Introduction

Introduction (Stuff I say to make me look like I extensively researched the game instead of looking it all up on Wikipedia)

Video games during the first years of the 2000s were heavily influenced by gangster and organized crime based stories. When Grand Theft Auto 3 hit in 2001, these types of games and stories were given even more attention and fleshed out with more details. Enter The Getaway in 2002 in Europe and 2003 in the US. Developed by Team Soho, it was a game that had originally been planned to release with the initial release of the PS2 and was heavily compared (mostly less favorably) to another gangster based game, Mafia, which had also released the same year on PC. It was said to be one of the first games that was described as not only a game, but a cinematic experience and for its time, it had some of the most realistic looking cutscenes gamers had seen. As such, that was the area where the game usually garnered the most praise.

Players and critics also noted it for its ambitious story with influences from British gangster films such as Snatch and Get Carter , but also complained about its bugs, lack of feedback information (no health bars or ammo counters), and spotty enemy AI.

So why am I doing an LP of it? Well first because I think that a lot of people who played this game gave up on it too early. Second, because despite its flaws, it was a bold attempt to try and make something that had never been done before in the gaming world and it's still an interesting game to go through at least for its story.

Format

I'm going to be doing a solo straight run through of the game only stopping to observe some interesting aspects of a level, or to get a closer look at notable scenery. Other videos showing glitches may also be made, but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves. And if there are any specific in game requests, I'll do my best to accommodate them.

Right now this is planned to be a post editing audio commentary LP. I'll be doing my best to commentate on the story, filling in any details that might not have been obvious in the cutscenes.

Questions you may have:

"How often will there be updates?"

I'm going to have a lot of free time until February so expect at least 2 updates a week. Probably more.

"What about topics of discussion in the thread?"

As long as it's related to the game or about similar movies and games, I don't see the problem with talking about it. Just so long as the themes related to the game are being discussed in some way. If you're going to talk about something that happens later in the game ahead of the LP, use spoiler tags.

"Why do you talk so much? You talk too much. Stop talking too much! Also why aren't you funny?"

I'm going to do my best to summarize the plot and go over details that might have been missed or skimmed over. There are other aspects of the game I will talk about as they come up to make the driving and shooting sequences (especially the driving sequences) more enjoyable.

Also this isn't really meant to be a funny game. It's a crime drama and the developers didn't put much into the game in the way of extras or Easter eggs (except for a few things in Free Roam Mode). I may attempt to make light of a few things I see in the game, but for the most part, I'm not going to overly try to go for that.

"Subtitles?"

Yes we're using subtitles. A few characters are hard to understand without them.

"These people are saying words I don't understand. What gives?"

While the language and slang used in this game may be perfectly understandable for some, it may also be unfamiliar to other people watching. For those people, I'll be providing a guide on what the most common British slang used in the game means in American slang. I'll do my best to make sure the guide is updated and accurate but if I mess up, let me know so I can change it. If you have a question on a term that isn't on the guide ask for it to be added or stop being lazy and look it up yourself.

British Term=American Term

Bloody=Fucking, or a term used to emphasize a word.
Claret=Blood
Bird=Woman, Significant other
Topper=Assassin
Wet job=Assassination
Tart=Skank
Ring=Call (phone context)
Filth=Police
Bill/Old Bill=Police
Tosser/Wanker=Jerkoff, Idiot.
Lift=Steal
Gaff=House/Place
Cheers=Goodbye/Thank You (An expression of gratitude)
Diamond=Wonderful/Helpful/Reliable
Clipped=Killed
Bent=Crooked
Cop Shop=Police Station
Boost=Steal
Motor=Car/Vehicle
Arris=Ass
Whistle=Snitch
Crumpet=Woman viewed as a sexual object/desire
Slag=Slut
Wedge=Money
Dosh=Money
Boot=Trunk of a car
Nonces=Sex Offender/Child Sexual Abuser
Sorted=Ready ("We're ready.")
Nick (3 terms):
To nick=To steal
To get nicked=To get arrested
The nick=jail

VIDEOS
Ep. 1: It's a bit like Simon Says WeGame Viddler
Ep. 2: WAFFLE WAFFLE WAFFLE WeGame Viddler
Ep. 3: Jake Jolson's Slick Dance Move WeGame Viddler
Ep. 4: R.I.P. Johhny Chai WeGame Viddler
Ep. 5: The Fucking Police Station Level WeGame Viddler
Ep. 6: Fancy Going Clubbing? WeGame Viddler
Ep. 7: Charlie Jolson's Swanky Mansion WeGame Viddler
Ep. 7.5: [Bonus Video] Sweet Jumps, Fast Cars, and Laser Beams WeGame Viddler
Ep. 8: And They All Lived Happily Ever BOOM WeGame Viddler
Ep. 9: [FREE ROAM - Glitches] Buckingham Palace Has Some Tight Security WeGame Viddler
Ep. 10: Frank Carter: London's Worst Cop WeGame Viddler
Ep. 11: Carter Hates Minorities WeGame Viddler
Ep. 12: Frank Carter is High on Crack WeGame Viddler
Ep. 13: Carter Terrorizes a Hospital Viddler
Ep. 14: Carter Breaks a Murdering Psychopath Out of Jail Viddler
Ep. 15, Part 1: Carter Considers a Career in Pest Control WeGame Viddler
Ep. 15, Part 2: Carter Blows up a Bomb on the Waterfront and is Responsible for all the Deaths that Follow WeGame Viddler
Ep. 16: [FREE ROAM - Hidden Cars] Street Legal Go Karts Are The Shit WeGame Viddler


The Cast
Playable Characters

The game has two playable characters over 24 missions. The stories of these characters take place at the same time and the events within often have the characters doing something that's related to the other or have them directly cross paths. Fun fact: the character models are based on real life people and I was able to find a few of their photos.

Mark Hammond - The not so silent protagonist. As a former member of the Collins gang based in Soho, Mark's trying to live a quiet life of gangster retirement after he was released from jail not so long ago. He runs a night club and is trying to focus on spending time with his wife and son. Unfortunately for him, a turn of events leads him to be in the unwilling employ of Charlie Jolson and The Bethnal Green Gang.


DC Frank "Paranoid Schizo" Carter - Alright, I made that nickname up but this picture is ridiculous. Carter is an overzealous undercover detective on the Flying Squad of the Metropolitan Police Service. He has an obsession with taking out organized crime in the city, especially when it comes to the Bethnal Green Gang and the Jolson family that runs it. Over the course of the game, Carter is put into (or he runs into) many troubling and oppressive situations and as a result gets yelled at by his boss McCormack. Immediately (and without evidence), Carter suspects McCormack of foul play. Are his crazy suspicions correct? We'll find out.


The rest of the characters. (More will be added in as they are revealed)

Charlie Jolson - Charlie has been in organized crime for 30 years along with his signature cigar and is the head of the Bethnal Green Gang. He's upset about the state that his once pure city has fallen in with other gangs of what he considers inferior minorities muscling in on what was once his great empire. Now his gang is considered the small fish and he has a plan to change all that. It seems his plan involves Mark Hammond but so far his ultimate goal is still in the dark.  Died from the explosion aboard the Sol Vita 


Yasmin - A former hooker turned assassin now working for the Bethnal Green Gang. She's assertive and views most of the other members of the gang to be incompetent. She is caught by McCormack and held for questioning until Hammond finds her. After revealing she was there when Mark's wife was killed, Mark surprisingly has her help him in his mission to get his son back. Now that she knows that Charlie wanted her dead, she has little qualm about killing him and helping Mark out in the process.


Harry, Eyebrows, and Grievous - The highlighted members of the Bethnal Green Gang. They all had a hand in the initial cutscene of the game which set off the events of the story. Their involvement in it suggests they'll play a larger role later in the game. Actually these three characters don't play too big of a role altogether other than just being notable members of BGG.  Harry is killed by Mark, Eyebrows is killed by Yasmin, and Grievous is killed in the explosion, all on the Sol Vita 


Liam
Liam is one of Mark's old friends back from his days in the Collins gang, and the person Mark turns to when he needs help. As a still active member of the gang, Liam is very suspicious of Mark at first but right now, he's the only person Mark trusts to help. As Mark tries to hold off Charlie, Liam is searching for clues to Alex's location.


Jake Jolson
Charlie's nephew and enforcer for the Bethnal Green Gang. Jake's not exactly right in the head as can be seen by his constant reckless actions and disregard for their consequences, especially when it comes to breaking the law. We first see him as he's being broken out from a prison van transfer and he immediately gives us a taste of what we can expect from him. Afterwards he is also entrusted with giving orders to Hammond in some of his missions.  Killed by Carter on the Sol Vita 


Sparky
The Bethnal Green Gang's torturer. True to his name, he seems to enjoy using electrocution as his preferred method and our first glimpse of him has him hard at work laying into Johnny Chai.  He later dies by Hammond's hands at the King's Cross Depot 


Johnny Chai
R.I.P. Johnny Chai


DCI McCormack
The head of the Flying Squad and Frank Carter's boss. He's seen as the guy who is never satisfied with what his officers are doing and has an oppressive personality that causes him and Carter to clash constantly. He is working closely with Charlie Jolson and is trying to pull the strings behind the scenes. He views Charlie as an outdated element to organized crime and plans on trying to succeed him.


The Other Gangs - The Boss

The Collins Gang - Nick Collins
The Collins gang is the group that Mark used to work for before he was caught up in a bank robbery that sent him to jail for 5 years. Since then, the Collins gang appears to have let Mark leave his old life in pursuit of a new one. Unfortunately for Mark, he's had to kill a lot of his old friends just to make sure his son stays alive. The Collins are based out of Soho, and are noted for having a major hand in the porno industry in London.


The Triads/14K - Shan Chu Lee
The Triads or the 14K as some call them are the local Chinese gang based out of Chinatown. They do most of their business drug dealing which puts them in competition with the Yardies. They do a good enough job of hiding their activities too as they base a lot of it from legitimate businesses.


The Yardies - Jamahl
The Yardies are a Jamaican gang and are well known for being the main crack dealers and gun runners in the city. Dealing drugs puts them in up against the Triads which have left tense relations between the groups already. It would only take one step in the wrong direction from either gang to set off a massive war between them.


Videos have been moved to between the slang terms and the character list.