Driver: San Francisco preview: Get smashed with friends

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Of all the things I wasn't expecting at this year's E3, Driver: San Francisco's multiplayer turning out to be the "have you tried that yet?"

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game is definitely in the top three. The genius "shift" system brings a whole new dimension to driving games and delivers the "still in the race" feel whether you're a veteran of the genre or dabble in it from time to time.

I played the multiplayer "Tag" mode, essentially it's "keep away" as the "it" driver puts the pedal to the metal in San Francisco traffic as the other players try to smash into him and start the cycle of tag all over again. What the shift system does is allow player who are far away from the target (or who just want a new vehicle) to disembody themselves from the car and instantly snap to an aerial view and plop into a car closer to the target. The best example I can think of is the highway scene in Matrix: Reloaded where the Smiths and The Twins keep taking over other drivers.

Shifting allows you to always feel like you're still a contender as the "it" person gains point. The strategies available also elevate what is a simple game of "keep away" into something you can see playing and laughing about with friends for hours. You don't have to be into driving games to enjoy this type of mode.