rue Crime is the first game to come along and truly give the Grand Theft Auto series a run for its money. I’ll even go as far as to say that the sheer size and scope of this project simply dwarfs anything that Rockstar has delivered thus far.
Not only does it boast an open-ended gameplay design set within the sprawling streets of Los Angeles, True Crime grants players the freedom to uphold the law as an virtuous cop, or go Bad Lieutenant and terrorize the city of angels.
At any point during the quest, you’ll have the chance to accept missions that are broadcast over your police scanner at random times. These assignments have nothing to do with the greater story arc, but appear often and greatly affect the growth of your character. You’ll find yourself fielding every day occurrences along the lines of domestic disputes and public drunkenness. You’ll also be thrust into do-or-die scenarios like gang warfare and child abductions.
The way that you interact with these affairs determines how you’ll progress throughout the game. If you go in with guns ablaze or simply try to run people over with your vehicle, you’ll receive Bad Cop points. However, if you go in and flash your badge or fire some warning shots into the air, there’s a good chance that you can reach a peaceful resolution that will reward you with Good Cop points. It’s choices like these that really give this title a unique appeal.
As brilliant as the premise may be, a number of roadblocks hold True Crime back from achieving greatness. With high-speed car chases, fighting game-like martial arts sequences, frenzied run and gun shootouts, and stealth, the game has amazing variety. Unfortunately, none of these individual components feel particularly polished. The fighting is a strategy-free button-mashing mess; the gun targeting system is incredibly difficult to manipulate; the cars don’t feel like they are tied to the ground; and your character’s general movements are erratic.
The cinematics are another gray area. The detail that went into the real-time cutscenes screams Hollywood production. The list of voice actors is also better than most movies, with Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, and Ron Perlman to name a few. Even with that talent, the game is void of a likeable protagonist. Nick Kang is quite easily the most annoying new character in video games. He spits out some of the worst one-liners known to man. Case in point, when I pick up a health power-up, I don’t want to hear my character say, "Even my jock itch is cured."
If you go into True Crime knowing that the gameplay won’t blow your mind, I have a feeling that you’ll appreciate the freedom that this game has to offer. It’s not nearly as good as GTA, but entertaining nonetheless.