Line #7 VideoGame/Stuntman


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stuntman.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Let the bassline get ya.]]
3
4	->''"In the days of its infancy, the stunt performer's profession was pioneered by the daring and ingenuity of acrobats and circus acts. As the public's demand for on-screen chases, crashes, jumps, smashes, and explosions is never satisfied, so the stunt performer has evolved into a highly-trained professional. This is '''not''' a life for the timid. This is where men and women challenge the impossible, and make it happen, before your eyes."''
5	-->-- '''The opening narration''' of the original ''Stuntman''
6
7	->''"Every mangled mass of steel has a story to tell."''
8	-->-- '''The opening words''' of ''Stuntman: Ignition''
9
10	Overtake that car! Get close to the explosion! [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere Describe]] ''Stuntman''! Cut, that was too slow!
11
12	''Stuntman'', developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Creator/{{Infogrames}} under the Creator/{{Atari}} brand, is a 2002 DrivingGame about [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a movie stuntman]] who works on [[SummerBlockbuster several films]] that sound incredibly similar in concept to real films. Each chapter focuses on a specific movie, which is split up into different scenes. During each scene, the player has to hit the stunts the Director (who sounds the same no matter what the film is) calls out, with each stunt being some kind of manoeuvre like [[RampJump jumping off a ramp]], [[ImpressivePyrotechnics scraping against cars/walls while sparks dramatically fly off]], or [[IndyEscape driving under a falling pillar]] [[JustInTime just in the nick of time]]. The more stunts the player hits, the higher rating they get for the film. Mess up too much, and it's a restart for you. Expect to be doing exactly that [[NintendoHard a lot in the later levels.]]
13
14	A sequel, ''Stuntman: Ignition'', was developed by Creator/ParadigmEntertainment, published by Creator/{{THQ}}, and released in 2007 for the Platform/PlayStation2, Platform/PlayStation3 and Platform/Xbox360; it toned down the difficulty and featured a new scoring system.
15	----
16	!!This series provides examples of:
17	[[folder:Tropes present in both titles]]
18	* ArtisticLicenseFilmProduction:
19	** All car chase scenes are apparently filmed in one go, starting all the way from the beginning if one mistake is made. The film companies must have impressive budgets, considering the number of times the average player will repeat every mission.
20	** This trope is outright {{Lampshade}}d in ''Ignition'' (which thankfully gave a buffer of five errors before a reshoot is called, unless you REALLY screw up). Incidentally, [[CloudCuckooLander he's also one of the more characteristically bizarre ones too]]:
21	---> "We're gonna do long takes, that are really unsafe, with insane stunts. As many as you can squeeze together into one run."
22	** Also, all scenes in the sequel are apparently done with ''live ammunition'' judging from the very visible tracers and sparking impacts when they hit their target. There's also zero problem with you hitting the stuntmen running around or shooting at you, allowing you to cheerfully send poor actors ragdolling away or even crushing them under the wheels of a monster truck.
23	* CaptainCrash: You'll be surprised how often you get "Hit the X" stunts...
24	* CarFu: Both played straight and averted. If you need to tail someone, you can't hit them. However, you can be told to "Hit the bus". The last stunt of the last scene of [[RuleOfThree the last]] film in both games has you take out a flying object with your car.
25	* ChaseScene: Several stunts in both games involve lengthy vehicle chases. Overtaking or hitting the front car will void the take.
26	* CoolCar: Less so with the original, but ''Ignition'' had cars with guns, monster trucks and hovercraft. Not to mention a Bond Car.
27	* DirectionlessDriver: Averted, with the GIANT ARROWS. Granted, you may miss a few, but they're usually there.
28	* DrivesLikeCrazy: The games ask the player to drift, jump over or into obstacles and even drive on two wheels for extended lengths of time.
29	* {{Expy}}: Several, including:
30	** [[Film/JamesBond The ''Simon Crown'' films]].
31	** [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard ''A'Whoopin' and A'Hollerin''.]]
32	** [[Film/TheDarkKnight ''Night Avenger''.]]
33	* LawyerFriendlyCameo: You'll recognise several of the movies as homages to famous films, often as a blend of several (except with more car scenes, because otherwise you wouldn't have anything to do in it).
34	** In the first game:
35	*** ''Toothless in Wapping'' is a comedic LondonGangster flick inspired by the films of Creator/GuyRitchie (''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'', ''Film/{{Snatch}}'').
36	*** ''A Whoopin' and a Hollerin[='=]'', a [[SweetHomeAlabama Southern-set]] action-comedy about a pair of brothers thwarting bootleggers and [[DirtyCop crooked sheriffs]], is basically ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard''. The sequel, featured in ''Ignition'', is even made by a {{fratbro}} [[invoked]] ProductionPosse famous for doing a ''Series/{{Jackass}}''-style series, likely a reference to [[Film/TheDukesOfHazzard the 2005 film adaptation]] of ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', which starred Creator/SeannWilliamScott (one of the stars of ''Film/AmericanPie'') and Creator/JohnnyKnoxville (one of the stars of ''Jackass'') as Bo and Luke Duke.
37	*** ''Blood Oath'' is Hong Kong HeroicBloodshed action film in the vein of Creator/JohnWoo, with a bit of martial arts thrown in.
38	*** ''The Scarab of Lost Souls'', a [[TwoFistedTales two-fisted]] action-adventure film about an archaeologist battling Nazis in Egypt while searching for a powerful artifact, is heavily inspired by ''Franchise/IndianaJones''.
39	*** The Simon Crown films are this to Film/JamesBond, specifically the films of the Creator/PierceBrosnan era. ''Live Twice for Tomorrow'' in the first game in particular seems to be inspired by both ''Film/GoldenEye'' and ''Film/DieAnotherDay''.
40	** In the second game:
41	*** ''Aftershock'', a DisasterMovie about a volcanic eruption in a small [[UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest Pacific Northwest]] town, is basically ''Film/DantesPeak'', right down to a subplot about a teenager racing up the volcano to save his grandmother.
42	*** ''Overdrive'' is a GenreThrowback cop movie set in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco whose protagonist drives a dark green muscle car that resembles a cross between a classic Ford Mustang and a Gran Torino -- in other words, a mix of ''Film/{{Bullitt}}'' and ''Series/StarskyAndHutch''.
43	*** ''Night Avenger'' is a [[DarkerAndEdgier dark, gritty]] superhero movie filmed in UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} in which a hero who fights with high-tech gadgets goes up against a MonsterClown villain... [[Film/TheDarkKnight now what does that sound like?]]
44	* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading:
45	** The first game is already hard enough as it is, but having to wait through long loading screens for every retry makes it aggravating.
46	** Inverted in ''Ignition''. Load times are fairly short, and during the load, one of the bigger stunts is explained to you, and you can continue listening to the description after the level is finished loading. When you restart, there is no loading screen ''at all''.
47	%%* LudicrousSpeed
48	* MyCarHatesMe: Because of the realistic physics and clunky controls, sometimes the cars are a real bitch to steer. Particularly in the first game's ice-movie, which the second tops with a hovercraft. On ice.
49	* NoOshaCompliance: As stated in the ArtisticLicenseFilmProduction entry above, the shoots are unrealistically dangerous, featuring pyrotechnics going off extremely close to the driver, stunts where the driver is instructed to hit other drivers on motorcycles, stunt performers on foot running at the stunt drivers, and what appears to be live ammunition, as many of the in-game machine guns have white tracers streaming from their barrels and all the rocket launchers fire actual rockets.
50	* RampJump: A staple of the set pieces in each film. The jumps become more risky as the career continues, including jumping a motorcycle through the gap between a semi truck and its trailer.
51	* RealTrailerFakeMovie: Once you've completed all the scenes for a movie, you can see a trailer for it. They're actually pretty good.
52	* SomeDexterityRequired: Due to the realistic physics modeling of the cars, you need to be ''very'' dexterous with the controls in order to have any semblance of "control" over the vehicle. The game's introductory levels make you practice various stunt manoeuvres (such as 180s, reverse 180s, drifting through turns, etc) over and over until you've mastered them. It's made mandatory because you'll be using those maneuvers for the entire game.
53	* TrialAndErrorGameplay: To some degree. In many scenes you're guaranteed to fail your first time through after having to make some wild-ass turn with only half a second's worth of warning.
54	* UnderTheTruck: You need to perform this stunt frequently in ''Ignition'', and it occurs repeatedly in the last scene of the original.
55	* WatchThePaintJob: Too many knocks and you'll fail the level. Either because they cost you too much time or because you totalled the car. Or maybe just because the director [[NintendoHard hates you]].
56	* WreakingHavok: At the time it was released, ''Stuntman'' was one of the first car games to make an attempt at realistic physics modeling. For example, the various internal parts of the car and their weight are accurately reflected in-game, such that the front end of the car tends to weigh more (because of the engine). This made the wrecks in the game particularly fun (and insane) to watch. The game actually has an "arena" feature where you can set up whatever stunts you like and go wild with the physics.
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	[[folder:''Stuntman''-specific tropes]]
60	* CarMeetsHouse: One of the stunts in the second film was jumping a house, clipping the chimney.
61	* HeroicBloodshed: ''Blood Oath'' follows in the established tradition of John Woo films.
62	%%* HollywoodPoliceDrivingAcademy
63	* NintendoHard: Each level/movie had dozens of precise manoeuvres you had to pull off while adhering to a strict time limit; in some cases even missing ''one'' will fail you. And since there are no checkpoints, this means you have to start the ''whole level over''. After finishing a level you get to see the completed "footage" of your stunts. Because of how demanding the game is, [[EarnYourHappyEnding it makes for some amazing replays once you've finally completed a level.]]
64	%%* RacingTheTrain: And driving ''on it'' to boot.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:''Stuntman: Ignition''-specific tropes]]
68	* CarSkiing: One of the more difficult stunts you can pull.
69	* CloudCuckoolander: Some of the directors are a bit crazy.
70	--> '''"Overdrive" Director''': Now, when people see this last stunt, I want their heads to explode, straight off their heads, so NASA calls someone and goes, "Hey, are you guys launching heads?" ''Literally explode!'' Now make it happen or I'll deport your family!
71	* ContinuityNod: The second film the player drives for is ''A Whoopin' & a Hollerin' 2'', the sequel to ''A Whoopin' & a Hollerin'''' in the first game. Same with ''Never Kill Me Again'' from ''Ignition'' and ''Live Twice for Tomorrow'' from the first game. The former appears to be an InNameOnly sequel, though, as the Basco Boys end up being turned into the Creek Boys, the car changes completely and the setting changes from Bounty Creek to Catfish County.
72	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Played With, but ultimately [[AvertedTrope averted]]. The lava pools in ''Aftershock'' won't cause you to fail unless you fall into them, but it's ultimately [[JustifiedTrope justified]], as they're only props; however, in the second scene for ''Aftershock'', one stunt involves setting your tires on fire with the Action Button after the character you're standing in for drives over a fissure in the road that has lava flowing below it.
73	* CowboyCop: Stone in ''Overdrive'' is a hot headed police detective with a lead foot who wants to get drug dealer Varga off the streets by whatever means necessary.
74	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Similar to LawyerFriendlyCameo above, a few of the directors for the movies sound and behave a lot like people from real-life. For example, ''Overdrive'' has a director that acts like a parody of Creator/MichaelBay and the production staff for ''A Whoopin' & a Hollerin' 2'' are a bunch of party animals who worked on a ''Series/{{Jackass}}''-style TV show, a shoutout to Creator/JohnnyKnoxville playing Luke Duke in the 2005 ''Dukes of Hazzard'' reboot.
75	* PrimaDonnaDirector: Every director in the game is eccentric in some way, and all have low tolerance for mistakes. Mess up more than five times, or stray too far from the set route, and they'll order a reshoot. This happens even if it's something completely out of your control, like getting launched off a piece of an object you were ordered to break or grazing the side of a car you were supposed to pass cleanly.
76	[[/folder]]

Context VideoGame / Stuntman