Crime Life: Gang Wars Preview

By Kristan Reed Published 8 April, 2005

Or Grand Bodily Harm as we've affectionately dubbed it. Konami gets urban on our asses.

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The second in Konami's double header of UK-developed titles (see yesterday's Regiment preview for details on the first) concerns the emine(m)nt marketing subject of urban gang wars. Crime Life is a "free roaming crime-based beat-'em-up with a great story" according to the self-titled G-Fella, the producer on the PS2, PC and Xbox title that's due for a September release.

Coming across as a modern day hip hop-infused 'sandbox' update to 16-bit classics like Renegade, Streets Of Rage and, latterly, Fighting Force, the emphasis is firmly on combo-based violence set to today's sound of the street. And when we say violence, read assault, armed robbery, vandalism, tagging, shoplifting, and, gulp, homicide. Friendly fisticuffs at dawn this isn't.

Grand Bodily Harm

'Crime Life: Gang Wars' Screenshot 1

Taking its cue from its previous crime-based dabbling and the hugely popular GTA: San Andreas, veteran UK developer Hot House Creations (Gangsters 1 and 2) has, in Crime Life, created the latest in a long, snaking line of games to favour the freeform sandbox mission structure. And just like Rockstar's multi-million-seller it's based in downtrodden US neighbourhoods and tasks you to show the other gangs who's boss, and work your way up to becoming the pimp daddy. Or something.

Starring a bunch of larger than life characters who evidently skipped grammar classes at school, you take control of Tre, a young wannabe gangster who gets introduced to the Outlawz by his cousin Darryl at the start of the game. He tells you: "You wanna be down with the outlaws, you gotta show you're a solider," brother. From there you have to visit Smally the greying 'barber' who tips you off about the various missions you can choose from and from there you work your way up the crime ladder, gaining 'respec' on the mean streets of Grand Central City.

After taking a lecture from Smally about "not tearing up the hood", dissing any 'bitches', and focusing your criminal activities exclusively on rival gangs, you find yourself pushed into the limelight: "spotlight's on you homie, let's see whatcha got". Kicking off on a mission to track down Em Benz you must predictably fend off oncoming waves of his Head Hunter posse the best way you can. After being told "you're gonna be ghetto superheroes, I'm gonna call you Blackman and Robin," typically the exchange goes something like this: "Yo man, you got a problem?" followed by "Boof! Thwock! Oooof! Ngggh! Crrrack! Arrrgh! Dooof Dooof Dooof!" as knuckles repeatedly meet flesh, as knee meets testicles, as boot meets face. It's really not a pretty sight for the average Daily Mail reader, but it is a bit like your average English town centre on a Friday night at kicking out time, you could say. Or watching Newcastle United play football. Dish out those ASBOs!

Black and blue

'Crime Life: Gang Wars' Screenshot 2

From the quickfire presentation the animation is looking slick and character models are detailed and convincing, albeit in an exaggerated cartoon fashion, but it's the feeling of weighty connection with every punch, kick, grab and throw that really impresses. The variety and fluidity of the combos available to the player also looks on a par with many full-on ring-based beat-'em-ups and really packs some power. It sounds like a terrible cliché to have to endure for the 400th time but press release boasts of "adrenaline-packed combo-based fighting and spectacular special moves" actually carry some weight by the look of it.

With much being said about the game's "strong cinematic story", Crime Life's setting changes dramatically throughout the course of the game, with 10 different environments to fight your way through over 25 story-based mission, including the 'hood, city centre, an industrial area, the plush Blingsley Hills (you read that right), the State Penitentiary, dockyard and a 'seamless' transition into various internal environments. In another nod to GTA, Crime Life also has its own 24 hour clock cycle, so expect some moody Californian sunsets to go with your pugilism.

Audio is certainly one of the main focuses in Crime Life, with celebrated Hip Hop stars D12 creating music specifically for the game - something of a major coup for Konami which assures the game plenty of attention in the build up to its release. Better still, members of D12 provide the voiceovers to the game, with rapper Swift playing Junior and Proof doing his bit to bring Dayz to life. Even movie star Jason Fleming (of Lock, Stock and Snatch fame) plays Mal, a Gypsy gunrunner, so it's evidently a game not short of ambition and high profile talent.

Gang bang

Whether it lives up to its potential remains to be seen, but in the absence of a hands-on the jury's still out on what could yet become the most ambitious free roaming fighting game we've ever seen. Expect more on Crime Life: Gang Wars in the near future. Bitch.

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Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Blerk #1 7 years ago

    free roaming crime-based beat-'em-up with a great story

    Oh. Another one?

    /reads paper

  • tincanrocket #2 7 years ago

    Oh dear. This and the new 50pee game are draining me of the will to live and encouraging me to take up a sensible hobby like knitting or gardening. Thank god for the therapeutic powers of WoW.

  • Tyronne #3 7 years ago

    After playing games now for 20 years it still continues to amuse me that the previews of games almost always appear to be describing something else to what I end up buying.

  • Eighthours #4 7 years ago

    If the best scientific minds in the world ever come across a supergerm that only targets chavs, I do hope the Pentagon decide to unleash it asap.

  • Macross #5 7 years ago

    Im gonna woop all yo punk ass bitches yo!

    or something like that

    PS I'm not really

  • krudster #6 7 years ago

    Writing previews gives us the space and time we need to play games to completion. All hail the powers of the preview! They are your friends!
    Edited by 1 at 08/04/05 @ 09:32

  • DUFFMAN5 #7 7 years ago

    Morning
    Nothing to do with this game, but any chance of a Doom3 xbox review before the dayz ( nod to Crime Life ther! ) out ?

  • smelliot #8 7 years ago

    Chav/10

    /gamefaqs

  • krudster #9 7 years ago

    Reviews in progress: Chaos Theory, Doom III Xbox (for monday ish), Doom III ROE, Punisher, Devil May Cry 3, and a pile of others.

  • zErOb_cOOl #10 7 years ago

    Sounds pretty good in terms of pick-up-and-play value. I hope its like Streets of Rage. Loved that game. Can't help but think its going to be VERY shallow however, in terms of gameplay and (possibly) replay value.

  • Natalio #11 7 years ago

    "Yo, it's like dat, wannabes wanna be dissin' this shit, we ain't taking it cuz we from da streetz, me n my boyz will squeeze gatz n put cha down, we'll wet you. Da game is not to be sold, it's to be played so play this shizzle my nizzle, don't sleep cuz I'll mess wid ya bitch like that, word up homeboy, geah. Check my ride right here, pimpin' huh, don't front I know ya like it. 187 on yo ass"

    Seriously, this writes itself. I'm barely touching the keyboard. I need to cut on gangsta rap. Nothing but eighties classics for me from now on. Whodini & Kurtis Blow.

  • krudster #12 7 years ago

    Blimey, were you at the press briefing as well?

  • Blerk #13 7 years ago

    Yo, it's like dat, wannabes wanna be dissin' this shit, we ain't taking it cuz we from da streetz, me n my boyz will squeeze gatz n put cha down, we'll wet you. Da game is not to be sold, it's to be played so play this shizzle my nizzle, don't sleep cuz I'll mess wid ya bitch like that, word up homeboy, geah. Check my ride right here, pimpin' huh, don't front I know ya like it. 187 on yo ass

    I'll attempt a translation:

    Hello, it's a little bit like this, amateurs appear to be putting down these
    words, we're not very happy about that because we're homeless, my children and I will pull in our stomachs and have the vet put you to sleep, then we'll urinate on you. This game should not be sold, it's meant to be played so that's what you should do (while eating a strange German sausage), but don't nod off if it's boring because I might well touch up your girlfriend while you're not looking, so listen here young man, certainly. Look at my Ford Fiesta here, doesn't it have a ridiculous exhaust and stupid plastic pieces glued to the bodywork, yes, don't pull that face I can tell you're suitably impressed. A moderately large number appears to be on your rear.

  • groovychainsaw #14 7 years ago

    They've missed the point! Whats does GTA have that imitators have not had? Cars that are fun to drive. What does this have? A focus on combo-based hand to hand combat(which has been generally pretty poor in all these games, GTA included). Much as I like streets of rage, i cant see this being all that much fun in a sandbox environment.
    /prepares to eat his words if this turns out to be game of the year

  • Burton2000 #15 7 years ago

    Blerk write

    Yo, it's like dat, wannabes wanna be dissin' this shit, we ain't taking it cuz we from da streetz, me n my boyz will squeeze gatz n put cha down, we'll wet you. Da game is not to be sold, it's to be played so play this shizzle my nizzle, don't sleep cuz I'll mess wid ya bitch like that, word up homeboy, geah. Check my ride right here, pimpin' huh, don't front I know ya like it. 187 on yo ass

    I'll attempt a translation:

    Hello, it's a little bit like this, amateurs appear to be putting down these
    words, we're not very happy about that because we're homeless, my children and I will pull in our stomachs and have the vet put you to sleep, then we'll urinate on you. This game should not be sold, it's meant to be played so that's what you should do (while eating a strange German sausage), but don't nod off if it's boring because I might well touch up your girlfriend while you're not looking, so listen here young man, certainly. Look at my Ford Fiesta here, doesn't it have a ridiculous exhaust and stupid plastic pieces glued to the bodywork, yes, don't pull that face I can tell you're suitably impressed. A moderately large number appears to be on your rear



    LOL
    Edited by 1 at 08/04/05 @ 10:20

  • Razzajazz #16 7 years ago

    Blerk is clearly down with the homies! This will probably be mindless fun for a day or so, I want to be excited, I really do, but this has got 'Rental' written all over it! But I have a theory...... So many gangsta games are coming out at the moment, it can't be coincidence! I believe the games publishers have teamed up to make the entire Daily Mail staff heads' explode!

  • volb #17 7 years ago

    Can I find roasted chicken steaming patiently under some old pile of junk?

  • Razzajazz #18 7 years ago

    I sense a sense of humour failure somewhere.........

  • jumpdeveraux #19 7 years ago

    Can I play as Hillary Clinton in it ... ?

    The thought of her dishing out her high-brow views on violence in games to those on the virtual street with a broken pool cue or piece of drainpipe has my wallet opening in anticipation.

  • Scientist #20 7 years ago

    Blerk, are you familiar with this?
    http://www.bizbag.com/Misc%20articles/Rap%20L yrics%20Translated.htm

    Good effort!

  • Sko #21 7 years ago

    "This and the new 50pee game..."

    Actually, with current exchange rates, he's more like 27pee. Not quite as catchy but...

  • IronGiant #22 7 years ago

    "Blerk is clearly another whiteboy middle class wanker who along with that other joker thinks its clever to mock someone elses culture."

    You clearly need a sense of humour transplant.

  • Dire #23 7 years ago

    gonna put a cap in yo ass

    bling bling

  • jellyhead #24 7 years ago

    / answers phone...
    Hello?

  • Blerk #25 7 years ago

    Blerk is clearly another whiteboy middle class wanker who along with that other joker thinks its clever to mock someone elses culture.

    Got it in one! Well done!

    Next up... humour!

  • VibratingDonkey #26 7 years ago

    "Blerk is clearly another whiteboy middle class wanker who along with that other joker thinks its clever to mock someone elses culture."

    Don't you dare mock us whiteboy middleclass wankers!

  • Natalio #27 7 years ago

    Not someone else's culture. It's my culture too. Why do you think I can write all that?

    And Blerk, let me translate for you, following the inspirational guidelines Scientist gave us.

    "Yo, it's like dat, wannabes wanna be dissin' this shit, we ain't taking it cuz we from da streetz, me n my boyz will squeeze gatz n put cha down, we'll wet you. Da game is not to be sold, it's to be played so play this shizzle my nizzle, don't sleep cuz I'll mess wid ya bitch like that, word up homeboy, geah. Check my ride right here, pimpin' huh, don't front I know ya like it. 187 on yo ass"

    Please everyone can I have your attention on my following utterance on the state of things? Pretenders may attempt to criticise our current activities but this is not something we will accept since we are homeless and poor and have lived a life of violence and ignorance. We will make use of our firearms and cause injuries or death to you forcing you to lay on the floor. Basically we will cause a feeling of humidity in your clothes by inflecting bleeding wounds to your body. This hip hop culture influenced videogame should not be sold but should be interacted with, so play with this excellent videogame, my fellow. Do not allow your attention levels to diminish or I will easily talk your sentimental partner into giving me some intimate attention. I recognise your words as wise, my intimate friend from the local neighbourhood. Please admire my automobile, wouldn't you say it's gorgeous? Do not pretend otherwise since I know you do think it is. You are bound to be subject of murder as described by the California police numerical code.

    ;-)

  • Feanor #28 7 years ago

    Dis tight looks shit, dawg! (Hmm, no....)

    Dis tight looks dawg shit! (No, not correct either....)

    Dis shit looks tight, dawg! (Ah, there we go.)

  • The Old Bill #29 7 years ago

    Blerk isn't racist. This came has as many tethers to reality as Pokemon.

  • Madder-Max #30 7 years ago

    Shouldn't that be "biatch"? ;0)