The Italian Job: LA Heist

When a game is developed that is based upon a blockbuster movie, most people will stop to take a look, regardless of what type of game it happens to be. We've been graced with Goldeneye on Nintendo 64 and Enter the Matrix, but now, new for 2003 and based on that year's film remake of the same name, we take a look at The Italian Job for Xbox.

When left for dead in Venice after being double-crossed during a gold bullion heist, Charlie Croker and his gang embark on a vengeance mission to find the man who betrayed him and reclaim the gold. But in order to achieve this, you need to create the largest, most devastating traffic jam in LA history and make your escape in super-charged new Mini Coopers.

It's a great story, but underneath the deceiving plot twists lies a solid racing game in which players take control of super-charged Minis in a bid for victory. The game is host to three modes of play; Story Mode, Circuit Racing and Stunt Driving, and each is surprisingly different from the last.

Stunt Driving mode pits players in a large obstacle course as they test their driving skills to the limit, whilst Circuit Racing mode is for race-em-up purists, complete with circuits based on real film locations. Story Mode, despite being single-player, is the most significant aspect of The Italian Job. Here, you'll assume the role of Charlie Croker himself as you take on a respectable 15 missions based on the events of the film equivalent.

As a game, The Italian Job is more than adequate. Environments and racing locales are convincing, in-game physics and handling seem realistic and there's even a car damage and deformation feature helping to make the experience as realistic and authentic as possible. Complete with cinematic visuals, voice-overs, cut-scenes and movie footage, The Italian Job is one of the most extensive video game tie-ins we've seen for a long time. It's a mini adventure!