Calling All Cars!
Encyclopedia
Calling All Cars! is a downloadable game on the PlayStation Store created by David Jaffe
, creative director
of God of War
. It was released on May 10, 2007. It is also included for free with a 1 year subscription to Qore
.
, although one critic suggested that an early demo version of the game seemed to have "more in common with NBA Jam
than it does Twisted Metal." It employs a top-down 3rd person perspective and cel-shaded graphics. There are bonus vehicles that can be unlocked through the completion of certain tasks, e.g. winning a tournament at Captain difficulty.
The object of the game is to capture escaped convicts while battling against three other bounty hunters who are also trying to capture the criminals. Points are awarded for captured criminals, and the bounty hunter with the most points wins. The game features online multiplayer and split-screen play.
The criminals in question have escaped from a local high-security prison by tunneling out
. Criminals emerge from the ground somewhere on the current level and begin to walk around.
To capture a criminal that has just emerged from the ground; the player must follow an above-car arrow to the criminals location, and ram into the criminal. Upon ramming the criminal is launched high into the air, and upon coming down will be captured by the nearest bounty hunter. A targeting reticule appears under the criminal and turns green if the bounty hunter is in the correct position to collect and red if they are not. If there are no bounty hunters present the criminal will continue walking until rammed again.
Once a criminal has been captured by a bounty hunter the objective is to take it to one of 6 available incarceration facilities. In order of points these are: 1 point - Police Station
, 2 point - Jail
, 3 point - Maximum Security
, Blue Paddywagon, 4 point - Police Helicopter
, 5 point - Red Paddywagon. Once a bounty hunter has captured a criminal, the other bounty hunters objective changes to try to claim the criminal for themselves. This can be done in multiple ways: a high-speed collision, or using one of the three power-ups. These power-ups include a homing missile
, a large, front mounted mallet and a front mounted magnet. The homing missile and the magnet both have lock-on capabilities, the homing missile emits a sound as it nears lock-on and the magnet's "beam" turns red to indicate successful lock-on. The mallet shows a radius around the bounty hunters vehicle that will be effected. If hit by the mallet or homing missile the criminal launches into the air from the previous bounty hunters car, much akin to if it had been rammed for the first time. If hit in a high-speed collision or caught using the magnet the criminal is transferred directly to the bounty hunter.
gave Calling All Cars! a 4/5. Some critics slammed the game, which in turn drew a vitriolic response from David Jaffe, stirring up a bit of controversy. Jaffe have specifically deemed GameSpot's review with a score of 6.7 to be unfair and does not make sense. However, he later went on to call Calling All Cars! a "mistake," specifically in regard to his choice of giving the game a cartoon look which clashed with the "hardcore" style of gameplay. As of October 30, 2007, Calling All Cars! has a score of 77/100 on Metacritic.
David Jaffe
David Jaffe is a video game designer originally from Birmingham, Alabama and currently residing in San Diego, California. He is divorced and has two children. Jaffe graduated from Alabama's Mountain Brook High School, located in Mountain Brook, AL, a suburb of Birmingham. Jaffe then attended the...
, creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
of God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
. It was released on May 10, 2007. It is also included for free with a 1 year subscription to Qore
Qore (PlayStation Network)
Qore is a subscription-based interactive online magazine for the PlayStation Network and replaces the Jampack series of disks offered by PlayStation Underground. Currently only available in North America, the service offers high definition videos, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage...
.
Gameplay
Calling All Cars! is similar to Twisted MetalTwisted Metal
Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat video games published by Sony Computer Entertainment, and developed by various companies during its tenure. The series began on the PlayStation in 1995 and currently features seven games, with an eighth installment currently in production...
, although one critic suggested that an early demo version of the game seemed to have "more in common with NBA Jam
NBA Jam
NBA Jam is a basketball arcade game developed by Midway in 1993. It is the first entry in the NBA Jam series, and was written entirely in assembly language. The main designer and programmer for this game was Mark Turmell...
than it does Twisted Metal." It employs a top-down 3rd person perspective and cel-shaded graphics. There are bonus vehicles that can be unlocked through the completion of certain tasks, e.g. winning a tournament at Captain difficulty.
The object of the game is to capture escaped convicts while battling against three other bounty hunters who are also trying to capture the criminals. Points are awarded for captured criminals, and the bounty hunter with the most points wins. The game features online multiplayer and split-screen play.
The criminals in question have escaped from a local high-security prison by tunneling out
Prison escape
A prison escape or prison break is the act of an inmate leaving prison through unofficial or illegal ways. Normally, when this occurs, an effort is made on the part of authorities to recapture them and return them to their original detainers...
. Criminals emerge from the ground somewhere on the current level and begin to walk around.
To capture a criminal that has just emerged from the ground; the player must follow an above-car arrow to the criminals location, and ram into the criminal. Upon ramming the criminal is launched high into the air, and upon coming down will be captured by the nearest bounty hunter. A targeting reticule appears under the criminal and turns green if the bounty hunter is in the correct position to collect and red if they are not. If there are no bounty hunters present the criminal will continue walking until rammed again.
Once a criminal has been captured by a bounty hunter the objective is to take it to one of 6 available incarceration facilities. In order of points these are: 1 point - Police Station
Police Station
Police Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
, 2 point - Jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
, 3 point - Maximum Security
Supermax
Supermax is the name used to describe "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons, which represent the most secure levels of custody in the prison systems of certain countries...
, Blue Paddywagon, 4 point - Police Helicopter
Police aircraft
A police aircraft is an airplane, helicopter, powered paraglider, or blimpused in police operations. They are commonly used for traffic control, ground support, search and rescue, high-speed car pursuits, observation, air patrol and riot control...
, 5 point - Red Paddywagon. Once a bounty hunter has captured a criminal, the other bounty hunters objective changes to try to claim the criminal for themselves. This can be done in multiple ways: a high-speed collision, or using one of the three power-ups. These power-ups include a homing missile
Guided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
, a large, front mounted mallet and a front mounted magnet. The homing missile and the magnet both have lock-on capabilities, the homing missile emits a sound as it nears lock-on and the magnet's "beam" turns red to indicate successful lock-on. The mallet shows a radius around the bounty hunters vehicle that will be effected. If hit by the mallet or homing missile the criminal launches into the air from the previous bounty hunters car, much akin to if it had been rammed for the first time. If hit in a high-speed collision or caught using the magnet the criminal is transferred directly to the bounty hunter.
Reception
GameSpot gave Calling All Cars! 6.7/10, saying the game is "a frantic good time that's cut short by a serious lack of content. You can finish the single-player game in about 20 minutes." IGN, however, gave the game 8.5/10, stating that the multiplayer more than makes up for the single player flaws, and X-PlayX-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
gave Calling All Cars! a 4/5. Some critics slammed the game, which in turn drew a vitriolic response from David Jaffe, stirring up a bit of controversy. Jaffe have specifically deemed GameSpot's review with a score of 6.7 to be unfair and does not make sense. However, he later went on to call Calling All Cars! a "mistake," specifically in regard to his choice of giving the game a cartoon look which clashed with the "hardcore" style of gameplay. As of October 30, 2007, Calling All Cars! has a score of 77/100 on Metacritic.