True Crime: Streets of LA for the PlayStation 2 is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Luxoflux and published by Activision. Released in 2003, the game combines elements of third-person shooting, driving, hand-to-hand combat, and open-world exploration, set within a detailed recreation of Los Angeles. The game follows a noir-style story of crime, corruption, and justice, with players assuming the role of a rogue cop aiming to bring down criminal syndicates in the city.
Key Details:
•Release Date: November 4, 2003
•Genre: Action-Adventure, Open-World
•Modes: Single-player
•Setting: Open-world Los Angeles, spanning various neighborhoods and landmarks
Story and Characters:
•Protagonist: Players control Nick Kang, a rebellious LAPD cop with a no-nonsense attitude and a penchant for breaking the rules. He is known for his martial arts skills, sharp shooting, and driving abilities, making him an ideal candidate for high-stakes undercover work.
•Plot: The story follows Nick as he investigates a series of violent crimes tied to organized crime groups in Los Angeles. Along the way, he encounters various crime syndicates, including the Chinese Triads and Russian Mafia. As Nick unravels the mystery, he uncovers corruption and faces betrayals that test his loyalty and dedication to justice.
•Multiple Endings: The game has multiple possible endings based on the choices and actions players take throughout the story, adding a replayable aspect and letting players influence Nick’s fate and the outcome of his investigation.
Gameplay and Features:
•Open-World Exploration:
•True Crime: Streets of LA features a large, open-world map of Los Angeles, covering areas like Hollywood, Chinatown, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. Players can freely explore the city, complete missions, and respond to random crimes.
•The map includes real-world landmarks, streets, and neighborhoods, making it one of the more ambitious attempts to recreate an actual city at the time of its release.
•Crime-Fighting Mechanics:
•As a cop, Nick can respond to random crimes occurring around the city, such as carjackings, shootouts, and street fights. These events can be resolved through combat or negotiation.
•Players are rewarded for successfully stopping criminals and can lose points or reputation if they accidentally harm civilians, creating a balance between law enforcement and personal conduct.
•Combat Mechanics:
•Hand-to-Hand Combat: The game features a brawler-style combat system with punches, kicks, combos, and special moves. Nick’s martial arts skills allow players to take down multiple enemies in close quarters.
•Gunplay: The game includes a third-person shooting system, with a lock-on aiming mechanic that simplifies targeting. Players can also use slow-motion “bullet time” abilities, inspired by Max Payne, for added precision and style.
•Driving: Players can hijack various vehicles, chase criminals, and engage in high-speed pursuits. Car handling is arcade-style, allowing for quick maneuvers and action-packed car chases. Players can shoot from their vehicle during chases.
•Good Cop/Bad Cop System:
•Nick’s actions affect his “Good Cop” or “Bad Cop” rating, impacting the storyline and how other characters respond to him. The more Nick acts within the law, the more he earns a Good Cop reputation, while reckless or unlawful actions push him toward a Bad Cop rating.
•This system influences the game’s multiple endings and provides a moral choice aspect, encouraging players to choose their style of justice.
•Mission Structure:
•The main missions drive the narrative forward, with varied objectives that involve investigation, combat, and pursuit. Players can also take on optional side missions to earn extra rewards and enhance their skills.
•Missions include stopping drug deals, rescuing hostages, breaking up gang fights, and investigating crime scenes.
•Progression and Upgrades:
•As players complete missions, they earn points to upgrade Nick’s skills in three main areas: driving, fighting, and shooting. These upgrades improve Nick’s combat abilities, accuracy, and car-handling skills, helping him take on tougher challenges.
•Players can also unlock new vehicles, weapons, and special moves by achieving high scores in missions and random crime encounters.
Graphics and Sound:
•Visuals: The game features detailed character models and an expansive urban environment that captures the look and feel of early 2000s Los Angeles.
•Voice Acting and Soundtrack: True Crime features voice acting from well-known actors, including Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, and Michelle Rodriguez. The soundtrack includes hip-hop and rock music, adding a gritty, urban atmosphere to the game.
Reception and Legacy:
True Crime: Streets of LA received praise for its ambitious open-world design, engaging story, and mix of combat and exploration. However, the game was also noted for some technical flaws and inconsistencies in mechanics, such as driving physics and repetitive missions. Despite this, it was popular enough to inspire a sequel, True Crime: New York City, and is remembered as a significant title that helped shape the open-world action genre. Its emphasis on choice, multiple endings, and real-world setting made it an influential title in open-world crime games, paving the way for future franchises like Sleeping Dogs, which began as a reboot of the True Crime series.