The Getaway

Jolson makes it clear: unless Mark does what he orders him to do, the boy dies. Using the helpless man in his plan to bring down other criminal organizations of the city, Jolson sends Mark on suicidal missions during which Mark has three terrible choices: walk away and lose his son, get killed in a battle against overwhelming odds, or single-handedly help Jolson to get rid of his adversaries.

Once the player completes Mark Hammond's story, a new scenario opens, in which the player controls Frank Carter, a vigilante cop who won't stop until he brings Charlie Jolson to justice. Frank's scenario is parallel to Mark's, shedding more light on events that remain somewhat unexplained during Mark's scenario.

Each mission usually consists of a driving section, which requires the player to drive to a certain destination (sometimes chasing another vehicle or being chased by enemies), and a third-person shooter section, often with an additional driving section afterwards. Police or rival gangs will frequently pursue the protagonist. The player can hijack any car or bus from the streets, or move on foot.

The game's distinguishing visual feature is a total absence of visible interface and text feedback. Rather than consulting a map, the player follows the car's blinking lights to arrive at the right destination. Damage taken by the protagonist is indicated by the character bending over, walking slower, and having blood on his clothes. Health is recovered by resting (leaning against a wall); there are no health kits scattered around. The protagonist can carry only two small or one larger weapon at once.