User Rating: 9.2 | True Crime: Streets of LA XBOX
I am not sure if I should call this review “Why Jeff Gerstmann is a Tool” or “Why True Crime is an Awesome Game”. Although I take pleasure in the pervious, I will go with the latter. “In the end, True Crime is a game that simply lacks polish and, in some cases, feels unfinished.” I will not justify this nonsense with comment. “It makes decent attempts with its different styles of game play, but none of them are particularly well done, and the game's storyline doesn't tie them together in a satisfying way.” Personally, I feel that the story line is very cool and follows the game play with precision. I do not care that this plot structure has been “done before”. Yes Jeff, there were humans on planet Earth well before you were. They were here before, just like the general plot structure of this game. It doesn’t make them any less wonderful or enjoyable. There are nuances that are a lot of fun in True Crime. For example, the facts that you can hold up your badge or that you can turn on the single dashboard siren in your convertible…these are cool elements that add depth and are fun…remember fun Jeff? That is what it is all about… All the styles of play (fighting, driving and shooting) are very, very, very well executed. You have so many choices on how to use these styles, it is beyond me what Jeff is trying to convey. How much more “well done” can the game play styles be (you can even upgrade all these elements)? You can use many, many different moves to fight with. You have several different weapons to choose from and you can fire at will or use the precision shooting for extra control. The driving portion is a blast (especially while shooting at the same time) and you can do maneuvers in this game on the fly that are simply excellent…such as the ability to bring your car up on two wheels in order to get through tight places (or amuse your friends, etc). “Add to that an annoying lead character and a general lack of difficulty (that makes the game's eight chapters seem even shorter than they already are), and you've got a game that's worth renting but not much else.” Argh! Again, this is a statement from the mind of a guy who does nothing BUT game. I am sure Jeff mastered the controls within moments due to his experience. Think of everyone else, Jeff…remember your readers who play as a hobby and not a career? I think the game and its lead character are lots of fun and for most of the gaming population; the game is as difficult as you wish to make it (although if I wanted dificulty I would have stayed at work instead of relaxing at home with the Xbox). I love the cheesy one-liners, the level of difficulty and the ability to upgrade moves, guns and driving skills. The fact that I can stop random crime in any way I see fit and still progress through the game is truly cool. The graphics in general are far superior to most other games in this field (and there are few) even with its few “glitches”. I can see the cracks in the road, the whites of the bad-guys eyes and I can see a reflection off of my hand-pistols…all in S-Video…720p will only be better…wonder why in all of Jeff’s ramblings he forgot to mention this type of next-generation support? I can’t remember the last time I played a third-person game that had a perfect camera or perfect enemy AI. True Crime gets us closer to perfection…it really does. So, unlike Jeff, I do not have a job in which I can simply sit and play a game all the way through form beginning to end. I have to play when I have time (thus making the game “longer”). This means about four hours on any given day. I have just begun the first “mission” but have been having such a ball being a bad-cop that I have forgotten about the mission…I’ll get back to the mission portion of the game once I get out of Downtown L.A. As of now, there is just to much to play with to warrant progression. :) This game is a must rent if not a must have…Jeff is wrong, as usual…just check out every other review on the web and the reader reviews here to see what I mean. Jeff should have given this game a higher score…it deserves it and Jeff deserves a spanking for years of reviewer-ineptitude. Play this game…you will love it… 
