State of Emergency

- ESRB Rating: Mature (17 and older)

Product Description Lead an underground rebel movement and incite the public to protest in the name of freedom. .com The publishers of Grand Theft Auto III are back with another game geared towards a mature audience. But fans of GTA III should note that while State of Emergency contains adult themes and extremely violent gameplay, that's pretty much where the similarities end. Whereas GTA III was about creating a deep experience unlike any other video game, SOE is a throwback to arcade beat-'em-ups like Smash TV and Double Dragon . However, the game takes the genre to a new level with mind-blowing graphics. In State of Emergency , you play as one of five selectable characters that's going up against the Corporation--a tyrannical group that has the city in an iron grip. The city is in a state of disarray and the citizens are rebelling. Amazingly, up to 250 characters can riot onscreen at once. It's shocking that the developers were able to render so many moving characters while keeping a smooth frame rate. Basic gameplay consists of picking up numerous weapons and objects to cause as much damage as humanly possible. Providing context to the mindless violence are the revolution and chaos modes. The former is the game's story mode and features more than 175 missions, while the latter is a single-session mode with a few variations. For the most part, the game is an enjoyable cacophony of senseless violence, but there are some flaws. Although the revolution mode boasts an impressive number of missions, they do get repetitive. The game screams for a multiplayer mode, but it's strictly one player. In spite of these flaws, the game remains addictive and fun. It bears repeating that gamers looking for another GTA III will not find it here: this game provides an arcadelike experience that's excellent, but in a very different way. Parents should note that this game carries a Mature rating for its blood, violence, and gore. --Raymond M. Padilla Pros: Amazing number of characters onscreen sim neously Simple beat-'em-up gameplay A vast arsenal with which to inflict damage Cons: Missions get repetitive No multiplayer mode Bland soundtrack P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100) }) }) Review Like Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III , State of Emergency offers the player virtually unlimited scope for mayhem, and huge, sprawling urban environments to explore through missions or nonlinear action. But this time the level of chaos has been upped considerably, as the game offers the potential for hundreds of rioters to be onscreen at once, each with his or her own AI, set of motivations, and loyalties. The environments are intricately interactive almost any object (including body parts) can be picked up and used as a weapon. There are two game modes: Revolution and Chaos. Chaos allows for freelance havoc-wreaking, while in Revolution you will be sent on hundreds of missions--ranging from firebombing to gang warfare--all with the ultimate purpose of toppling the tyrannical "corporation" that runs the city. The violence in this game is cartoony but extreme, and is for the mature gamer only. In fact, children should not even be allowed in the same room when the game is being played. For the mature gamer, however, State of Emergency will forever change the concept of what a video game can be. -- Product Description See more