REVIEW: Driver: San Francisco satisfies your "drive through a building" desires

Giant burnouts...
Jumping off trucks...
Crushing phone booths with buses...

These are just three of the things that make games like Driver so much fun. If you're like me and really enjoy doing these things, Driver: San Francisco won't disappoint.

Driver: SF picks up where Driv3r (Driver 3) left off. You play cop John Tanner and once again, you're after criminal Charles Jericho.

I won't give too much of the story away, but I will say that it's surprisingly good. However, if you're playing a game like this for the story and not to drive a Ford GT 500 through an alley at 150mph, you may not think the story is all that amazing.

Driving in Driver: SF, regardless of vehicle, is quite easy and requires little of the expertise that realistic driving games like Gran Turismo and Forza demand. That's not to say that a little finesse on the gas pedal won’t help, but it isn't always necessary.

Driver's newest feature, shifting, is what really takes the game to another level. Shifting allows you to take control of whatever car you'd like and comes in handy when trying to complete missions. Some complex missions make use of rapid shifting back and forth between two police cars, for instance, and these hectic challenges are very rewarding.

If you are interested in causing mayhem with fellow players around the world, you will find hours of enjoyment online. There are several different game modes, and you’ll unlock more as you play more. Prior to each event, there’s a qualifying round. These qualifying rounds, which consist of smashing challenges or speed tests to name a few, set the grid for the online race. The shifting feature carries over, and leads to online racers shifting in and out of cars in an effort to block opponents and lurch into the lead. There was very little to no lag during our play sessions.

This game reminded me of watching National Treasure. Sure, the premise is absurd, but it was unbelievably satisfying and is, in our opinion, worth your money.