Come Out Too Play! The Warriors - Xbox Review
Marking your turf and building a rep was the main goal. Sure there was fighting and even killing, but it was not the same sort of brutality that goes on in the world today. New York City back then was divided so that in one area you could feel safe, then walk a street up and find you just entered a gang's turf. Muggings were the main crime and the weapon of choice back then
was either the brass knuckles or a baseball bat. To get into a gang usually meant that you had to fight the leaders of the gang to show you had the right moves. Then it was a test that involved going to another turf and marking it with your colors. The 1979 film took a few liberties to show the darker and lesser-known life of the gang members. Back then it was considered very violent but the background story of each member and their struggle made it a decent film. So how did Rockstar do making this cult classic into a video game? Read on as I run down the score on the Warriors game.
Game play:
Being a fan of the movie, I knew I was going to be hard on the game. Yet somehow Rockstar found a way to create a game that not only allowed the movie's storyline to be showcased, but they found a way to let gamers get to know this gang and actually care about them. Using flashbacks that showed how each member joined and their own personal struggles made it easier to get into the game. Yes the game starts off with the opening meeting of all the gangs and Cyrus, part gang leader and part self appointed prophet, trying to get all the gangs to unite as one instead of fighting each other. Sounds like a great guy, but he also wanted the gangs to unite and take over the city. One of the biggest gangs and not the brightest ones either decide to kill Cyrus and then pin the shooting on The Warriors. The rest of the movie shows the struggle of the gang to get home by going through 20 blocks filled by different gangs. The game decides to go a different route though. Sure, you still need to get home and your only help is a young female, DJ, who decides to give you the heads up on where you are and what to look out for. This would have made the overall title a quick beat up brawler and nothing more. So instead it shoots back three weeks prior to the event and shows what lead up to the decision to frame The Warriors and allows players to really get to know each member.
Using the flashback angle also allows for some creative storylines. While it is not based on the actual movie, it fits the storyline perfectly. They even managed to get most of the original stars to reprise their roles and added a chance to use the flashbacks for more levels of play. The Warriors is still a basic brawler in the game style, but now you have a chance to play as each member and see what lead up to that fateful night. The dialogue is colorful and mature. You will need to go through your first initiation and your first time of proving you have the guts to go mark another gangs turf with your spray can of paint. Or go do a smash and grab and bring back some money for the gang to live on. Each level starts out simple and at first seems too easy, and then another flashback brings up a new objective. Soon not only are you controlling one character from the gang but all of them.
You will need to help out fellow members that got snagged by the fuzz and free them and also beat up the cops while you're at it. Then run away until the heats off, but the main goal involves proving to the other gangs you're not as small as they think. Of course this all leads up to that fateful night and the events after. It also makes the game more interesting since they threw in stealth elements, puzzle-solving and of course fighting. As well done as the levels are, they can be a real pain. Make one wrong move and the game is over and you need to start from the last saved point in the game. Decide to quit and you will have to replay the entire mission and a few involving several stages in one level. Challenging and even thought-provoking, you must never lose focus on the fighting or main theme of the game.
For me to ruin the story by telling you the ending would be wrong and I refuse to do that. I can tell you that the game uses part command-like controls to tell the others when to attack or watch your back and you do switch characters through out each level. Since each member has a talent, it works well and rather easily to control as well. You also learn that this tough gang is not so tough after all. They are not saints but there is a reason why the have picked this path and it plays out in each level. Pretty deep at times and also creative at the same time although the missions leading up to the main event are really to get you interested the formula works. You really feel like you're in the mean streets of NYC and trying to prove yourself to the fellow members and defend them at the same time. It also shows that it's deeper than any brawler out there. It has a reason for each mission and you will see that unfold through cut-scenes. The one thing that surprised me was the fact the only time a gun is seen or used is in the first five minutes of the game. They kept this true to the main roots of the film and it really shows the time and effort to try and recreate that time period.
As you get deeper into the story, you also have to make choices and some will effect where the game goes to a point. It helps make it seem more real and less pre-scripted. As far as gameplay, the game will take veteran gamers 11+ hours to beat and longer if you want to unlock every thing. It surprised me a game that is based on a movie from 1979 could be interesting and fun. I will say there were times where I really got frustrated, because it's not a breeze to play and some of the levels are very long. Yet with the interesting story within the story and the background, it all seems to flow well and winds up being an enjoyable game but not for everyone. While there are no guns, it is violent and at times pretty vulgar. I mentioned I would not give away the story completely and I won't but I will say while these nine young guys are no angels. They really are victims in a way and a product of their environment. The deep story and the creative scripts makes you want these guys to succeed and show the side that the movie never got a chance to show that deeply.
Control / Playability:
The controls are pretty basic when moving each member or doing actions and the learning curve is about 20 minutes. While the fighting and combos will take longer, they included on screen prompts to show you when you learn a new move or skill. You will also need to be careful since the right analog stick not allows you to move. It also doubles as the quick orders for the group but within ten minutes of playing you will learn the few adjustments needed to play the game right. The fighting moves are responsive and the buttons have no delay. Well laid out controls make it easy to learn and hard to master.
Graphics:
won't kid you or try to impress you. The game uses simple graphics and in a strange way it works for this one. Perhaps it's the time period it was supposed to be in that makes the basic graphics look good for the overall game. They added some nice touches but the main focus of the title was in the level and story not the graphics. They fit but you're not going to pop this one in and say wow cool looking graphics. It was not meant to impress you visually but rather by the action and story. The game's camera is decent and there are a few times when you will need to adjust it. Also the map can be a little misleading so prepare yourself to travel further than the marks on the map. I can't forgive or make an excuse for this but it is something you get used to rather quickly
Audio:
The DJ from the movie was either brought back in or sampled and adds to the games overall audio of the game. A few of the stars are noted in the credits and all the voice-over work is well-done. A few times the F word is over used and not needed but this is not a kid's story so that's expected. The other sound effects are well done and sound realistic.
Replay:
This one will be enjoyed by those who like brawlers and fighting games, but they added in plenty of extra content. There is the original trailer for the movie bonus content and weapons as well as a Co-Op mode. You unlock this later and while fun it has a few quirks that may have been better not to have bothered with it, but some may find it fun for a while. The story is deep and the gameplay is long depending if your the type that wants to unlock everything will add to the replay value. A solid brawler game with some elements not usually found in this genre and well thought out levels makes this one worth playing.
Thank you for reading this!
Comments I have:
The Warriors is a game that really should not have worked as a mainstream game but manages to anyhow. It has a deep story and a solid fighting engine. Fans that remember the movie or have just seen the newly released anniversary edition will get more from it then those who never saw the film. It is a hard and challenging game and not the typical beat Em game that it looked like at first. It was a well thought out and designed game but is not going to appeal to everyone out there. It does show that a game can be made from a movie and done well just the subject matter may limit its market a bit.