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There's some games out there that go right to the heart of who we are, and play on our deepest fantasies. No matter what the rest of the game looks like you're into it cause it lets you play out some scenario you've always wanted to play. The first Star Wars game that let me take down an AT-AT comes to mind, or being able to create your own movie in "The Movies". A few years back there was a game that I knew I would buy on day one. A game where I could care less what scores it got, I knew I had to have it. A game where I could be a stunt driver. The game was Stuntman.
Basicially, you're thrown onto a movie set, and have to perform a series of actions (Pass close on the right, jump flaming barrels, flip car onto spot, corkscrew jump over river, etc). The game then puts you in a scene and the director yells out the directions over your headset. There's alot of different stunts in alot of different vehicles in a lof of different movies. But is it enough?
 There's a decent amount of movies (6 all together), and each has you driving in very different locales in very different cars. You drive the backstreets of London in a "Snatch" type flick, then into the countryside for some "Dukes of Hazzard". There's an "Indiana Jones" movie which was easily the most frustrating, since the desert vehicles controlled so poorly. A movie in the mountains that has you zipping around on snowmobiles, and an Asian crime movie where you drive a tuk-tuk from rooftop to rooftop. The game finishs off with a "James Bond" megapicture with some insane fun stunts, like sliding you car underneath a semi and jumping over a helicopter.
On top of all that, every stunt you complete unlocks cars, ramps, barrels, rings of fire, and all other sorts of cool toys you can take to the stunt track, and set up your own stunts. It's actuallu alot of fun.
 No matter how cool a concept is, if there's no good game behind it you'll never make it all the way through. Stuntman is from the same guys that made Driver, so right away you know you're in for some potentially frustrating gameplay. The controls are basic, leaning more to arcade driving than simulation. But sometimes the car feels a little too mushy, like it's floating rather than really on the road. There's also no way to know exactly how the car will react, especially on landings. Once you get used to it, it's gets much easier to control everything, but Gran Tursimo fans (Greshkov I'm looking your way) will want to look elsewhere.
There are a few problems with this game that keep it from being a lot of fun. You're asked to do a large number of stunts stringed together with barely any room for error. Problem with that is the director is late on the mic telling you to do stuff, so usually it's just trial and error until you have the whole thing memorized. It would also be nice to be able to practice one stunt in the sequence a few times so when you need to slide the car under a semi and then jump a helicopter at the very end of a scene, you know what you're getting into. When you play the game, expect to fail at your current mission, A LOT. Once you get into the game a bit, you're forced to memorize every single aspect of the scene, before you'll ever have a prayer of beating it.
 Beat Stunt 1, fail 2.
Beat Stunt 1,2, fail 3.
Beat Stunt 1,2,3, fail 4. repeat this over and over until you finish the scene.
Now knowing all of that, when you DO complete the stunt scenes, there's huge feeling of accomplishment. You know you've earned it. And when you finish each movie, they play a trailer intercut with clips of your driving in the various sunts. It's incredibly stressful while you're playing, but when you beat it you only remember the fun times.
Is this game worth the time or money to play these days? I purchased this game again recently and I paid 2.99 at Gamestop, so yea, it's worth the money. The time is another question all together. This game will suck up alot of time playing and re-playing the same levels over and over. Those who see you play will wonder how the hell you can possibly be enjoying yourself. Truth is, there's a good chance you won't be. This is one of the hardest games I've ever played, and not in a "that was a game that was challenging and fair" kind of way. This right here is a game I'm proud to have bested, and I have the scars to prove it. If you like getting your ass kicked by Ninja Gaiden Black, check out this game. But for those of us with less time to play than we'd like, you'll want to spend your precious time elsewhere.
There's not really any replay factor to speak of, since once you beat a "movie" there's no reason to return to it, at all. You do unlock different items to place in a stunt track (ramps, barrels, flaming rings, etc) and for a bit that's fun but not for long.
I really want to love this game. At times, it's alot of fun. And in the end, I'm really glad to have played/beat it. With a sequel in the works for the PS3, and if they fix a few problems this game could be fantastic. Stay Tuned.
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