I loved it... until the end
So here's why I liked it: it wasn't the graphics. Even back in '04, these graphics were nothing we haven't seen before. In fact, they were quite mediocre if not horrible. You'll find yourself laughing when you see that the characters' mouths don't move when they speak. The music is a nice touch, though. There's some great songs in this game. The cutscenes are quality, too. The story is a cross between "The Fast and the Furious" and "The Transporter". In other words, quite good. Plus, Jericho is a bad@ss. The voice-over cast is top-notch. Michael Madsen, Mickey Rourke, Michelle Rodriguez, Ving Rhames, etc.
And now we come to the gameplay and my favorite part. So what is it that I like about this game so much? The driving? The shooting? Ready for it? The unpredictability of it all. Lookie here, this is a true story and it happened to me in the game: I'm sitting in a car, waiting for a truck to appear, one that I'm supposed to follow. I see it, and hit the gas. However, I see a ramp. Now wouldn't it be boring to tail him all the way? Maybe you'd crash. So what do I do? I speed up the ramp and get airborne, right over the truck. Then, I jump out of the car and land on top of it. Over-the-top, right? Wrong. This game is realistic, and performing this feat took a lot of practice. Come to think of it, there's a similar scene in "The Transporter". Then you get that feeling: I AM the transporter. And THAT is why I love it.
One note: The reason why I don't like the end is actually because one of the last parts of the game has Tanner (you) and other cops fighting a private war on the streets of Istambul. This mission is quite frustrating. The cliffhanger ending is not fulfilling either.
In a nutshell, Driv3r is a true sequel, packed with driving AND shooting at every turn. While it is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, it's definitely not as bad as people are making it out to be. And why not have a game that defies the siliness of the GTA games? Why not drop the whole "be a drug lord and live the high-life" thing? Why not be the wheelman? Rules are meant to be broken.