Urban Chaos Riot Response Review

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(More customer reviews)The title, the implications, and the M for Mature rating drew me to this title, a solid shooter from Eidos about...urban chaos.

Urban Chaos: Riot Response about sums it up.Set in some city (say, New York, of course), you play a member of an elite SWAT-type, special-anti-terror-whatever unit charged with taking back the streets from ultraviolent, insane street gangs.

The bottom line is a lot of shooting, and thankfully, lots of blood (hence the rating, this is not a game for kiddies).Heads and arms even come flying off in all that mayhem, always a welcome detail, sadly absent from the more cartoon-like violence of many war games.Of course, the game includes an angle to (possibly) discourage you from the Rambo approach all the time.Since the `T-Zero' unit you work for is on shaky public-relations ground (it's expensive and unproven and prone to the kind of shooting reserved for such games) you have the option and incentive to take gang members alive.This will improve the `image' of T-Zero, and you get to electrocute guys with a powerful tazer.

But where's the fun in that?Like Bronson in Death Wish 3, when facing an insane gang with no discernable goals beyond chaos, you have to blow them all away.But, at least it's your choice.

If you love 80s action movies, where the art of seeing criminal scum being blown away in slow-motion was perfected, then this was made with you in mind.The game includes gang-death cut-scenes, meaning that certain gang members, when getting blasted, go flying this way and that in slo-mo.It's great---you shoot the guy at different angles, and he'll go flying off the roof, against a wall, through an elevator shaft, arms flailing, blood splattering, etc.See?Truly made with the Death Wish 3 fan in mind.But don't worry, as Arnold once said, "They were all bad".

The Burners, the evil street gang, are the perfect enemy: mysterious, faceless (they all wear modern Jason-esque hockey masks), and brutal (they don't seem to have an agenda except causing chaos and mindless violence).As if you cared.The guns are solid, the standard-issue handgun quite good, the double-barrel shotgun classic, and some oddities like meat cleavers thrown in.The other angle is the control you get over `supporting' characters like firemen and medics---you get to order them around to heal people, break down doors, put out fires, and perform other services that facilitate your blowing away of various thugs, evildoers, and miscreants.

The message couldn't be more clear--a future dystopia of complete corporate and government dominance, of disaffected, faceless masses killing people and trying to destroy the system, and of brutal, secretive, and suspicious enforcers called upon to restore `order'--is a recurrent, dependable and winning formula for violent shoot-em'ups.One decade it's paranoia, the next decade it's the all-too-real specter of `terrorism', but these are only minor tweaks to the presentation.Rest assured that even if the world WERE one day invaded by aliens, or if `the system' broke down, we would still get sophisticated, well-produced, predictable but fun and extremely violent video games out of it all.

Recommended for fans of M-rated shooters, it's not terribly difficult, but at the reduced cost it's worth it.Also has a nice multiplayer accompanying up to 8 people, which moves reasonably well.

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Product Description:
Urban Chaos: Riot Response puts you on the streets of a decaying city in modern day America. Gang warfare is destroying its interior, and you've been authorized by the government to meet them with a military response. Use a mix of lethal and non-lethal means to take the city's enemies down. Start out on your own, but as you play you'll recruit local police, firemen and EMTs into your unit, creating a local army that's powerful enough t o take the gangs down once and for all.Take control of civilian population, to ensure their safetyRecruit key members of emergency services -- police, firemen and medics -- in the heat of the action Up to 17 single-player missions, with dynamic multiplayer action

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Freedom Fighters Review

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(More customer reviews)There are few games that I'd use the term "great" while describing them. Freedom Fighters is such a game. Though released to critical acclaim in the fall of 2003, the game became a "sleeper" with higher profile titles being released around the same time. That critical acclaim was well deserved, because this is one game that has managed to surpass every one of my expectations.
Freedom Fighters takes place in what is described as an "alternate reality". In this timeline, the Soviet Union was the first to develop the Atom Bomb and bring and end to World War II. The game is prefaced by a brief rundown of events leading up to the present day. When the game begins, you find the game's hero, a New York plumber by the name of Chris Stone, is going about his daily route. When he and his brother stop to fix a clogged sink of a prominent anti-Soviet activist, he finds himself smack in the middle of the Red Army invasion. He's then thrust into the role of guerilla fighter.
The gameplay is what makes Freedom Fighters such an outstanding game. The game is a third person shooter. As you progress in the game and accomplish certain objectives, you gain "Charisma Points" which elevates your status eventually to where you can command fellow soldiers. You can recruit and command up to twelve freedom fighters with a very basic command interface, using the controller buttons, that works surprisingly well. Your troops will take cover and fight independantly when they need to, so you won't have to worry about them getting picked off one by one. The enemy A.I. is also very sophisticated. The Red Army will fight just as fiercely as your troops and will often try to pull and "end around", trying to sneak up on you and take you by surprise. The only thing that I didn't like about the controls was the precise aiming. It tended to be a bit of a pain to hold down the L3 button. The gameplay is structured so that whatever you accomplish in one mission ultimately affects another. For instance, if you blow up a helipad there will be no attack helicopters in another level. There is also an off-line multiplayer mode, which players engage in split screen action and co-op mode.
The graphics on this game are excellent, while other games may boast more photo realistic character models, the emphasis here placed on making the player feel like he was actually fighting on the streets of New York. Streets, street lights, snow, and even elevated train platforms have a very "New York" feel to them. One of the more intersting graphical features is what's called "rag doll" physics. When a parked car explodes it sends whoever is standing next to it flying into the air. Which makes for some pretty cool visuals. The sounds are also exceptional. Soldiers speak Russian, explosions rock the dual shock controller, tanks rumble through the streets. This game sounds as great as it looks and plays.
The story is moved along through the use of fake newscasts from the Soviet Armed Forces Network. This is a technique that was used in another game, Splinter Cell, earlier in 2003. But here the newscasts do a much better job at moving the story along. The obvious difference is that in Splinter Cell, the hero was operation covertly, but the newscasts did little to shed any light on the story and often felt like they were not interwoven into the fabric of the game. Here the newsbroadcasts feel like they are part of the game and help to immerse you further into the game.
Freedom Fighters is without a doubt one of the best games of 2003. If you're not playing it, you're really missing out on one of those really special games that makes you glad you own a Playstation 2. I HIGHLY recomend this game!

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Product Description:
Freedom: The Battle for Liberty Island is set in a world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War. Now a fierce conflict is beginning to unfold in the streets of America. Red Army troops are pouring across the borders of Mexico and Canada shortly after a nuclear missile is unleashed on Washington D.C. Chaos sets in when breaking news informs Americans that their President has been killed and the Russians have invaded the country.
Players take on the role of a blue-collar worker who evolves into a charismatic and fearless freedom fighter obsessed with finding and freeing his brother, who has been taken hostage along with other New Yorkers by the Soviets. You must recruit and lead an army of urban guerillas to take on the Soviet threat in the streets of New York City. Freedom: The Battle for Liberty Island provides two layers of gameplay: A strategic turn-based mode that centers on base operations in an underground sewer system and an action mode that unfolds in the streets where fierce battles are won or lost and resources are captured.

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SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate Expansion Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)You cannot beat this expansion pack for $30!!SWAT 4 has been a great FPS - but Stetchkov greatly improves upon it.The AI is significantly better - no longer do you walk into a room and find a baddie just ambling around.More weapons have been added - I have really enjoyed the FN P-90.The levels (seven new ones) have that lived in/realistic look - no more dozens of pristine rooms with only a few things in them.The new On My Command is great - you can put each team at an entrance and have them bang and clear at the same time.Ok, some downsides:Still not many poly's for the bad-guys - they look a little blocky even on the highest settings.And, speaking of which, even with a $200+ 256-mb graphics card, this game still bogs my system down when there's a lot of action.And, believe me, there will be a lot of action!Oh - the file structure is unchanged so you can get into it right away and modify weapon reticle bloom, etc.And, unlike the original - I've not yet had a crash to desktop during gameplay.I highly, highly recommend this game for those who want a realistic FPS shooter - its what R6 lockdown should have been.Go out and get this game immediately - you can't go wrong.

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Product Description:
Your Team's Got Powerful New Weapons andEquipment...you're gonna need them!Product Information[Requires Full Version of SWAT 4 to Play]The Stetchkov Syndicate is putting big guns in the wrong hands. but nowyou have got bigger guns in yours - along with upgraded equipment.Real-time voice communication tightens coordination in multiplayer. Co-opmultiplayer teams can now be up to 10 players. Whether you are online orplaying solo you must employ all the SWAT tactics you know to bring down thisdeadly new menace.Product FeaturesDangerous New ThreatStop the Stetchkov Syndicate from destabilizing the city.Upgrade WeaponsThe Colt Accurized Rifle and Cobra Stun Gun are among the new weaponsavailable.New EquipmentNight vision goggles help you scope out threats and light sticks can beused to mark cleared rooms.10-Player Co-Op ModeTeam up with a squad of up to 10.Windows RequirementsRequires Full Version of SWAT 4 to PlayWindows 98SE 2000 SP3 XP SP1Pentium III 1.0 GHz Celeron 1.2 GHz AMD Athlon 1.2 GHz or equivalentprocessor256 MB of RAM1 GB free Hard Disk spaceDirectX 8.1 compatible Sound CardNVIDIA GeForce 2 with 32 MB (MX 200/400) not supported; ATI Radeon 8500with 64 MB or equivalent Graphics CardDirectX 9.0c Windows compatible Mouse and KeyboardCD-ROM / DVD-ROM drive required for installation56k Modem for online play

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SWAT 4: Special Weapons and Tactics Review

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(More customer reviews)Despite what some say, SWAT 4 delivers as it is supposed to. If you were a SWAT 3 fan, then say hello to SWAT 4, a more graphically advanced edition with some AWESOME control and a much improved "drop down" command menu, including the ability to command a "red" and "blue" element at different times, or the WHOLE element at once.

The bad guys are smarter, sneak up on you, and change positions. Some give up easily, others run, and others fight back. It's replay value is AWESOME, and Im sure multiplayer is just unreal...I just havent had the time to get to it yet since Im on mission 5 of the single player!!

This is not meant to be a Max Payne or Half Life 2 game, its a stricly "SWAT" oriented game, slow in pace, much like a Splinter Cell. This is NOT a run and gun, its a strategic first person shooter for SWAT series fans.

Be aware that it takes a few minutes to set up the keyboard the way that is most comfortable, and you may change the config a few times in the control panel before you set it for good. Having the controls set up to where you can access all commands easily is key to keeping this game exciting and not annoying!

The system requirements arent too bad...but PCGAMER reccommends a 2.4ghz P4 and a 128mb graphics card. For reference, Im running it on a 3.4ghz Extreme Edition CPU, 1 GB of RAM, an X800 XT 256mb graphics card, and surround sound.

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Product Description:
Looking for a tactical shooter that asks you to do more than charge a building, guns a' blazin'? With a focus on sparing as many lives as possible, SWAT 4 not only raises the stakes, it raises the realism to a new level. Choose your loadout carefully and only go lethal when all else fails and the lives of innocents or a squad member are at stake.
In SWAT 4, you're the leader, nicknamed "Boss," and it's your job to command three other specialists through a variety of missions in every corner of a perilous, crime-infested city. Your special weapons and tactics squad consists of basic specialist types, an Assaulter, a Breacher, a Scout and a Non-lethal Specialist. These specialists can be customized to your tastes, and you can pick weapons that suit your mission objectives and plan. In keeping with SWAT 4's focus on non-lethal, life-preserving engagements, you can choose weapons such as tasers, flashbang grenades, and a bean bag-hurling shotgun. Of course, many situations turn hot, and the baddies you'll face will be well armed, so there is a complete selection of lethal firepower, as well.
Your missions will focus on neutralizing criminal elements and taking as many suspects into custody as possible. How you do that is up to you, but the game demands restraint, stealth and an eye for gaining the tactical advantage over opponents. You'll use items like the "Optiwand" to look around corners and under doors to scout for foes, before rushing in and subduing a suspect with pepper spray, CS gas or, if things turn ugly, live rounds. Be careful, though; killing innocents will end your mission immediately.
As squad leader, you make the ultimate calls about whether to enter rooms, open fire, or retreat. You'll command three other capable comrades with the only goal of keeping people alive. SWAT 4's intuitive command system will have you giving orders and organizing your team effectively in no time. All commands are contextual, meaning the game provides possible options depending on the situation you're in. This allows you to make decisions quickly, because when lives are at stake and the action heats up, one thing you don't have is a lot of time.
The SWAT franchise is well known for great multi-player action, and SWAT 4 is no exception. You can play online in one of three modes, Barricaded Suspects, V.I.P. Escort, or Rapid Deployment. Each mode comes with unique challenges and makes special demands on your powers of cooperation and command. Keep a cool head, and keep the body bags to a minimum.

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