Stuntman Hollywood Hands-On Exceeded All Expectations, Cinephiles Rejoice

Stuntman Hollywood was, without a doubt, one of the best things I played at Summer Game Fest, and fans are going to eat it up when it launches.

Thrilling chases, gravity-defying jumps, desperate escapes. These are staples of Hollywood, and they’re all present in the latest game from Saber Interactive, who are also bringing you other exciting titles like Turok: Origins and Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival.

I played Stuntman Hollywood at this year’s SGF, and perhaps it’s because I went in with tempered expectations, but it turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip.

Hands-on time was around 20-ish minutes, but in that short time, I burned rubber past superyachts, reenacted the opening of Back to the Future and escaped a cataclysmic earthquake. It was exciting stuff.

Stuntman Hollywood isn’t your average racer. Speed is definitely of the essence but you’re primarily judged through danger.

Once you’re behind the wheel of whatever gorgeous automobile you’re driving next, the film’s director will talk you through the scene. As you make your way through the course, you’ll receive orders, like weaving into and out of oncoming traffic, making an immaculate drift around a bend or driving straight through a distant billboard.

Saber Interactive

If you miss your mark, that’s okay, as you can make up the points later in the run, but I’m sure the majority of gamers will be aiming for a perfect lap.

Film Icons

Of course, we can’t talk about Stuntman Hollywood without talking about the world-renowned IPs featured in its levels.

As I said before, I took the time-travelling Delorean for a spin, which was obviously the best part of the demo. Hearing the music swell as I hit the NOS and swerved past extras almost brought a tear to my eye.

Plenty of other Universal IPs will also be featured, and we’ve seen quite a few already. You’ve got Knight Rider, Miami Vice, Fast and the Furious and a couple of deep cuts, like Earthquake.

I had a brief chat with the producer of the game, Tim Lohrenz, afterwards, and while they didn’t share what other film icons might be in the full game, they did tease that there was more to come.

My hopes include a Jurassic Park, Jaws and maybe a lap or two through one of the Universal theme parks just for a laugh.

At the time of writing, Stuntman Hollywood doesn’t have a release date, but after my short time with the game, I’m convinced it’s going to be worth the wait, however long that may be.

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