Released 10th May, in the year 2007 Calling All Cars is Sony`s first major venture into PSN only downloadable gaming and as one might expect being such an early title, it cant compete against some of the PSN`s more recent titles. Saying that, this is a very enjoyable title and at time of release was extremely popular, and you can understand why.

The game is excitingly simple meaning you, your friends and even your parents will find it hard not to grasp the concept and controls within only a few quick sessions. You play as a “the law”, the objective is to capture an escaped “crook” and transport him to the local lock-up, which in itself is simple, but you are up against three others in what can easily turn into an all out war of cat and mouse. You are able to obtain various weapons and power-ups which are comparable to the MicroMachine games of yesteryear. The weapons include a giant mallet, a magnet that sucks the crook straight from the seat of your opponent’s vehicle into your own, and of course a missile.

Calling All Cars is a good example of a title that was always going to be multiplayer from its conception. With the ability to have four way split screen, four player online and two player split screen whilst online you can instantly appreciate having friends if just to beat, and a headset to voice your opinions to those at the other end of your broadband connection (and secretly hope they don’t know who you are in “real life”). Calling All Cars isn’t an online only title as there is a tournament option with AI in place of real people, but going from real people to AI you soon lose a lot of the fun (and a lot of patience at the super-skilled AI) and with there being only four different maps you quickly find yourself bored, frustrated and quickly switching back to hammering abuse at your fellow bipeds.

Graphically it is pleasing. By using a technique referred to as cell shading the devs have kept in feel with the games cartoonie and not so serious feel. The game is very rich in colours and looks nice on a big screen TV, but beware those of you with plasma screens susceptible to burn in as these rich colours can soon become every day viewing, whether you like it or not!

In conclusion, at the time of release the game was fun, but that was about it. It was never meant to be ground breaking and for that reason this title has simply drifted away into Sony`s back catalogue. Unfortunately not so many people are online these days, which is a shame as this game really is good fun online.