Payback

Game Boy Advance · 2004 · EU

Publisher: Zoo Digital Publishing · Developer: Apex Designs · Genre: Racing

Influenced by Grand Theft Auto, Payback is set across 4 different cities totaling 100 square kilometers of landscape. You can perform all manner of illegal activities to try to achieve wealth, including carjackings, murders, shootings and run-overs. Stealing vehicles is the real meat of the game, as these must be used for the various missions, which are obtained by walking over to phone boxes, as in GTA. There are dozens of these, all with different handling characteristics, and include trucks, buses and even boats. The mission structures are non-linear, meaning that how you perform in one part can affect how later parts unfold, and the game includes Perspective Corrected 3D graphics with realistic shadows and rotational effect, as well as a full 3D soundtrack of aggressive rap and mid-tempo rock.