The Warriors Review (no fat)

Game Description

There are violent games and then there are even more violent games. Then, there is The Warriors, based on the 70's cult classic of the same name, a brutal ballet of brawls and bloodshed. Borrowing heavily from the essence of the movie, The Warriors is a great offering from Rockstar Games for fans of mature themes and incessant fighting action.

This is the tale of a Coney Island gang that is accused for the murder of a gang leader. As they face the combined hostilities of several gangs, the game digs deeper into the origins and the rise of The Warriors as they establish their base in Coney Island.

The bulk of the game features melee style fighting with plenty of skirmishes happening in the same frame. Apart from the fights, players can also lurk the streets, mug and steal and generally avoid getting killed by a rival gang. There are a bunch of mini-games and side missions that add a nice touch of variety to the action. These can be unlocked as you progress.

The game's retro influences add a touch of nostalgic beauty to the whole experience.

The Warriors Gameplay

Gang warfare and melee style combat sequences abound. As a member of The Warriors, you must beat, bash and pulverize rival gangs in a quest for survival and eventual dominance. To an extent, the game is entirely based on fighting with a generous dose of other activities thrown in.

The fight mechanisms are pretty straightforward and easy to master. This does not make the game easy to tame as the action goes beyond one on one and you'll find yourself squaring off against plenty of rival gang fighters at the same time. This is where the simplicity of the fight mechanism helps as it doesn't complicate gameplay or sacrifice the quality of the action.

Attacks include weak attacks, strong attacks and combos. The good thing about the action is that you can always create unique attack styles so the fight sequences do not feel repetitive. You can also issue commands (called the War Chief commands) that direct your gang members to take situation based actions. The game is also packed with plenty of missions and side-missions to further broaden its scope and avoid monotony.

As with most games by Rockstar, you cannot save the game at any convenient time. You have to either complete a mission or retrace your steps to a strategic point or hideout, to save.

Overall, the game is massive and packed with plenty of fun and action.

The Warriors Graphics & Sound

The graphics engine that powers The Warriors banks on functionality rather than aesthetic brilliance. The simplistic approach and minimal amount of fight help pack plenty of action onto a screen without complicating matters or compromising on performance. Rockstar continues it tradition of having great voice acting in all it's games. The abuses and rants sound very authentic and the sound effects are simply brilliant.

The Warriors 2cent

Rockstar scores again with this brilliant brawl game, The Warriors. It has all the ingredients in the right doses to make for some truly addictive gaming. Rockstar excels in violent games as is a testified by the GTA and the Max Payne series and this game not for the weak at heart or morally correct individuals either. As for those who enjoy a nice slugfest or a liking for everything retro, this is THE game. Funny thing is that in spite of the retro setting, a la GTA Vice City, the game is as fresh and enjoyable as can be. Buy it.

Cost

The Warriors currently retails at $49.99US.