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By Jeff Ricks on April 2nd, 2002
Introduction This game is a direct port of the popular Dreamcast hit by Sega. Crazy Taxi for the PS2 is exactly the same as the Dreamcast version. Acclaim made no changes from the original format on the Dreamcast. The game is still good, and still fun.Presentation The presentation in Crazy Taxi is great. The menus give you that wild and "cool" atmosphere that the gameplay leaves you with, making these very fitting for the game. The music and menu sounds are cool and actually kind of get you pumped to play the game. Crazy Taxi has a well plotted out presentation.The control in Crazy Taxi is good. It is different from most racing games, but is alright once you’re used to it. And if you’ve never played, it will take you a second to catch on to it. It isn’t the best control, but it works. Graphics & Sound The graphics...the biggest problem of the PS2 version of Crazy Taxi. While in the porting process Acclaim somehow managed to downgrade the graphics in the Dreamcast version. This game has one of the worst cases of pop-in and pop-out that I’ve ever seen, on the PS2 anyway. The graphics aren’t bad in general and look decent. But then they become frustrating during the game when cars will suddenly pop up in front of you and leave you scrambling to get out of its course. In the worst situation I’ve experienced at least twice, the entire level disappeared beside the cars and the sky. I was left dodging invisible poles and completely lost. But those are just the horror stories, in general the graphics are liveable.Unlike the graphics, the sound in Crazy Taxi is perfect. The music is great, the sounds are completely fitting. I’ve got no complaints there. Gameplay Gameplay is broken down into 3 modes: Arcade mode, Original mode, and Crazy Box. Arcade and Original modes are both the same gameplay, just different levels. You can either play them on a set time limit, or you can try and keep your time going by earning time bonuses by dropping off passengers quickly. The goal is to earn the most money possible, and you’ll recieve a letter ranking based on your dollar amount. You don’t just recieve money from dropping off the passengers, you also get money from bonuses that the passengers give you for pulling off cool moves, i.e. jumps, close passes, and slides(drifts). The other mode, Crazy Box, is a group of different crazy goals that can give the player a challenge. There are many different goals that will have you racing the clock and even bowling. This mode is an added gem that’ll entertain everyone thoroughly. Overall the Gameplay is fun, but seriously needs a multiplayer mode. Lasting Appeal This game has more lasting appeal than most games out there. High replay value is the phrase to use when referring to Crazy Taxi. The odd thing about this game though, is that I get bored if I play it for too long, but I always come back to play it more. I never get sick of it all together. If you’re a single player gamer, and looking for a game with gallons of fun that won’t gather dust...look no further than Crazy Taxi.Conclusion This game is fun. Isn’t that the phrase that we all look for? I think that is all you need to know really, but if that doesn’t satisfy you: the graphics suck, the sound rocks, the gameplay rules, and it’ll keep you coming back for more again and again. My suggestion for PS2 owners is:GET THIS GAME. | 
