90. Simple 2000 Ultimate Vol. 9: Bakusou! Manhattan: Runabout 3 (Graphic Research, Playstation 2, 2003)

Like previous game #52, Bakusou! (literally "roaring!") Manhattan is a title in the Simple 2000 series of budget Playstation 2 games. This one is a reprint of a 2002 racing game called Runabout 3: Neo Age. I'm not sure why the game was reprinted on a budget label a year after it's original release on the same system, but there's enough here that I'm glad I grabbed this game for about four bucks in Japan.

This is a mission baed racing game that takes place on a scale model of Manhattan, so there's kind of budget Grand Theft Auto III vibes here (you can even be a tank or bus). Most of hte vehicles are very hard to control, but hte motorcyle feels alright. There are 3 types of missions:

The first mission type is fairly straightforward and has you tagging a certain number of objects along a course while racing to a goal. You earn points for any objects you damage (including cop cars!), but your vehicle has a limited amount of health as well, so you have to balance health, damage, and time.

The second mission type has you following a target as they go around town, I assume you are supposed to be gathering information. You have to stay within 100 meters of the target or else you are put on a 30 second timer that fails the mission if you don't get back to the target. Thankfully, you can get as close to the target as you want, so the mission isn't that difficult, though it was very long and boring. At one point the target got on a subway train, and chasing the subway down the tracks was cool, but after I had to do it 4 times, I got bored and cut in front of the train and it hit me.

The last mission type is just a basic race from point to point, but you have a lady riding with you. There's a heart meter on the side of the screen that glows if you go fast, but starts to break if you start hitting obstacles and taking damage. This is my favorite mode. The music is also very good, though there aren't very many tracks, so they loop a lot.

3/5, a nice amount of variety, I just wish the driving felt better.