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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
State of Emergency
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 34 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 25 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: VIS Entertainment
Genre(s): Action
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Release Date: February 14, 2002
Summary
Enlist in the freedom movement to topple the tyrannical corporation. Freedom Agents duties include the following: Eliminate corporate officers, execute assassinations before targets flee to safety, steal sensitive items and documents from the corporation and return them to freedom agents at the safehouse, rescue captured allies from corporation deathsquads and help rescue them to safety. [Rockstar]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: State of Emergency 2
Cheat Codes & Hints: Adrenaline Vault Cheat Code Central Game Revolution GamePro IGN
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...
Hot Games
It's way too short, but the game does go over the top in both the action and the premise, and it is fun.
Read Full Review >Media and Games Online Network
The visuals are awesome, the sound is great, and the gameplay is good, though it could have been much better. You're likely to get frustrated a lot (and I mean a LOT), but the game is still great fun.
Read Full Review >Electric Playground
It operates reliably, frantically, and smoothly enough to offer a kind of arcade zen experience once you've reached a certain level of proficiency. It's definitely a sick game.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
The best part about State of Emergency is the way every facet of the game comes together to form a perfect feeling of panic.
Read Full Review >Into Liquid Sky
For the kind of game it is the hype was worth it: the most unique beat-em-up in years. For people expecting a GTA3 (like some were), it will disappoint, but for the people who went in knowing what they were gonna get I'm sure most will be pleasantly surprised.
Read Full Review >IGN
A tried and true beat-'em-up, and it doesn't offer the stunning replay value or depth of some other Rockstar titles. It's very different...[yet] the addiction level in this game is extremely high.
Read Full Review >XenGamers
Chaotic, violent, and oh so naughty, State Of Emergency is a fun title marred by some truly annoying camera and control problems.
Read Full Review >GamePro
A very fun game whose premise wears thin a bit too fast. However, you’ll have a blast with it before you reach the saturation point.
Read Full Review >TotalGames.net
The sheer amount of people and the speed of the action really pumps home a great sensation of hysteria.
Read Full Review >Total Video Games
I find it a real shame that the whole tactical side was dropped, as not only would controlling a mob add more depth it now seems that the use of hundreds of AI characters has been a complete waste of time.
Read Full Review >Yahoo! Games
Simple, engaging and spot-on in terms of presenting controversial material in a humorous and tongue-in-cheek manner.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
More of a throwback to classic arcade shoot-em-ups like "Berserk" and "Smash TV," than a cinematic epic like "Grand Theft Auto III." [Apr 2002, p.70]
Cincinnati Enquirer
This new "bad boy" of the video game industry is extremely fun to play — for those old enough and mature enough to purchase it — as a campy stress releaser at the end of a bad day.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
More fun than a post-game Laker riot. [Apr 2002, p.57]
GameSpy
The sheer pandemonium and brutal weapons can be pretty amusing, at least until the gimmick of all the explosions and rioting wears off. Unfortunately, that can wear off fairly quickly.
Read Full Review >PSX Nation
Despite its limited depth, State Of Emergency is a lengthy beat-em up that truly shines in short bursts.
Read Full Review >GamerWeb Sony
A disappointment. It lacks the charm that "Final Fight," and "Streets of Rage" had before it and it doesn't make up for it with the lack of depth and the lack of a 2 player mode! Shame on you Vis!
Read Full Review >Adrenaline Vault
A brilliant renaissance for the once dominant beat-em-up genre...[but] you realize that this is an extremely short title posing as an epic undertaking in its revolution mode.
Read Full Review >Electronic Gaming Monthly
After the blood-soaked honeymoon is over, you'll see the game in the harsh morning light and wonder if it was worth it.
Maxim Online
Such virtual destruction may once have seemed innocent, but these days the whole thing hits a little close to home.
Read Full Review >Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
The word "frustrating" doesn't even begin to describe it. [Apr 2002, p.108]
All Game Guide
If you’re looking for depth, look elsewhere, but those who miss the style of games made popular on the Dreamcast should welcome this with closed fists.
Read Full Review >PSM Magazine
When you strip away the high-tech hijinx, what's left will leave most players saying, "That's it?" all too quickly. [May 2002, p.30]
netjak
The gameplay, although amusing at first, is far too shallow to be interesting in the long run and you’ll end up feeling cheated even if you rent the game.
Read Full Review >GameShark
The thing I hate most about the way this game looks has to be the overall cartoon-like appearance of the characters. Add that to the blatant lack of style (i.e. fog, ambient lighting effects, etc.), and what you get is a colorful "Fighting Force 2" clone with added gore.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Four levels are too few to stay interesting for all 175-plus missions, which are too bloody repetitive. [22 Mar 2002, p.114]
Armchair Empire
The overwhelming amount of on-screen activity reduces greatly the overall resolution of the game to a saucy mess at times and the many independent characters running around all seem to have the collective I.Q of a Pringle.
Read Full Review >Game Revolution
Though packed with more bloodshed than a European soccer match, there's not enough actual gameplay in this one to qualify it as a good game.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
There's not nearly enough depth or substance to the game to recommend it. SoE is a game full of sound and fury, signifying a rental at best.
Read Full Review >GamePen
It’s like on your 16th birthday where you’re expecting a set of keys that will unlock a brand new car but instead you get an all-season bus pass. Except multiply that disappointment by about fifty times and you have what it feels like to play State of Emergency.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 5.2 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Kyle K. gave it a 6:
Loads of fun, loads of body parts in all different directions but it's a really short game. Senseless violent wannabies here's your type of game.
[Anonymous] gave it a 0:
Abyssmal trash.
Matt gave it a 10:
This game is Fun. i think too many people expected this game to be like GTA 3 but it was not. it was a whole new type of game. and they are making a movie about this game which means WOW WE LIKED IT!! just try it and dont think of GTA 3 and this game will be great thanks.
Hades gave it a 0:
I usually don't totally bash a game and give it a blatantly horrible score but State of Emergency easily grants me leniency in doing so. This is, by far, one of the most horrible things i've ever had to deal with. An accurate description would be Grand Theft Auto's "fighting engine" minus all of the fun. True there are many missions to accomplish, but when they all take place in the same little area, repetition is guranteed to appear. The game was fun for about an hour max, then you find yourself just running around in the same swarm of people that are doing nothing to help the riots ...just thinking about the gameplay is making me upset. Overall NEVER buy this game even if its only like 5$ (save your money trust me i got my copy for only 10$) and never rent this game either its that horrible usually i recommend at least renting a game but this is simply a nauseating game. Pass on this garbage.
Daryl M. gave it a 1:
WOW! this game is really quite fun...for like the first 3 seconds, after that you realise how boring, repetitive and dull it is. This game had one of the most exciting amazingly fun sounding concepts, it could've been fantastic.....but it's not rent it, play it, burn it.
Mike gave it a 7:
This game is cool , lotta action in it, the guns are great...it lacks a good 2 player mode , and needs MORE missions. Its very much like fighting force from the arcades. It needs a better concept, and different missions, it feels the same everytime, but I still have fun!
Ryan M. gave it a 6:
Graphics aren't that great and the game isn't very addicting. It's way to short. The blood and violence is high and I like that. But it's definitely a gta wannabe.
