Common Sense Media Review
By Paul Semel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun yet shallow tie-in game to getaway driving movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Live by Night: The Chase
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
In LIVE BY NIGHT: THE CHASE, it's the 1920s, and you have to drive the getaway car after your gang robs a bank. While your cohorts shoot at the coppers, you have to knock the police cars off the road while avoiding parked cars, roadblocks, and oncoming traffic. You even, for a brief bit, get to be the shooter. All of this is done in an attempt to get you to see the Ben Affleck movie Live by Night.
Is It Any Good?
As a freebie designed to promote a movie, this driving game is engaging for a bit, but it's also kind of a waste of time. Inspired by the movie Live by Night, a gangster flick set in the 1920s, Live by Night: The Chase is a driving game where you have to steer a getaway car while your fellow bank robbers shoot at the police officers who are chasing you. Using simple touch controls, you have to avoid roadblocks and help your gang take out the coppers. You also need to try to not crash into parked cars and oncoming traffic and try to not get shot up.
But while this is fun for a while, especially since roads are randomly generated every time, it has some control issues. Specifically, swiping to make a left or right turn doesn't always work right away, if at all. There also are brief bits where you get to be the trigger man, but here, the controls are so awkward you'll just wish they skipped this part. It also seems odd that they'd make this game so tame that it would be deemed acceptable for people as young as 12 when the movie is rated R for strong violence, language throughout, and some sexuality and nudity. Ultimately, while Live by Night: The Chase will keep you engaged for a bit, you'll probably spend more time watching the movie than playing this game.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about road safety. What does this game show you about proper driving safety? Does it make you understand why you should obey the speed limit and stay on your side of the road?
Talk about antiheroes. You're clearly not a good guy in this game. But is it OK to play a game where you're not the good guy? What does it teach us about good and evil?
Discuss money management. While the game itself is free, you do earn in-game currency you can use to improve yourself. But what does this show us about spending our money wisely, even when it's ill-gotten gains?
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : January 9, 2017
- Genre : Arcade Games
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , Adventures
- Publisher : Warner Bros. Entertainment
- Version : 1.0
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 7.0 or later; Android varies by device
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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