20 More Cult Classics Trapped On Old Consoles

2002’s The Getaway was a lot of people’s first foray into not-GTA, presenting players with an immersive crime story on the PS2. It set itself apart from GTA III, released only the year before, by allowing players to experience both sides of the law in ex-convict Mark Hammond, and police officer Frank Carter, while presenting players with a more grounded, cinematic take on crime drama compared to Rockstar’s more bombastic vision. 

Set in a meticulously recreated version of London, The Getaway is still often cited for its attention to detail, with little touches that set the game apart from its contemporaries. Faithfully recreated shops and buildings bring London to life in a way few cities did at the time, with many other settings feeling more generic due to the technological limitations of the early 2000s. Developer Team Soho circumvented these issues by taking over 500,000 reference photographs of London to aid the process of mapping the city in-game, while the game engine was reworked to stream the more intensive details of London’s streets only when the player was close to them, allowing the team to stretch the PS2 hardware further than had been taken before.

 Other details such as licensed vehicles, no loading screens, and a minimalist HUD also serve to heighten the immersion for players, and it’s therefore unsurprising that The Getaway is still fondly remembered today. The game was very ambitious for its time, and it is this combined with its relatively unique London setting and strong narrative focus which helped it stand apart. It’s disappointing then, that we probably won’t get a chance to revisit that incredible experience on modern hardware anytime soon, nor will a new generation get to experience an impressive early 2000s example of developer ingenuity and technical flair, which is a real shame.