25 to Life [PS2]

Going "urban" seems to be the new pink in the video game world as game developers all try to cash in on the popularity of hip-hop culture. While the ironic concept of typically suburban Caucasian developers attempting to produce an "authentic urban experience" is amusing, in this case the laughter might be misplaced, as Eidos and Avalance have retained P. Frank Williams as the writer and co-producer of 25 to Life.

Formerly the executive editor of The Source, Williams also produced and wrote the 2003 Vibe Awards and the Essence Music Festival on UPN, as well as the 2003 Radio Music Awards on NBC. With more than 12 years of experience in the hip-hop industry, he was brought on board to ensure that the experience behind 25 to Life was authentic - insomuch as a video game can be.

"I was drawn into 25 to Life because I think there is not so much a moral high ground that the game has, but the game gives you a more fleshed out experience of a character," said Williams. "The message of the game is the reality of hip-hop, trying to survive, trying to struggle."

That struggle is experienced by the player as you take on the roles of three different characters over the course of the game. The main character, Freeze, is a former gangster who has been betrayed by his best friend and is now facing life behind bars. With nowhere to go but up, Freeze has to enforce his own brand of justice against those who wronged him.

While the build of the game we saw was still quite early, the basic play mechanics were in place, and we had a chance to sample both a level controlling the gangster, and one controlling a cop.. The gangster level started us off in a bank where the objective was to break into the vault and then escape with the loot before the city's S.W.A.T. team made off with our head. Playing as an officer of the law had us venturing into a gangland war and trying to pull off a battle that would have made Rambo proud.

Both the gangsters and the cops use the same control scheme, however, they are differentiated by their choice of weapons. As a member of law-enforcement you aren't expected to be shooting everyone willy-nilly, so a taser gun is standard fare. On the other hand, a gangster doesn't usually care who gets caught in the crossfire so an AK47 is standard armament. At this stage in development, the gangsters had somewhat of an advantage due to better weapons, but this will most likely change as the developers balance out the game.

"The thing that everyone loves about the gangsters is their ability to use two guns," said Jake Neri, creative director on 25 to Life. "It's very John Woo."

One aspect of the game that the developers focused on was the character customization. Players can design individual characters in great detail and then bring their creations into online matches. Both the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game will support up to 16 players, each with a unique character. Online clans will even be able to require that all of their members dress alike in matching gang colors.

Going for an eight-player deathmatch, we found ourselves split into teams of four vs. four, battling in an overrun prison. Due to the high damage settings on the weapons, fights were often short, with those managing first blood usually being the ones to score the kill. Fast deaths and a lack of health pickups meant the style of play was more SOCOM than Quake. It was better to sneak around than run around guns blazing.

In addition to the visuals, a custom soundtrack helps drive home the hip-hop theme of the game. 25 to Life will feature tracks by Ghostface and DMX, along with a number of other rap and hip-hop artists. What we've heard so far leaves high hopes for the final mix, though it obviously won't appeal to everyone.

Ultimately, the strongest aspect of 25 to Life is also the biggest cause for concern about the game. Although the developers are going to great effort to keep true to the look and feel of hip-hop culture, there is a worry that the gameplay might get lost in the shuffle. Anyone who tried to play Auto Modellista learned this lesson well.

With a release date set for next spring, the creative minds behind 25 to Life still have plenty of time to polish and iron out any wrinkles. Trying to produce a game that is authentic to the hip-hop culture without being exploitative is a huge challenge, but if Avalanche can pull it off, the resulting game is sure to be a hit.

We'll let you know if 25 to Life is a poser or a playa when the game ships in March.