When Sammy set out to craft a videogame based on The Shield series, its goal was to stay as true to the TV show as possible, and after spending some quality time with the PS2 version at E3, I can proudly say the goal has been realized.
The Shield is a violent cop game that's main attraction is pushing the envelope. The demo I played took place in an adult video store, complete with assorted naughty things hanging on the walls, including posters of topless models! There are even exotic dancers who shake their moneymakers and short film clips that show on a big screen when you shove change into vending machines! They've definitely gone for a Mature rating, but the game's over the top content doesn't stop with the porn.
Since the game's based on the life of a police officer, The Shield features plenty gunplay as well as fist fighting. The shooting's all right, nothing special really, but it's the hand to hand combat that really raises an eyebrow. You can arrest people, slap them around, and then bash their heads into all sorts of objects. See that bookcase over there in the corner? Send a thug's head into it and break all of the shelves! It's a cool feature, and it doesn't get old at all.
The game also makes gameplay strides with light hints of stealth. For example, if you're unwary of what's behind a door, you can lean against the wall and jiggle the handle or kick the door without facing it, an innovation that's sure to be copied.
Graphically, the game's amazing. The dev team actually studied blueprints of the TV sets and recreated those environments in the game, and the character models are spot on. You can even see the birth mark on the back of Vick Mackey's neck!
While the jury's still out about whether the final build will turn out all right, Sammy's The Shield for Xbox and PS2 is shaping up to be a cool cop game that should satisfy fans of the show as well as gamers looking for a great action title.
The Shield
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