Wheelman Hands-on Preview (Xbox 360)

Vin Diesel is turning into the Tom Hanks of videogame actors. The dude is in everything. But more importantly he’s really good. The voice is great, and his look translates so well into a 3D model that I actually look forward to him being in a game. Amazing that an actor has the power to elevate any videogame he’s in. The guy is a gamer too, and knows his stuff, so I also have faith in him to make good choices. That’s why I have faith that Wheelman will actually be a decent game.

After getting a decent amount of playing time with it, I can also confirm that it’s going to be an exciting one too. Matching the thrill-a-minute pace of an action movie filled with car chases, shootouts and lots of big explosions has been objective number one for the developers at Midway Newcastle. While the Stranglehold engine doesn’t necessarily provide the power to pull off really realistic landscapes or awesomely beautiful fireballs, it does result in a game that’s colorful and moves fairly well.