True Crime: Streets of L.A.

Described as "Hard Boiled meets Lethal Weapon," True Crime: Streets of L.A. wants to make action movies an interactive experience.

Shootin'!
One man. One city. Um, three types of gameplay. True Crime: Streets of L.A. will shoot from the cinematic hip, placing gamers in the filmic persona of Nick Kang, a renegade ex-cop (dismissed from the LAPD, of course, for excessive violence) who's been recruited as a member of the Elite Operations Division. Loose cannon Kang (think a young Chow Fun Fat playing Martin Riggs) battles Asian and Russian crime organizations using martial arts techniques, expert marksmanship, and a lead foot, all to restore law and order in the City of Angels.

Drivin'!
Any time the phrases "mission-based driving" and "wasting criminals in a huge 3D city" are breathed in the same sentence, it's hard not to think of a certain series by Rockstar. But it's a little early to write off True Crime as "grand theft genre"?there will be a branching story structure (the outcome of a mission can vary the resulting events wildly) as well as a strong RPG-style character improvement element to let players choose how they progress. Assisting on random crimes will earn points to be redeemed at different dojos, where you'll learn 10 different martial arts styles, all of which are being motion-captured. There will also be plenty of twin-pistol combat with a flexible targeting system and some cool Max Payne?style slow-motion dodging attacks. While both versions will look virtually identical, the Xbox edition will incorporate extra lighting and bump mapping effects?meaning you'll be able to see the detailed hair on the backs of the sweaty Russian Mafia goons. Like it or not.

Fightin'!
The action will take place in a huge, realistically modeled chunk of Los Angeles, roughly 300 square miles?from downtown to the beach, and from LAX to Sunset Boulevard. Big-name Hollywood talent will do the voices; Gary Oldman has already signed on to perform two parts. And with three types of gameplay wrapped in a Hong Kong?style package, it certainly sounds like True Crime will feature plenty to, er, woo gamers this summer.

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