cop changes the context.
A street is therefore also a workplace where something happens to which you can respond. The game is especially interesting if you are curious about how a police story and a freely exploreable city fit together. Expect the sometimes rough finish of an ambitious older game.
Bully makes the world smaller and more recognizable
Bully, also known as Canis Canem Edit on the original European PS2 release, moves the action to Bullworth Academy and the surrounding area. You follow Jimmy Hopkins during a school year full of lessons, rivalry and mischief. The recognizability is in everyday places: a classroom, the schoolyard or the way back to your dormitory.
Precisely because you visit the same environment more often, you start to recognize the rhythm of that world. A clock and school rules influence what is useful to do at that moment. For those who liked to linger between characters and side activities in GTA, Bullworth has plenty of its own stories to discover.