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True Crime: New York City
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 20 votes
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Game Info
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Luxoflux
Genre(s): Action, Adventure
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Release Date: November 15, 2005
Summary
Players assume the role of former gang member turned cop Marcus Reed as they fight crime on the GPS-accurate streets of Manhattan, complete with subways, hundreds of interiors, internationally recognized landmarks and real neighborhoods from Harlem to Chinatown to Times Square. Players navigate the city the way New Yorkers do, by taking cabs, riding subways, walking and driving cars and motorcycles. Gamers experience all the sights and sounds of New York, complete with the energy and architecture authentic to the city’s diverse neighborhoods, the voices and likenesses of real New Yorkers, and the cacophony of ambient traffic and bustling noises unique to the city. The game also includes character concentrations specific to each neighborhood. For example, the player will find a plethora of tourists amidst the lights and large buildings of Times Square, but predominantly locals near the brownstones of Harlem. [Activision]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: True Crime: Streets of LA
Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats
Also On The Web: Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Maxim Online
The gritty story, varied side missions, and jittery subway rides create the type of seedy environment that's perfect for attracting tourists, gamers, and criminals alike.
Read Full Review >PGNx Media
The action and depth of the game will surely please fans of the first game or those who need a GTA-genre game this year.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
It still has a wyas to go to catch "GTA", but with its finely crafted sequel Luxoflux has raised this series up from another me-too title to a necessity for fans of this genre. [Jan 2006, p.135]
Nintendo Power
If you can put up with some roughness around the edges, though, you're in for a satisfyingly lengthy and tough ride. [Jan 2006, p.108]
IGN
Does a whole lot of things right, but it doesn't take very many risks. What this means is that it's a solid title through and through, but you won't find a whole lot of water cooler moments in there.
Read Full Review >eToychest
A good game. It does have several flaws that hopefully will be fixed up for any future installments in the series, but none truly distract from the game's deep and memorable story.
Read Full Review >Gaming Nexus
The horrid framerate and numerous bugs make this game like tap dancing in a minefield, but the game itself is deep, with a quality narrative, superb voice acting and rich gameplay.
Read Full Review >Next Level Gaming
Wow, I don’t think I have ever be thrown through a wall and wound up in empty space in a console game in a LONG time.
Read Full Review >GameZone
The series is still weighed down by its poor driving and shooting parts but compared to Streets of LA the game has its share of really fun moments worthy of a weekend rental.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
It's just disappointing that the rest of the game doesn't live up to the quality of the cutscenes.
Read Full Review >Gamer 2.0
Unfortunately, if you find repetition to be death knell of your gaming experiences, then steer clear of these streets. True Crime: New York City is a mediocre free-roaming action game.
Read Full Review >Game Chronicles
It tries, but usually it fails. The game feels kind of half assed, to be perfectly blunt.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
On paper, it's got the potential to be more than a match for "San Andreas"; in practice, it's nowhere near it.
Read Full Review >BonusStage
So many corners were cut and details rushed that whatever good content is there is overshadowed by the mistakes.
Read Full Review >Stuff
Like this year's Philadelphia Eagles, this game is the quintessential example of a franchise taking a step in the wrong direction. Our advice: Run away.
Read Full Review >Electronic Gaming Monthly
Basically, it's a game with loads of potential, but awful physics and endless technical glitches are the real crime here.
AceGamez
Maybe it's because I just don't like the main character, maybe it's because the story is dafter than my opening paragraph, maybe it's because it's a third rate GTA wannabe. In any case, this one should be avoided unless you really liked the first one, although this is actually a step back from the original.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
Even if you forgive the flimsy story, cliché characters, and derivative gameplay, it's impossible to look past the myriad game-stopping bugs, frustrating glitches, and glaring technical problems that plague this game.
Read Full Review >Gamer's Hell
The game is unappealing, full of glitches and bugs, and should be avoided at all costs.
Read Full Review >Nintendojo
True Crime: New York City is bad for entirely different reasons than expected: the graphics are awful, but the scope in certain ways outstrips its GTA ancestor.
Read Full Review >N-Insanity
It feels rushed. It’s sloppy. It’s one of the biggest letdowns of the year bar none.
Read Full Review >Edge Magazine
By keeping it real, the game retains many of the things that make navigating the real city more of a pain than a pleasure: countless faceless skyscrapers don’t make for memorable landmarks, and facing the wrong way down a jammed one-way street when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere is the sort of challenge few will relish. [Jan 2005, p.91]
Sydney Morning Herald
Most missions follow a monotonous pattern of car chases and shoot-outs against dim-witted opponents that lack the variety of the GTA series.
Read Full Review >Computer Games Magazine
If you sometimes had the feeling that less is more while playing "San Andreas," you'll be convinced by this game at nearly every turn. [Feb 2006, p.92]
Game Revolution
True Crime: New York City replicates the over-the-top violence and goofy sexuality of GTA, but trashes that series' friendly interface, gorgeous environment, and dependable physics. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that what made GTA so enjoyable weren't the mature themes, but the execution.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Loagn H. gave it an8:
There are many glitches in this game, but get over it. This is a good game and so was LA, if there is another game in the series coming out, hope for improvement but all in all, it's a good game.
Bboy gave it a9:
Someone disappointing. Not because of the gameplay but because of the glitches. I was really looking forward to this game and as it was really ambitious. The gameplay is what I expected and is really fun. I find it much better than GTA IMO because of how much more in depth the whole cop thing is. It's just really fun to play....but that's if you can stand playing with the glitches. Why do the developers completely RUIN the game by releasing it with a crap load of glitches that you will experience EVERY time you play the game. The game freezes, there's lots of graphical glitches (e.g the moon was in the sea once..wtf)...too many to name. Also, I'm not sure about the other versions, but the Gamecube version suffers greatly from framerate problems. You will straight away notice how unbelievably and ridiculously LAGGY the game is when on the streets and driving around. At first I though "OMG this is ridiculous...". When inside buildings though, the game is smooth. On the other hand though, the graphics and music/sound are awesome. Beats the pants off GTA any day. Models much better, a lot more detail here and there and the physics are great so you can interact a lot more with the environment. There's a lot of things happening on screen at 1 time and although it looks awesome it's sorta bogged down by the framerate. Sound effects and noises are great and fit perfectly with the game. Music is also great with a lot of real good rap. None of the mainstream crap but a lot of old school and true stuff. Overall, the game is great and still really fun to play but I always think "If they had spent a bit more time fixing all the stinking glitches and problems with this game it would have been perfect" I don't understand....it's like releasing a Zelda game (which are always very ambitious games) with a tonne of bugs and just screwing it up for everyone....grrr.
Jack K. gave it a7:
This is kinda cool game, it has 3x fun than GTAs. And most important, fysics are better than every game together in the world!!!
Ted H. gave it an8:
If it weren't for the glitches, this would have my vote for the best "free roam" game ever. Occasionally, you notice a little repetition. However, the overall experience is excellent.
