Starsky and Hutch's gameplay actually manages to incorporate fairly new mechanics to the drive-and-shoot genre, though its execution is marred by repetitive missions and sloppy AI.
Based on the classic TV show from back in the day, Starsky and Hutch lets you play through seasons of the show, where your goal is to keep viewer ratings up. While innovative on paper, this mechanic essentially boils down to "lose time for bumping into objects, gain time for driving well" with a different name.
Graphically, Starsky and Hutch's visuals don't hold up very well in-game, resembling a first-generation PS2 game. However, the cutscenes between missions are rather well done, featuring Paper Mario style cel-shaded cutouts. Sound consists of cheesy voice-overs and even cheesier 70's funk that sounds like it would be more at home in an adult film than a video game.
All this is a shame, because as far as licensed games go, Starsky and Hutch isn't all too bad. The game is a pretty straightforward shoot-as-you-go kind of deal, almost like a poor-man's Spy Hunter. The innovation lies in the two player mode, which allows one player to use the steering wheel to drive, and the other to shoot with a lightgun. Theoretically, you could drive with one hand and shoot with the other as well, though there is no official implementation of this in 1 player mode.
Starsky and Hutch almost feels like an arcade game that got sent to consoles as budgetware at the last minute, and while the controls are solid and the action is furious, the level design is repetitive at best. Every mission seems to be a clone of the same basic template, and while fans of the series may find some mindless fun here, the rest of us would most likely do well to just plunk our twenty down for a "Greatest Hit."
-George
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