Advertising Blurbs
uk.playstation.com:
Namco takes its inspiration from big-budget action movies in its latest run-around-shooting-stuff action adventure, Dead To Rights
Taking a considerable leaf out of Max Payne's book, and stamping it with its own inimitable mark, Namco has succeeded in creating an immensely entertaining game which riffs off John Woo blockbusters and all-action-hero movies to create the ultimate in ultra-violent, ultra-fun gaming experiences. Incorporating run-and-gun antics with puzzle-solving and inventive minigames, Dead to Rights combines more traditional action-adventure elements with some genuinely original touches.
Dead To Rights starts off in a remarkably similar vein to Max Payne, in that the main protagonist (camp name ahoy!) cop Jack Slate is on a quest for justice, after stumbling into a conspiracy at the heart of the city he protects. After being called in to attend a routine incident, Slate becomes embroiled in a convoluted, violent world of crime and corruption, which only he can unravel - if he lives long enough to get to the bottom of it, that is...
Once the noir-esque scene is set, the story begins in earnest, with Slate heading out on a mission to uncover the sinister schemes, and kick some serious arse whilst he's at it. And of course, no hard-nosed cop hell-bent on revenge and justice would embark on such a dangerous mission without first getting armed to the virtual teeth with some of the coolest weapons that Grant City PD's gun cabinet has to offer. Sadly, Slate doesn't have access to the goodies in the cupboard, so you'll have to acquire your weaponry by using a combination of martial artistry and all-out violence. Woo hoo!
Disarming bad guys is where the fun really begins, as you grab unsuspecting goons, snatch their weapon, and deal a spectacularly brutal death-blow to the hapless victim. There's also the option to use your enemies as a human shield, so they take the shots for you, and once they've served their purpose you can deliver the coup de grace in particularly grisly style. Slate can carry several guns whilst on his travels, mostly gleaned from dispatched baddies, so you'll accumulate some pretty impressive weaponry on your travels, including shotguns, sniper rifles and submachine guns. Perhaps the most remarkable 'secret' weapon at your disposal, however, is Jack's trusty friend, police dog Shadow. You can send him into areas that are impossible for you to access, or order him to retrieve items from evil types - all very handy. What's more, there's no need to notify the RSPCA, he always emerges remarkably unscathed from these situations.
In addition to the standard straight-out shooting sequences, Dead to Rights also features some inventive and pretty unique minigames and puzzles to get your grey-matter going along the way. Pick locks, diffuse bombs, and lapdance (yes, lapdance!) out of trouble, using a mix of skill and button-mashing.
It may look very pretty, what with the slo-mo John Woo-style balletic shooting sequences and silky-smooth graphics, but Dead to Rights is much more than a glorified slice of eye-candy. The missions are substantial and involving, and everything you're asked to do makes sense within the context of the wider storyline. Puzzles and tasks are realistic, and the noir-inspired plot gels nicely with the visceral combat sequences.
- Control Jack's partner Shadow, to sniff out bombs and disarm enemies
- Use enemies as a human shield for extra protection
- Play minigames such as benchpressing, bomb diffusal and arm wrestling
Contributed by DreinIX (9294) on Apr 16, 2008.
www.nintendo.com:
A wild roller-coaster ride of a third-person shooter, Dead to Rights puts you smack dab in the middle of a Hong Kong-style action flick, complete with nonstop gun battles, stylish special effects, seemingly endless arsenals and a hero inspired by a billion pulp novels.
Pulp Fiction
The basic plot -- framed cop must clear his name -- may be as old as the Sphinx, but it's perfect for Dead to Rights' no-frills fun. Jack Slate is a K-9 cop in Grant City, a seething cesspool of vice and iniquity that makes Al Capone's Chicago look like Isle Delfino. While investigating a construction site that, for some reason, is crawling with heavily armored hard-hats, Jack encounters his fatally wounded father. That sets Jack off in pursuit of an extreme lowlife named Augie Blatz, and when Mr. Blatz cashes in his final stack of poker chips, Slate gets framed for the hit.
The day before his fast-track meeting with the electric chair, Slate catches wind of an escape plot. Bereft of his weaponry, Jack pounds his way, Mike Tyson-style, through swarms of effete lifers en route to escaping through the old prison's labyrinthine sewer system.
Heavy Metals
This game's raison-d'etre (French for "reason for being," which, come to think of it, would be a good name for one of the nightclubs Jack shoots up) are the intense gunfights. The default auto-aim feature emphasizes quick reflexes, although switching to manual aim via the Z Button helps against distant enemies.
Especially cool are the disarm feature. Press X near a bad guy and you can take his weapon away, then put him out of his misery. The developers were so pleased with the disarming sequnces that they give you the opporunity to view them from multiple angles.
Extremely bright target animations make aiming a snap. Bad guys help you out by using very bright aiming lasers, which basically warn you to take cover ASAP.
If you hold the Y Button, Jack will dive in slow motion, but you'll still be able to fire at a real-time rate. This zany, John Woo-inspired gimmick lets you cycle through the enemies with the Control Stick, taking out scads before they know what hit 'em.
The gun battles are so frenetic that it takes a while to sort out each weapon's attributes. For example, the shotgun carries an impressive payload but takes forever to reload.
Other Stuff
The extremely simple hand-to-hand controls are among the least satisfying aspects of the game. Fortunately, must of the tough guys turn out to be lousy fighters.
Breaking up the action are various minigames. In the prison gym, Jack tries his hand at the speed bag and must clean-and-jerk 350 pounds. Again, these are button-mashers, but they add welcome variety to the game. You can pass on these two minigames, but you can't leave one of the cell blocks until you win an arm-wrestling challenge. Jack gets the occasional opportunity to display his lock-picking ability -- basically, simple tests of timing.
Jack gets able assistance from his K-9 dog, Shadow, who can take down an enemy, then obediently bring the guy's gun to Jack. Shadow's invulnerability makes him especially valuable in a full-on melee. The sidekick element is fun, but was better implemented in Star Fox Adventures. Outside the sanguine cut-scenes of Shadow attacking, you scarcely see him.
About the Puzzle Elements
Whaddya think this is, chess?
Game Gameplay
Gamers complained loudly that the lone difficulty setting on the original X-Box version was way too hard. Namco listened, and put three difficulty levels in the Nintendo GameCube update.
Graphics and Sound
Chunky and garish as one of Augie Blatz's bouncers, the graphics neatly complement the comic-book gameplay but won't win any fancy-schmancy awards. The pulsating soundtrack nervously underscores the action, but repeats too quickly, especially in the early dance-club scene.
Narration Noir
Props to the voice talent, all of whom sound like they grew up on vitamin C and pulp novels. Be sure to play with the sound on -- the voiceovers provide lots of helpful information.
From the guy doing Jack to whoever's doing the lowliest jabroni, each does hard-bitten the way Britney does coy. The script itself has an oddly retro feel, as if writer Flint Dille channeled Mickey Spillane circa 1953: a typical Slateism observes "It was another gray autum. The leaves were changing from go green to caution yellow." Like any self-respecting Eisenhower-era dime novelist, Dille know that Chinatown is the place to go "for information and guns. Not necessarily in that order."
Bottom Line
Dead to Rights is a fun shoot-'em-up that puts you squarely in the middle of a Hong Kong action flick. Um, is there another reason to play video games?
Contributed by Xoleras (66998) on May 12, 2005.
Electronic Arts UK website - Xbox:
Back of Case (U.S./Canada):
One good cop.
One very bad situation.
Meet Jack Slate. A cop on the beat in Grant City... unaware that his next call is about to change his life. What he discovers will send him on a downward spiral into a labyrinth of corruption, betrayal, and crime. A super-charged Action Noir thriller, Dead to Rights goes beyond Hollywood's best action movies: The gripping storyline, the larger-than-life action hero, and the adrenaline-charged experience deliver the performance of a lifetime. All that's missing... is you!
- SUPER-CHARGED Hong Kong style action.
- Hours of brutal GUN-BLAZING ACTION
- IMMERSIVE STORY, 15 action-packed chapters set in a dark crime-ridden city.
Toss-and-shoot flammable canisters to eliminate multiple targets with FANTASTIC EXPLOSIONS.
LETHAL disarms, human shield, slow-motion gunplay, and cinematic player controlled camera angles.
COMMAND Jack's K-9 partner Shadow to attack enemies and retrieve their weapons.
Conquer key MINI-GAMES and unravel challenging puzzles within storyline context.
Contributed by JPaterson  (9127) on Aug 31, 2002.
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