The Warriors

Finally, a street-wise brawler that delivers on its promises.

It's been a long time since classic games like Streets of Rage, and even longer since the seminal cult classic film on which The Warriors is based, so it's all the more uplifting to play such a beautifully fleshed-out vehicle of mayhem.

West Side Story This Ain't
If you thought Grand Theft Auto was sociopathic, wait till you join the Warriors, a gang of brutal street toughs who live to rain anarchy on a helpless city. You could accuse the game of having a heart, with its brotherhood themes, but you'd be ignoring all the incessant pillaging.

As you navigate the events leading up to an historic meeting with a leader intent on uniting the city's gangs, you'll pull quick smash-and-grab robberies, steal innumerable car radios, mug innocent passers-by, snort "flash" to regain health, and beat the living tar out of anyone that gets in your way, including the boys in blue. Every activity involves a mini-game of some sort, each of which manages draws you in, making you feel like an active participant.

You Wanna Start a Rumble?
As fun as these excursions into petty theft and extortion might be, the essence of The Warriors is combat, and it's the first game in ages to truly nail it. There are so many different ways to cripple an opponent that although the ho-hum graphics get repetitive, the gameplay never does, even when you need to fish the camera out from behind some obstacle or other. Simultaneously, the corny 70s electro soundtrack combines with the nihilistic tone to lather up an otherworldly feel that's utterly unique for the genre.

The vicious violence of The Warriors isn't for everyone, and it certainly isn't for kids, but if you love classic street brawlers, you won't want to miss the boat.

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