Many games based around the open-world concept popularized by the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise have been released in the last couple years, but few outside that series have been bona fide hits.
One of the exceptions was Activision’s “True Crime: Streets of L.A.,” which offered players something more than just a rehash of “Vice City” by putting them on the good side of the law. It was greeted with a positive critical response and strong sales. So it’s no surprise that the series is returning for a second outing, but this time the franchise is ditching sunny Los Angeles for the Big Apple.
As with the last title, “True Crime: New York City” will recreate its setting with stunning accuracy. Promising GPS-accurate streets, the digital version of New York will include all its familiar landmarks, a subway system and recognizable neighborhoods, like Times Square and Harlem. Although it has yet to be revealed how large of a chunk of New York will be included, the game seems to be set primarily on the island of Manhattan. No word yet on whether you’ll be able to visit other boroughs like Brooklyn or Queens. Yet even if players are confined to the island, there will be plenty for them to do there. Not content to simply change the setting, developer Luxoflux has included plenty of new features as well.
As Marcus Reed, a former criminal turned police officer, players are tasked with hunting down the killer of Reed’s mentor while tackling the various crime rings in the city. As before, you can do things by the book, or cross the line into bad-cop territory – which honestly sounds like more fun. Luxoflux has added cool new environment interactions to use on the local crooks. You can take out a criminal by pressing his face against a lit stove burner, force his head in an oven, toss him into a walk-in freezer and more.
But even without these brutal tools, you’ll still be able to lay down the law. Reed can switch between multiple fighting styles on the fly, allowing you to tap into a huge array of punishing moves. But if that’s not your style, both police-issued and black-market weaponry is at your disposal. You can take on criminals with everything from a sword to a grenade launcher.
Whether you see battling random street crime as a noble cause or a distraction from your core mission, your decisions will have an actual effect on the neighborhoods you visit. If you choose to ignore street crime, neighborhoods will grow considerably worse: The crime rate will rise, seedy characters will flood the area, and potholes and litter will accumulate in the streets.
But if you choose to strictly enforce the law, crime will drop and rough neighborhoods will start to look cleaner. Combined with a night and day cycle, the virtual New York will easily be one of the most realistic game settings ever. And with the “Grand Theft Auto” series currently off the shelves following the infamous “Hot Coffee” controversy, True Crime might have a window of opportunity to snatch market leadership in the red-hot open-world genre.
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