50 Cent: Bulletproof - Arcade Mode Unveiled

Oct 6, 2005

With a slew of various celebrities, musicians and such either being featured in or helping produce a game these days, arguably none are more appropriate for a starring role in their own title than 50 Cent. He's got the image, the musical talent and, from what we're told, the know-how to help put together a great gaming experience that his fans and gamers will dig.

50 Cent: Bulletproof follows 50 Cent on something of a "what if" journey, as in what if he hadn't become a rap artist? Details on the story are a little scarce, as are details on many of the game's main play elements, but we can now announce that in addition to the game's main Story Mode, 50 Cent: Bulletproof will also include an Arcade Mode.

We've had a chance to trade questions and answers with Executive Producer Andre Emerson. He gives us a few details on how the Arcade mode plays out, the characters you can use, why you'll be playing again and again to trump your friends and more.

In addition, we're also proud to present an interview with Tony Yayo of G-Unit, who also stars in the game. He tells us why he's excited to be a part of the game, why you'll no longer need your CD player, why 50's the right man to put behind the reigns of the title and more. Take a look at that interview right here.

Without further ado, let's see what Executive Producer Andre Emerson has to say about 50 Cent: Bulletproof's Arcade Mode.

IGN: Tell us about the Arcade Mode in 50 Cent: Bulletproof.

Andre Emerson: Arcade Mode is a throwback classic to old-school gaming. You can compete against friends for both high scores and best times. It's a blast to play as there are so many different ways to score points. IGN: Can you choose different characters to play? Emerson: Absolutely! There are (16) playable characters each with different strengths and weapon load outs. You can play as the G Unit guys, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Young Buck, Whoo Kid, McVicar (Eminem's character), Grizz (Dr. Dre's character) and lots of others. IGN: Weapon load outs? Emerson: Each of our characters have different weapon load outs that the player can choose from: Versatility, Fire Power, Precision, Speed, Spread, Blast, and Ultimate Damage. Each of these weapon load outs have different strengths and weaknesses that depend on your skills, the enemy types and the location. For instance, you probably won't want to take a Blast Damage load out into a close quarters level.

IGN: What types of weapons are in each load out? i.e. Heavy gun, handgun, melee, etc. Can you give us an example of a specific weapon load out?

Emerson: Each pack contains a variety of weapons. For instance, the Blast Damage load out contains two highly explosive weapons, a Bazooka and the Scavenger (which fires explosive gas flares). The Spread load out contains two different types of shotguns. You can still take weapons off the enemies as well. Load outs have strengths and weaknesses depending on your play style, enemies and location.

IGN: How is Arcade Mode different than Story Mode? Emerson: Story Mode is a deeply narrative-driven experience, it's more solitary. Arcade Mode is more of a social dorm room type experience that gets everyone involved in the action.

IGN: Does Arcade Mode advance from level to level like an old-school arcade beat 'em up, or is it designed more around single-level runs?

Emerson: Each level in Arcade Mode is its own challenge. Scores and bonuses are tabulated at the end of each section. From there, you can enter high scores, choose new characters, levels and weapon load outs.

IGN: How does scoring work? Emerson: That's the best part. The game has so many mechanics - Counter-kills, Body Shields, Mobile Cover, Body Jacking, Perfect Shots, etc., that all lead to a ton of different ways to score points. You get collateral damage points on explosions. There are also lots of combos, multipliers and negatives. It's extremely competitive. IGN: Is Arcade Mode unlocked when you beat the game or available early on? Emerson: Arcade Mode levels unlock as you progress through Story Mode. However all 16 characters are available from the start of Arcade Mode.

IGN: After you unlock the Arcade Mode levels through Story Mode, is it possible to then unlock items in Arcade Mode that you can use back in Story Mode, like new weapons for example?

Emerson: Since there is no commerce system in Arcade Mode, you can't really buy items like you can in Story Mode. As a result, all items in Arcade Mode can only be used within these levels.

IGN: Are all of the counter-kills available in Arcade Mode?

Emerson: All the moves you purchased from Popcorn within Story Mode will be available. IGN: Describe the pace... Emerson: To ensure we had an enemy-rich environment, we revisited all the levels and repopulated them to enhance Arcade Mode and distinguish it from Story Mode. There are a lot more enemies and the pace is frantic. You can focus more on combat as you don't need to worry about ammo.

IGN: Aside from enemy population and placement, have you changed the levels in any other way for Arcade Mode, like their physical layout or the order you progress through them?

Emerson: There are a number of changes for Arcade Mode pacing. For one, we eliminated all objectives. All the doors are open from the level start for example, which gives the enemy AI more choices and results in a different feel of play. There are also additional pickups that have point values associated with them. Another big difference is that you don't have to search and steal from enemies' bodies in Arcade Mode, and instead, all of the valuables spawn immediately and you have a limited amount of time to collect them before they disappear. IGN: Who is your favorite Arcade Mode character? Emerson: Because each has different strengths and weapon load outs, I use a different character for each situation. Scouting your enemies and terrain in advance is the best way to ensure you choose the right character and weapons.

IGN: Can you give a few examples of how a set of characters are different in Arcade Mode with regards to their abilities? How about Tony Yayo vs. Lloyd Banks vs. 50?

Emerson: The main differences between characters are in health, armor and weapon load outs. For example, Tony Yayo has a +10% health bonus, level 2 armor and the choice of the Speed, Blast Damage and Spread load outs, while another one of our characters, IceBerm has no health bonus, level 1 armor and only one load out option, Ultimate. The Ultimate load out does feature some nice weapons, however, such as a shoulder mounted missile launcher.

IGN: Lastly, is it possible to play Arcade Mode cooperatively? Will it save your high scores?

Emerson: Arcade Mode is a single player game, so there's no cooperative option. You can enter your name for high scores on each stage, which is saved to your profile.

IGN: Thanks for your time, Andre.