  A friendly meeting of the minds in 'The Warriors'. |
Rockstar Games really doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Despite all the controversy surrounding the “Hot Coffee” fiasco in their Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas title and the current backlash against violent video games in the media, they have gone and released The Warriors, a game as violent, vicious and full of profanity as well, any other Rockstar release.
But first things first. The Warriors is based upon the 1979 cult movie of the same name, and is both a video game prequel and translation of the original movie, as the game takes place several months before and during the events of the film. Having watched the theatrical release is not a prerequisite for playing the game, but it does definitely enhance the experience as Rockstar Toronto (respect!) has crafted a truly engaging, cinematic and story driven experience. The attention to detail and effort spent researching the source material is apparent and it pays off considerably. Environments, characters, sound effects and plot points are all extremely faithful to those in the film, and in an obvious homage, the intro to the game is almost a frame by frame copy of the opening credits sequence of the movie. But for the benefit of those who have not seen the movie, The Warriors follows the exploits of a fictional New York street gang over the course of one night as they attempt to cross a hostile Manhattan landscape to the safety of their Coney Island home- after being wrongly accused of murdering the leader of the most powerful gang in the city. The game itself does cover the span of the movie, but as mentioned is also a form of prequel; following our protagonists for several months prior to the film as they vie for turf, respect, money and power against the multitude of other New York gangs. The Baseball Furys, The Turnbull A.C.s, The High Hats, and all the rest are here in their absurd, but crazy and colorful glory to do battle with The Warriors who- if you are good enough, ultimately prove to be the baddest of them all.
It should be stated right off the nail-studded bat that The Warriors is not for the faint heart. Or little kids either, as this is definitely a mature title. The general structure of the game is an all-out brawler and thus you’ll be engaging in some pretty serious, graphic violence. Right hooks, round houses, elbow drops, knife wounds, shattered knee caps, bricks to the head, faces smashed into concrete and more are the name of the game here (no guns though, as this is all about down and dirty fighting). Combat is simple enough with a quick and a strong attack that can be used in different combinations as well as, throws, grappling, and tag-team moves that when combined with a multitude of weapons offer quite the arsenal for dishing out pain and punishment. But it’s not just button mashing, as can be the case with other types of fighting games. Using combos, effectively employing weapons and ranged attacks, knowing when to switch opponents and even retreating will assist in your victory, rather than just mindlessly bashing away, which is a quick way to get yourself “wrecked” (aka. killed). Furthermore, there are various “Warchief” commands that can be issued to other members of the gang that you are not currently controlling. Orders range from basic “follow me” and “attack them” affairs, to some more unique options such as my personal favorite, “Mayhem” which sends your fellow Warriors into a frenzy of destruction against everything and anything currently around them. But in a wise move on the part of the developer, the missions are not always just about reckless combat. Some will have you writing graffiti to spread the rep of you gang, while others are more stealth oriented (a definite influence from Manhunt, one of Rockstar’s previous releases) while further still, there are a few high tension and cinematic chase sequences that find The Warriors fleeing from hordes of vicious enemies. These types of missions infuse the game with additional depth, variety and pacing that definitely enhances the gameplay overall.
For all its cinematic origins, The Warriors is not the best looking game. Actually, it’s a little ugly. But this is a fact that works both for and against it. Mainly it’s the low polygon count on the character models that seem to be the problem, as they appear rather blocky and angular. Yet on the other hand, it can be argued that this allows for a higher number of characters to be on the screen at any given time, without any slowdown or loss of framerate (As a side note, this is of particular value to the game since the chaos and mayhem of multiple gangs battling it out really gives a thrilling sense of all-out, street level warfare). Likewise, the textures throughout the environments are all dark, drab, somewhat “mushy” and very, very dirty looking. But again it can be argued that this may actually enhance the game by creating a more authentic re-creation of late 70’s New York slums, back alleys, subway stations and ghettos- locations where the game and movie almost exclusively take place.
Unlike the graphics, there is no doubt about the quality of the audio aspects of the game as they are all uniformly excellent and prove to be another of its high points. In particular the impact sound effects of body parts meeting various unyielding surfaces (bricks, walls, bats, fists, etc.) are bone-wrenchingly satisfying and are sure to please the sadistic streak in all of us (or maybe just me, in which case a call may have to be made to the local authorities sometime in the future). Also of note is the fact that a number of the original actors from the film have returned to lend their voices to their respective characters, which again aids in creating an amazing and accurate translation of the source material. Lastly the music is terrific, being either taken directly from the soundtrack of the movie or from the time period, resulting in some slightly cheesy, but appropriate old-school rock, funk and electro tunes.
The Warriors could have been just another lame, generic, beat-‘em-up game trying to wring some credit through association with a popular film. But Rockstar Toronto has really stepped up to the plate and delivered an action packed and surprisingly engrossing film-to-game endeavor. Visceral combat, varied gameplay, excellent sound and a storyline that embellishes and enhances that of the original movie, create another winner for our favorite videogame industry bad boys. Sure it looks a little rough around the edges, and it may be a little violent for some people’s tastes, but these issues are overshadowed by the quality of the package as a whole and should please fans of the film and newcomers alike. Just try not to enjoy beating people to a pulp too much.
WHAM! Rating: |
8.5 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
M (Mature) |
Official Web Site: |
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