Being the first Rockstar title on the Gamecube, Smuggler's Run Warzones began its life on the Playstation 2 as Smuggler's Run: Hostile Territory. And while the territory may be hostile, the game itself is easy to learn, and very friendly to those who may have never played a SR game before.
The concept of Smuggler's Run, in keeping with the badass image of Rockstar games, is a less than noble one: you're a smuggler who transports illegal contraband across international boundaries for highly paying "consumers". While some may push it off as a Crazy Taxi clone, being a cabbie can get old, however, and SR offers that "darker edge".
Actually, to call SR a "clone" would be a mistake. While most missions do have you shuttling item "a" to point "b", (where passengers are replaced by guns for "a") the game has its own unique physics system that forces a bit of strategy, though this strategy pretty much breaks down to "do I trade speed for armor or vice versa?" Longtime fans that played the original PS2 title will be relieved to know that the cops, while still not pushovers, are no longer superhuman versions of NASCAR drivers. The inclusion of countermeasures (read: defense weapons) is also a plus.
Perhaps SR's biggest failing comes in its graphical achievements, or lack thereof. While the game runs at a smooth and consistent 60 fps, and there's plenty of beautiful plantlife, the textures and car models seem a bit on the blurry and underdetailed side. Still, Rockstar attempts to make up for it (and improve its record as "king of game music") with licensed techno beats in game.
With more than 100 missions and a multiplayer mode, Smuggler's Run is a solid title for fans of the series and newcomers alike. Gamecube fans that have been hungry for an A+ driving title may have a bit longer to wait, but Smuggler's Run certainly makes a great entrée.
-George
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