Upon first viewing True Crime, the phrase "Grand Theft Auto III clone" immediately comes to mind. But those working on the game don't seem to be worried. "I think it's great to be compared to the biggest game of last year," laughs Executive Producer Chris Archer. "And while we don't mind the nod, True Crime offers a much different experience for the gamer. In this game, you're the star of a Hong Kong-style action movie that takes place in L.A." In other words, True Crime is still a drive-anywhere, shoot-anyone game, but with much more emphasis on hand-to-hand combat and gunplay than GTA3.
And that's not the only difference. Instead of being a young mob-hopeful slowly working your way through the ranks of the underworld, you play as Nick Kang, a rather destructive cop (sorta like Riggs from the Lethal Weapon flicks) with a martial-arts background, a Hong Kong upbringing, and a father who died in the line of duty. Who better to assign to the special antimob task force of the L.A.P.D.?
Your time is spent shaking down informants, tailing mob bosses, and infiltrating gang hideouts. (The prominent gangs in True Crime are the Russian and Chinese Mafias.) But remember--first and foremost, you're a cop, so no matter what you're doing, if you get a call on a break-in or stolen car, you should really help out in any way you can. If you're close to the scene, assist the boys in blue and chase down that perp. It's the only way to earn "cop points," which in turn is the only way to unlock the various dojos around L.A.
Yes--dojos. See, True Crime isn't all about car chases and drive-by shootings. Once you get where you're going, you'll have to get out of the car and take thugs on in face-to-face fights. And while it's usually much easier to pull a piece on a bad guy, that's not always an option. Therefore, you've gotta have fists of fury. Luckily, L.A. is a mecca of martial-arts instruction. "Nick can learn moves from senseis in numerous dojos spread throughout the city," explains Archer. "We have numerous fighting styles in the game, including Wu Shu kung fu, Kenpo, traditional karate, and wrestling."
Wait.wrestling? "Yeah. The wrestling has to be my favorite fighting style in the game," Archer says with a smile. "While this wouldn't normally be the case--I'm a huge Hong Kong cinema fan--when we did the motion-capture session with professional wrestlers, it was, simply put, awesome and powerful. It's not pretty, but incredibly brutal to watch. All the moves are motion captured and look amazing." We'll back that part up. Fighting in True Crime looks just as good, if not better, than many of the fighting games out there. Plus, you can throw opponents into and through just about anything around you. Some scumbag giving you static? Throw him through a table and watch him shut the hell up. Or, if you happen to be a pacifist, simply take him to the ground and cuff him. But where's the fun in that?
Just know that every action has a consequence. Unlike the recent Grand Theft Autos, in which failing to protect someone or killing the wrong guy leads to a Mission Failed message and a chance to start over, the world of True Crime never stops, even if the player makes a mistake. Let a suspect escape, and the story will simply branch off to a different plotline--probably one that ends with said criminal returning and making Nick's life quite miserable. The streets of L.A. offer no second chances, but the game does have multiple endings, so wasting someone or failing a mission isn't the end of the world.
The best part? Well, by the time True Crime comes out this spring, you're likely to be all Vice City-ed out, which means this new take on the genre should be exactly what the doctor ordered. At the very least, it'll be a solid action game with a sweet fighting system.
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