And what would Spy Hunter be without that classic Peter Gunn theme? It certainly wouldn't be Spy Hunter, and Midway knows it, as the soundtrack consists almost entirely of electronic interpolations of it. A cover of the Peter Gunn theme is included as well, complete with lyrics, performed by nu-metal outfit Saliva. The in-game sound effects are solid, with nothing too gratingly offensive or especially impressive.
While most of the Spy Hunter experience has been deftly translated from the PlayStation 2 to the Xbox, the graphics have taken a bit of a hit in the process. The Interceptor, the enemy vehicles, and the environments they occupy still look just as sharp, but the framerates aren't quite as consistent as in the PS2 version.There are some other minor curiosities about Spy Hunter's graphics, like the black armored car's ability to magically appear on the other side of your car if you push them up against a wall, but the other big complaint is that the entire game looks dark and muddled, as though it were being viewed through a pair of cheap sunglasses. When comparing the Xbox version to the PlayStation 2 version side by side, it literally looks like night and day.
The PlayStation 2 remake of Spy Hunter was a pleasant surprise, as it capably delivered in all the categories that a Spy Hunter fan would expect it to. While it's virtually identical to the PlayStation 2 version, the Xbox version is made slightly less desirable by the drab, sometimes choppy graphics. Sure, there are more extras you can unlock, such as the original arcade Spy Hunter and more DVD goodies, but these features don't compensate for the game's muddled presentation.
Editor's note 03/13/2002: Due to technical inconsistencies between Microsoft-provided debug hardware (used for review purposes) and retail Xbox hardware, our original review noted technical problems that are not actually present when the final version of the game is running on retail Xbox hardware. Note the review was based on 100% final code. To more-properly reflect the retail product, we have amended the original text and accordingly raised the game's graphics and gameplay scores. GameSpot regrets the error.
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