The Warriors

"Come Out to Play!"

I've found "The Warriors" to be surprisingly rewarding as a game. Being a fan of the movie for some five years, I was initially repulsed by the idea of a game being based on it. After some favorable reviews by frieds, however, I decided to pick it up.

Let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

GRAPHICS: 8/10
This is about the best that we can expect from Rockstar, really. The graphics are by no means spectacular, but they're just good enought not to detract from the gameplay. One things that shines, however, is the motion capture work; during cutscenes, the characters move completely realistically, and actually seem like people. This brings life to the game and makes everything believeable.

SOUND FX: 10/10
I love the sound in this game. The sounds of people beating each other up brings to mind so many superfluous adjectives of "Fight Club" inspiration, and the sound of a board breaking is believable, but not overplayed. Well done.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
Here is where the game shines. the game requires you to switch between different gang members, and constantly having to test out new fighters keeps the game fresh, forcing you to change fighting styles on the fly. Let me tell you, the action in this game packs all the thrills of, say, "Ninja Gaiden", with none of the breaches of reality. Something about the game makes you FEEL your character's fists connecting. Delivering a power attack and watching your opponent painfully fly end over end is rewarding in such a perverse way. Cringing as your rage-inmbued fighter stamps someone's face in is the most disturbing fun you've ever had. This game makes a sadist out of everyone, but I doubt anyone's complaining. And the level design is clever, but still simple enough to actually seem believable as 1970's New York. Anyone who follows the game's well-implemented bonus objectives will figure this out soon. But, in the end, it's the little touches tha make this game so great. Picking up a fallen enemy's hat, grabbing an opponent and spinning him around so your friend can finish him off, purchasing ice cream, if only to hear someones reaction as they are struck with it... it all creates a deep and rewarding game experience that will glue anyone to the controller.

VOICE ACTING: 5/10
Don't get me wrong, the majority of the actors in this game really bring it to life, especially those that were in the original movie. My personal favorites are Swan (Micheal Beck), Ajax (James Remar) and Fox (I believe it is Thomas Waites). However, certain poorly-chosen actors tend to bring a scene down. Cleon (Dorsey Wright), when speaking, seems to be reading the lines, and tend to be a major scene-killer. Rembrandt's lines are almost cringe-wrothy in their delivery, and Cochise's voicer actor, David Harris, has aged to the point where his voice is almost annoying. This is, perhaps, my least favorite part of the game.

STORY: 9/10
While not exactly a riveting narrative, the whole plot of the game does nothing but add to the story of the movie. If you think about it, the movie didn't provide much backstory at all. This game serves as the perfect supplement for both devoted fan or first-time player.

VIOLENCE: 7/10
This doesn't factor into my overall score, but I just want to let everyone know not to be too daunted. I've seen much worse. However, this game is somewhat bipolar; the normal moves are almost docile enough to be on children's television. ONce you get into the finishing moves, however, some of them are downright hard to watch. This game doesn't have anything hard to handle, but some times it gets pretty intense.

REPLAY VALUE: 3/10
Scratch my earlier comment; THIS is my least favorite part of the game. After beating the main story, there is almost literally nothing to do. A couple more bonus missions (small ones) that fail to entertain in the least, the Armies of the Night minigame that strips all of the raw brutailty out of gameplay, and Rumble mode, which is fun to play with friends but ultimately unfulfilling. The only good reply point comes from the final (not hardest, mind you) difficulty setting, Unleash the Fury, which adds some intense, new, and sometimes hilarious moments to the game.

OVERALL: 9/10
This game provides hours of fun that could easily be enjoyed on a second or thrid playthrough. I was pleasently surprised by my own emotional reactions to the game. My biggest complaint is length; this game could easily be completed in a diligent day, and after the game is completed, it's through. This hardly goes againt the fun factor, however, as it just means that I wasn't done playing when the game said I was.

FINAL WORD: Because of the length, this game is a better rental. However, no matter how you choose to enjoy it, this game always goes down smooth.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/13/07