25 to life
Eidos is bringing a hard-edged street combat game to Xbox Live in the form of a rugged third-person shooter. 25 to Life will create a harsh urban combat environment for up to 16 players online along with a vicious single-player experience. During E3 Eidos gave us a behind the scenes look at 25 to Life, and even though the game is still early in its development, it looks like Xbox Live is going to get yet another large scale multiplayer combat shooter. Players will play as either members of a special task police force or as brutal gang members struggling to survive the streets. Based on what we got a chance to check out at E3, 25 to Life is shaping up to be an online game similar to Counter-Strike or PS2’s SOCOM, but with a gangster versus cops flavor that incorporates the graphic lifestyle of the most crime ridden streets imaginable.
Since the game is based on players choosing between living the life of a hardened street criminal or a member of a crime fighting special task force, Eidos has put a great amount of effort into the character development and variations in gameplay styles. Choosing one side or the other will have a great deal of affect on the experience players have throughout the game. As a street thug, players will have the opportunity to fight their way up the ranks while players who abide the law as a cop will have a chance to make a name for themselves by cleaning up the worst city streets. Since I’ve always liked being the bad guy, we’ll take a look at the criminal side of things first.
Break yo'self!
Surviving the streets depends not only on outsmarting and evading the cops, but also using your street sense to survive fellow gangsters who are also out to defend their turf. 25 to Life is about developing a unique personality so character customization is a big part of the game. Players will determine the clothing, tattoos, weapons, musical preferences, and just about every other aspect of a gangster’s lifestyle. More importantly, players will have total control over the “Bling” of their character. In the world of street gangsters, bling plays a key role as a status marker for success level of any successful thug. A gangster without bling just won’t cut it in the cutthroat lifestyle of the streets so players will have to make sure to keep their style in check. Bling can include everything from a player’s ride to the type of jewelry hanging from their neck. The single-player mode allows players to unlock such items as gear and weapons that can be used during multiplayer online modes. To add a taste of authenticity to the game, Eidos is currently working on securing some top name hip-hop brand licenses for players to choose their gear from.
On the other side of the fight for the streets, the cops will have a less customization options but there will still be enough ways to progress through the task force ranks to keep players interested. As a player continues to move up the ladder, they will unlock uniforms, weapons and tactical items that can be used against criminals. While traits like tattoos and clothes play a more important role in the life of a gangster, the cops will also be able to tweak the physical attributes of their character as they see fit. It is a tad less exciting to customize the cop side of the game, but players who choose to play on the side of the law should be more concerned with upholding that law rather than decking themselves out in the hottest hip-hop threads.
The criminals will obviously have access to an assortment of illegal weapons including various automatic rifles, such as the coveted AK-47, or highly destructive guns like a sawed off shotgun. The cops will be limited to the restrictions of the laws that determine the guns and weapons they can make use of. Often times the cops may find themselves outgunned by the gangsters, but the cops will be much more accurate and efficient with their weapons due to their intensive training. Cops will also get the use of special tactical items such as flares, smoke grenades and the protection of shields and Kevlar body armor. The cops can also make use of non-lethal devices such as stun-guns if they so choose to do so rather than going on a kill crazy rampage. It will be up to the players and their unique playing preferences and styles to determine which side they choose to fight for.
While Eidos hasn’t nailed down the number of multiplayer maps, we were told to expect somewhere between 12 and 18 online maps to select from. The standard multiplayer modes such as deathmatch and capture the flag will be included in 25 to Life. What we do know is that Eidos is planning to mix things up by giving the standard multiplayer modes more of a street style to better flow with 25 to Life’s style. For example, the popular capture the flag mode is called Capture the Stash…the stash being the gangsters sum of illegal and illicit materials that make up their net worth.
The game shown at E3 gave us a good idea of what to expect when the game is released early next year. The levels we got a look at where highly detailed with a lot of non-player controlled action taking place throughout the environments. The nice thing is that the interactions NPC’s carry out will in fact have a good deal of effect on the gameplay rather than just being ambient nuances that take place simply for looks. For instance, if you are playing as a cop and you decide to take cover behind a vehicle, it could trigger the car alarm. Doing this would easily blow your cover, letting any nearby gangsters or bystanders a pretty good idea of your presence. There are also other alarms such as motion sensing lights that can ruin your stealth maneuvers. If you are noticed by NPC’s in the streets or buildings and houses you might enter, they may call out or let others know of your location. Something as subtle as a dog barking could determine the outcome of a match. Players will have to be very careful of not only other players, but also the surroundings in order to effectively remain alive and accomplish their mission.
A good example of the side-handed grip.
The level of detail Eidos is putting in 25 to Life is key to the roles characters will play. A cop will hold their gun as trained, with a firm grip and the sight precisely aimed towards the target. The gangsters will be a bit more flamboyant, holding their guns in at an angle characteristic of a more untrained style. Even the way a character moves and walks is quite different and plays a role in the gameplay. Cops obviously use more controlled movements while thugs tend to swagger and strut as they make their way around. There’s definitely a difference between running for cover in a special force uniform as opposed to XXXL shorts and a pair of fat-tongued high-tops.
Eidos looks to have a solid foundation in place for a game that could prove to be quite fun as well as challenging online with a group of friends. Over the next several months until the game is closer to release, Eidos will surely secure some top name hip-hop artists for the soundtrack as well as clothing brands for authentic street wear and gear. 25 to Life and Xbox Live seem like a great match-up, and we will be closely watching the continued development of this one in the months to come. For now check out some screens of 25 to Life.
It's still in early development so maybe the graphics will improve. Looks interesting.
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Originally Posted by ChampTTU
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