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| | Title:
Urban Chaos
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
First Person Shooter
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Publisher:
Eidos Interactive
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Developer:
Rocksteady Studios
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Release:
June 6, 2006
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Rated Pending (RP)
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Console gamers in this current generation have had no shortage of FPS titles; Black, Halo, Unreal, and too many war games worth remembering. This year, though, publishers are planning on releasing a couple of titles that seem to drag the shooter genre into a direction that goes beyond, well, simply shooting. Whereas 3D Realms’ Prey and Saber Interactive’s Timeshift give shooter fans the option to partake in physics defying experiences; Rocksteady Studios and Argonaut Games is looking to give gamers an experience seen through the eyes of emergency workers. While it doesn’t seem like that much of a leap into the extraordinary, it’s territory very few developers tread over.
The basic concept of Urban Chaos: Riot Response revolves around rescue units such as Firemen, EMTs, and of course the bad boys in blue, T-Zero. The Riot Response unit (A.K.A. T-Zero) is a brute force group of special police officers trying to restore order where all order has been abandoned. Their purpose is to disband or incapacitate out-of-control gangs, specifically the Burners.
The Shield
Like any good officer who rampages through the pyromaniacal, and criminally insane, a fitting selection of military weaponry is nothing but necessary: Special pistols, double barrel shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles and grenade launchers are just a few of the many available weapons. In the single player mode, though, the player has access to all sorts of different pain-causing devices. Whether it’s from the military armory or from a gang member, the player can wield just about any available weapon present within the game. Even Molotov cocktails become part of your expert killing repertoire; what’s better than killing your enemy with his own flaming cocktail?
There’s also melee elements tossed into the fray of ultra-violence. Meat clevers can be used up close or can be thrown from a distance. Stun guns and chainsaws also made the cut, and gives players a screen full of flames, sparks and tons of blood. The most anticipated tool of the T-Zero unit, though, would definitely have to be the Riot-Shield. Not many FPS games give us the option to defend ourselves. So it was a moment of bliss finding out that you can use your indestructible Shield (think Captain America) to block any incoming attack. From explosions and burning bottles, to gun fire and melee attacks, the Shield can take it all and keep on ticking. However, to balance out the gameplay, players cannot use any weapon while handling the Riot Shield. While the Shield is active, though, players can use it to hit and clobber their foes while defending themselves. Argonaut did a good thing adding this extra element of strategy and tactical focus to the gameplay. Hopefully, it’ll become a good habit other developers will look to add in future FPS games.
Super-heroes of the street
Unlike other shooters, Urban Chaos has one strong appeal that could work out well for it in the final product: Teamwork. Occasionally we get shooters that have the co-op modes for two players. But if you’re not with another player, and it’s not military oriented...don’t expect much interaction with NPCs beyond putting a bullet between their eyes. Urban Chaos: Riot Response also shows a strong connection between emergency response teams, from the police to the firefighters to the paramedics. In other words, this game focuses on the real-life super-heroes of the street, and the teamwork involved with each faction.
During certain game segments, players will be required to interact with specific NPC counter-parts to open doors, extinguish fires, or help rescue someone in need of help. This will be one of the game’s prime features beyond blowing the brains out of the insane gangs. The purpose was to give players a feeling of gameplay depth that drives the need for urgency, without the body count being the prime focus all the time. Every shooter requires, well, shooting. Nevertheless, UC is giving gamers the role of playing a common hero who relies on other common heroes to get the job done, and done right.
Clean enough to see blood stains
Even with this game being on the current gen consoles, it retains a very effective visual look. The models are detailed enough to be convincing gang members and emergency rescue crews. Most of the other special effects look good, as well. The flame effects aren’t the greatest but they get the job done. The blood stains are pretty detailed, though, and players should get a kick out of clobbering an enemy and watching the blood drip down the Riot Shield.
The game’s presentation and stylized camera work go hand-in-hand with the use of a fictional news outlet to report the progress of specific missions and story elements. The game itself uses high-res mapping and smooth frame-rates to give the appearance of semi-realistic environments and movements. When bad guys get shot, they don’t just fall down or tip over, they react according to the force of impact. Using the rag-doll physics, explosions and collision effects results in unpredictable events, based on the players’ choice of interactivity.
Class action
The multiplayer details have been marked with a couple of modes and features that try to separate it from the standard deathmatch herd. Over Xbox Live or Playstation On-line, games can engage in some heated battles, that actually includes working together to complete specified objectives. Like Counter Strike, Team Fortress or Castle Wolfenstein’s Enemy Territory, the multiplayer modes in this game direct players to work together in various maps. Teamwork is essential to complete tasks as either the rescue crew, or a gang member.
Objectives in multiplayer range from protecting designated areas with extreme force, to rescuing hostages from the pyromaniacs. The game is designed with cooperative play making up a large part of the multiplayer modes, because the designers felt too many games dwell on standard deathmatches.
This concept has been enforced by giving each side (the gangs and the rescue units) various advantages and weapon designations. For instance, the police, of course, get the Riot Shield, the magnum and a couple of other heavy weapons. While the opposing side gets double barrel shotguns, dual-wielding sub-machine guns, and Molotov cocktails.
You can look for Urban Chaos: Riot Response to hit shelves for the Xbox and PS2 come June 30, 2006.
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