True Crime: Streets of LA

True Crime is the type of game that you sit down at, have a good time and then you want to play it again. It isn't Grand theft auto and it isn't driv3r but it has some cool features that none of those games have. So if you want just a good, easy to pick up game which has no real depth or heavy plot then choose True Crime: Streets of L.A.

Graphics: 6/10 (big city but spread out and dull) Sound : 10/10 ( Loads of hip hop gangster music) Gameplay: 9/10 ( Some cool features but some flawed controls) Overall: 8.5/10 (A good game to sit down and play for a while)

"True Crime: Streets of LA" came across to me somehow by accident, but after learning that the game has a cool action movie, I decided to explore this product. The abstract promised an exciting open world and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Los Angeles with elements of detective and action. In those years, such games were at the peak of popularity, and "True Crime" tried to meet expectations. However, despite the many positive aspects, she left behind mixed feelings.

The first thing that attracts attention is the huge map of Los Angeles, which the developers have tried to recreate with a high degree of detail. At the beginning of the game, it's impressive: the ability to move freely around the metropolis, patrol the streets, deal with criminals and complete various missions seems exciting. However, the scale of the map turns into a disadvantage over time. The locations begin to seem monotonous: the streets of the districts, although different at first glance, soon begin to repeat themselves, and it becomes difficult for the player to remember or study them. This has a negative effect on the immersion process, since Los Angeles in the game does not feel like a living city, but like a set of identical streets and buildings.

On the other hand, the combat mechanics are pleasantly surprising. The game has a decent hand-to-hand combat system with the possibility of using various techniques. The fights feel dynamic and spectacular, allowing the player to apply a variety of combinations of punches and blocks. Shooting also does not disappoint: in addition to an arsenal of firearms, the player can improve his character's skills, which adds tactical depth. Leveling up firearms and skills makes gunfights all the more exciting, especially in the later stages of the game, where skills are key. By the end, the main character's gun turns into some kind of futuristic cannon with an unprecedented list of improvements.

However, this is where the strengths of the game end. Despite attempts to add non-linearity and variability, the tasks and missions in the game are often of the same type and do not offer significant variety. As a result, "True Crime: Streets of LA" begins to feel routine, and because of the repetitive streets and neighborhoods, the motivation to explore the world is rapidly fading.

This project could be something more. It offers a good combat system and leveling elements, but suffers from a monotonous open world and repetitive missions. This is a good game for its time, but it does not reach the level of the best representatives of the genre.

6 out of 10.

I really enjoyed playing True Crime it plays out like grand theft auto, but having you take the position of being a cop the creators did a very nice thing you go up to peoples cars and go police need to borrow your car. The game also isn't perfect it's kind of short not to short just don't think it's going to be as long as the grand theft games and you'll love it. Ok to the story it's about a cop who is assigned a new partner. They don't get along at first, but then they start to get used to one another. The levels are really fun you can drive around destroying most of the city, you can make arrests which is cool, and for the people that can't pass a level and are tired of playing a level you can start another one. my advixe is to rent it first because you migh beat it and get bored of it I just rented it and I am going to tell all of my friends to buy this game and give it a try. *** and a half out of **** really good game.

Some comments already referred to this game ripping off GTA, and that's basically its only appeal. It's missing a lot of the things that made GTA great, though. The radio only plays rap music, there's no humor, you only get one gun (unless you kill somebody and take theirs, but then it's only until it runs out of ammunition--then you lose it), and the story is really lame and hackneyed (so are GTA's, but there the references are at least tongue-in-cheek). Also, the game was pretty clean-cut and had this stupid Karma system that punishes you for breaking the law. "He's a cop. He's supposed to always obey the law." Well, ok, but that makes for a really horrible game premise. The whole thing seemed a lot like Activision was trying to capture the GTA market while avoiding the backlash from religious groups and over-the-edge "WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN??" housewives that Rockstar received for their games. Unfortunately what resulted was a huge piece of boring, bug-filled **** that was just barely interesting enough to let the plastic on the Vice City CD cool off for a week.

Just played "True Crime" and even though its most obvious inspiration from a gaming point of view is the ever popular "Grand Theft Auto" series. From a movie point of view, this action title seems to be a throwback to those wildly absurd, but oh so entertaining martial-arts thrillers from the 1990's.

Like Dirty Harry, the lead character, Nick Kang, voiced by Russell Wong ("Romeo Must Die") is a cop who doesn't play by the rules. He was raised in Japan, where he and his younger brother learned the martial-arts. His father, also cop from LA, was killed in the line of duty under mysterious circumstances. The police department still wonders, was he a dirty cop?

With a little help of his unwanted new partner, voiced by Michelle Rodriguez, and an old timer who knew his dad, voiced by Christopher Walken (where have he heard this before), Nick is determined to solve the mystery and avenge his father's death. But in order to this, he must survive both the Triads and Russian mob, who seem to up to something fishy in the streets of LA.

Unfortunately, midway through, the story pulls a 180 and starts to involve the supernatural that's right out of "Big Trouble in Little China". It doesn't mix with the rest of the story and seems a bit contrived. Still, as a gaming expierence, I enjoyed this title, although it's a bit brief. It involves a little bit of everything action-oriented, although it doesn't tower over the competition in any of the genre it delves in

Wong's cliched cop reminded me of the Brandon Lee character from "Showdown in Little Tokyo" and the areas in which build up your fighting skills in various dojos seemed right out of Jeff Speakman's "The Perfect Weapon". I loved the fight sequences in this game, more so than the "Max Payne"-esque shooting segments, which are also fun. Dozens of firearms and melee weapons are up for the taking and the indoor enviroments are fully destructable.

The "drive anywhere, doing anything" aspect from "Grand Theft Auto" is a bit limited, but is entertaining. You can play as good cop or bad cop, though I wish there was more variety to the random crime acts that occur. Also, the "choose your own adventure" branching storylines is welcomed and I also liked the soundtrack, which was appropriate, given that LA is a mecca of hip hop culture.

Still, as a whole, the game isn't up to the standard of Rockstar's "Max Payne" and "Grand Theft Auto" franchises. Few games are, but I felt this game was too short and the Chinese ghost story twist in the middle, was, well it was bad. But, its a hit with American gamers and I can see why, since I am one. I do hope the sequel is better and more worthy of a purchase. As far as this title goes, I think you should rent it before you buy.

I'd give it two and a half stars out of four. Not bad, but not really good, it's just fun.