Platform: Xbox

Genre: Action

Publisher: Rockstar

Developer: Vis

ETA: March 25, 2003

Related Links:

Review: State of Emergency (PS2)

Review: Hunter: The Reckoning (GC)

Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly.

Enter E-Mail Address Below:

State of Emergency

The side-scrolling punch 'em ups of yesteryear like Streets of Rage, Final Fight, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, Bad Dudes, and Captain Commando seem like re-runs of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood (R.I.P. Fred) in comparison to the action in State of Emergency (SOE).

The Playstation 2 version featured more over-the-top violence than you can shake a rocket launcher at and the Xbox version looks to be even more bloody and even better-looking than the PS2 version.

A shadowy corporation has seized control of your country.
The people have taken to the streets in protest.
A State of Emergency has been declared…

Now it’s time for you to fight for your freedom.

The revolution starts here.

FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO XBOX

Multiplayer action – 2 to 4 players with four modes to choose from:

Deathmatch

Kaos

Last Clone Standing

Survivor

Power Ups: add to the fun of the game – there are 5 that you can find while battling your way to freedom:

Body Armor

Infinite ammo

Punch decapitate

Helper

Equipment helpers

Higher resolution textures result in significantly improved graphics throughout every aspect of the game – the character actions are more fluid, the stores are more inviting and the environments brighter.

In-game music playlist support.  Rip your own CDs to the hard drive and play to whatever music you like.  

5.1 surround sound.

14 new mission specific characters.

Ambient characters are now dynamically lit.

The missions in Revolution mode have been revamped to add more variety to the XBox version.

60 fps for single player, 30fps for multiplayer.

Features:

It’s a riot - a total free-for-all where you have to beat up everything and everyone in order to make your way through the game.

Advertisement

118 diverse and entertaining missions range from protection to punishment.

Over 250 people on screen at once – including Corporation enforcers, ruthless gangs and innocent civilians – you’ll have to act strategically to not harm the civilians and to defeat your enemies.

Choose from one of five rebels, each with different strengths and weaknesses, each with their own underlying motives for toppling The Corporation.

Deep selection of hand-to-hand fighting moves including deadly combinations to master, back attacks, special attacks to free yourself from a crowd, grab attacks and dash attacks. The beatings continue right down to the ground with foot stomp attacks and punches.

Tons of super-destructive weapons help you cause mayhem on the streets of Capitol City. The full arsenal includes a pistol, Uzi, AK47, M16, Flame Thrower, Rocket Launcher, Molotov Cocktail, Tazer and Pepper Spray.

4 enormous and fully interactive environments include the Mall, Chinatown, the East Side and Corporation Central.

Completely interactive environments let you smash up your surroundings, pick up environmental objects and interact with any of the characters displayed on screen.

Whether it is Corporation death squads or ruthless gangs, prepare to fight a LOT of enemies at one time. 

Absolute mayhem prevails as hundreds of people fill the screen!  The citizens of Capitol City have individual reactions to the events around them, some will fight while others cower in fear.

Watch yourself - Corporation Enforcers prowl the streets looking to stop trouble and are ready to use any and all means necessary to do so.

So what do we get?  Pandemonium!  Pure and simple.  And while the Xbox version will feature much of what was seen in the Playstation 2 version, at least it won't be a straight port.  It bugs the hell out of me when a game is released on multiple platforms and they are the exact same game, without playing to the strengths of the specific console or addressing problems with the game even though the different versions may be released months apart.  So it's heartening to read that this is not the case with the Xbox version.

State of Emergency will be causing chaos March 25, 2003.

- Omni