"T" must be
a really powerful letter. In Resident Evil it was used to denote the world’s
most damaging virus. In Terminator II: Judgment Day, the
villain-turned-good-guy was sent back in time to destroy a liquid robot called
T1000. Now in Urban Chaos: Riot Response, players will take control of Nick
Mason, a top police officer who belongs to the group T-Zero. T-Zero was
created in response to the dozens of violent attacks across the city.
The world
has never seen anything like it. Some fear it’s too late, and grim news
reports don’t paint a prettier picture for the future. But Nick can’t let a
little pessimism stop him. He’s got to keep pushing forward, killing these
thugs one bullet at a time.
Urban Chaos
is yet another addition to the over-populated first-person shooter genre. Give
me a fact sheet and I’ll say it sounds familiar. Show me a screenshot and I’ll
think of other violent games. Hand me the controller and it’s a whole other
story. Seeing the game at E3 led me to believe that the gameplay would be fun,
action-packed, and feature a couple of unique teamwork twists. Urban Chaos
delivered in that respect, serving up a large helping of enemies, headshots,
and rewards for how gang members are killed. That right there is enough for a
good rental, but what does it take to make a game worth buying in a world
where we’ve already had several intense shooters on PS2?
That answer
differs between great games. Urban Chaos’s answer is cinematic presentation.
The game is much more involved (physically and visually) than the standard
console title, let alone the average FPS. The graphics are current-gen. You
can’t escape that, not on a console that’s been out for almost six years. The
cinematics, however, are more than impressive. Rather than using CG movies to
provide the most realistic effects possible, Urban Chaos uses its in-game
engine – coupled with character ghost, blur, and camera shake – to create an
immersive experience akin to the original Metal Gear Solid.
Every
scenario is like an action flick come to life. Hostage situations are some of
the most memorable. Once notified that someone is in danger, I rush to the
scene of the crime-in-the-making. From about 50 feet away I spot a masked man
holding a gun to another officer’s head. The officer is squealing, acting
nothing like he would in a real hostage situation (or in a movie, where he
would likely say, "Forget about me! Shoot! You must not let him get away!").
Ignoring the fact that the cop is a whiner, I move into my enemy’s sights,
unknowingly putting myself in danger. He opens fire, unleashing every bullet
in his gun. Stand in his crosshairs for the duration of his firing and you’ll
die. Dodge the bullets and you’ll die. Peak over corners and you’ll still
probably die.
The only way
to survive this ordeal is by using your trusty, bullet-resistant shield.
(Contrary to what they say in the movies, I’m told real cops never say "bullet
proof" when referring to a vest or shield.) This is where the game gets even
better. Every bullet leaves a small hole in your shield. Every hit pushes you
back a foot or two. You could be running toward a hostage, and if the perp has
a full clip, you won’t make any progress!
Eventually
everyone has to reload, and that’s when you get to spring into action. The
game automatically adjusts the camera view, zooming in very slowly. The goal
now, as your enemy reloads, is to shoot him in the head while your hostage
tilts his body slightly to one side. Successful hits won’t mean an instant
kill. The game encourages headshots by rewarding you with special medals (200+
of them, each rewarded for going above and beyond the average player.
Headshots are one of many things that’ll earn you some accolades). But it
takes more than one headshot to kill hostage-takers, presumably because of
their thick masks. All enemies wear masks in this game, though it seems some
provide more protection than others.
Upon killing
the enemy the game switches over to a fancy, movie-style, slow-motion effect
with the enemy falling to his death. It’s a realistic, subtle animation that
has the enemy falling in a way that’s appropriate to his position, how he was
killed, etc. You likely won’t see the same animation twice in a row.
The blur and
ghost effects are used during gameplay (pay attention to how characters, good
or bad, look while standing next to a large flame), during real-time
sequences, and during the hostage scenarios described above. When you’re not
trying to save an endangered cop you’re trying to protect a firefighter. Or
vice versa. Urban Chaos has a stellar approach to world of serving and
protecting by combining the use of police, firefighters, and paramedics.
Paramedics
heal you and other downed officers, while firefighters are needed to put out
flames, open locked doors, and help in other interesting ways. Some locks can
be shot open, but the game does not make that crystal clear. It’s not that the
developers wanted to confuse us, but as I explore this gritty, dangerous, and
mostly realistic world, the last thing I want is to see a gate highlighted in
green. That’s necessary for other types of games, but not this one. Urban
Chaos is for long-time FPS fans, the kind that have played through the Halo
and Medal of Honor games of the past.
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Gameplay: 8.9
Top-notch,
non-stop, super-intense first-person shooting action. Urban Chaos: Riot
Response is a different kind of FPS in the best way possible. It does its own
thing, but that doesn’t mean the developers haven’t learned from the genre’s
best. You’ll be on the edge of your seat from the moment the journey begins.
There are even hints of puzzles in the game, causing Nick to use his shield
for more than just bullet protection.
Graphics: 8.0
Stellar
cinematics – some of the best seen on PS2. The animations and camera work are
awesome. You’ll definitely notice some parallels between Urban Chaos’s camera
style and 24, as well as other shake-heavy TV shows.
Sound: 8.5
Great music,
decent voice acting, and several eerie news reports that warn of the city’s
growing dangers.
Difficulty: Medium
Mostly
challenging, especially when you forget to use your shield. That’ll become
second nature really fast. A rookie mode is provided for beginners, but if you
need it, chances are you’re not going to beat the game any time soon.
Concept: 8.5
It’s not a whole
new genre, or a reinvention of one already in existence. Urban Chaos does,
however, do a number of things that no other FPS has done – and it keeps you
on the edge of your seat while doing them. Boredom is not allowed.
Multiplayer: 8.0
Eight players
supported, letting more than one Nick Mason-wannabe become a Nick
Mason-wannabe! Exciting, but the best content comes from the single-player
campaign.
Overall: 8.5
A wonderful,
must-play action game. Urban Chaos is extremely violent and may not be for
every FPS lover. But if you’ve played GTA, you’ve already seen worse. And if
you’re 18, I doubt any warnings of blood and gore will be a turn off. Other
than that, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to play this game. It’s
full of action, clever moments, a great soundtrack, outstanding visuals, and
is the most fun I’ve had with a PS2 shooter since Medal of Honor Frontline.
