True Crime: Streets of LA (xbx: 2003): Reviews

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True Crime: Streets of LA


7.4

based on 39 reviews
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How did we calculate this?

based on 31 votes
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GAMES:

True Crime: New York City

True Crime: Streets of LA is the deepest combination of driving, fighting and shooting ever burned into one game. Take the role of rogue E.O.D. operative Nick Kang, assigned to the task of taking out the merciless Russian and Chinese crime syndicates plaguing the City of Angels. The action is non-stop and you can never repeat the same mission twice as you play through a branching storyline that takes place across 250 square miles of accurately recreated Los Angeles. [Activision]

PUBLISHER:	Activision
DEVELOPER:	Luxoflux Corporation
GENRE(S):	Action, Adventure, Fighting, Driving
PLAYERS:	1
ESRB RATING:	M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE:	November 3, 2003

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...

100

Maxim Online

The shooting control takes some getting used to, but stick with it and you’ll advance through a solid plot laced with a meaty hip-hop soundtrack, celebrity voices, and…drumroll…a playable Snoop Dogg! You’ll never need MapQuest in L.A. again.

100

Gaming Age

Make no mistake about it, this game does not trounce, destroy, walk all over, or replace "Grand Theft Auto." It is a better game though, as it is more refined and makes a nice addition for those who like the genre and are looking for more.

GameZone

Delivers its own brand of addictive free-roaming fun that’s just too clever and entertaining to put down. You’ll spend hours just going through the massive environments looking for crimes to solve and mayhem to cause yourself.

Next Level Gaming

The city map that you will drive is huge. It's not just Downtown LA, but also runs you through Hollywood, Century City, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and points in between. The city is also almost exact to scale, complete with landmarks and the entire city street grid.

GameReviewer

There's no denying that True Crime is really just "Grand Theft Auto" in a police uniform and a badge, but delve deeper than that and it soon becomes apparent that at its core lies a much better game.

IGN

The greatest strength of this Luxoflux game however is the integration of story and layers of game design into one cohesive package that's makes the whole thing flow more like an interactive movie than anything.

Cheat Code Central

One of the most entertaining games I've played in a long time. It has a ton of injoke humor, action, car chases, explosions, violence, adult situations and language - it's what adult videogames are all about.

Yahoo! Games

Striking a balance between cinematic, story-based gaming and free-roaming fun is harder than most people realize, and True Crime manages to pull it off in a way that brings excitement, challenge, and even a few laughs here and there (some of the voice work, particularly that of one Mr. Walken, is priceless).

Team Xbox

If repetitive slaughtering of the innocent by punching a few buttons is what you're looking for, then True Crime isn't the title for you. But you other guys really can't go wrong if you're looking for an action/adventure with riveting, twisting, non-linear storyline, advanced move sets, solid graphics, and a sweet audio track.

Game Chronicles

This version of L.A. is a living, breathing city where your actions have a direct bearing on immediate events and could even impact the story much further than you can possibly imagine.

GameSpy

Too bad it's so short, but there's plenty to do in the city of L.A. once the story is over.

GamingTrend

I think if Luxoflux could have tightened the controls, eliminated the stupid one-liners done over and over by Nick, had a more varied soundtrack and made the game a tad bit more involving for the player they really could have had a home run here.

Game Informer

Lacks the one element that really made "GTA" the phenomemon it is: It's just not cool. [Jan 2004, p.150]

Gamer.tv

It's a strong, individual game and when the dust settles it'll undoubtedly be in with a shout for action title of the year. I just wish there was more of it.

Game Over Online

The Karma system, the skill training mode and the branching storylines offered promise for what could’ve established the new standard for action titles. Unfortunately, graphical glitches, fighting issues and a breakdown with the plotline feature tarnish the game from truly being stellar.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Savvy gamers can also unlock Snoop Dogg as a playable character.

1UP

You won't spend as much time with True Crime, but that time will be spent enjoying nicer visuals and a very deep story experience, as opposed to flipping cars across parking garages.

Firing Squad

Despite gameplay bordering on being shallow, True Crime is still very worthwhile of your time because of the experience of brings. It’s a Hollywood cop movie where you’re in the driver’s seat, and it has the acting to back you up.

G4 TV

A solid game that manages to be more than just a "GTA" clone. It was clearly rushed, however, and the numerous bugs and glitches drag it down to a great degree.

Gamestyle

But undeniably, Luxoflux have delivered BIG on their biggest undertaking to date, and have thus elevated True Crime: Streets of LA to sequel-worthy status.

GamingWorld X

True Crime is, thankfully, not a total failure, although one does get the impression that with more development time and more polish to individual aspects (aside from the impressive driving sections), the game could’ve been a masterwork.

Armchair Empire

Rough edges aside, True Crime: Streets of L.A. is a fairly strong entry into the action game genre, worthy of at least a rental for action fans.

XboxAddict

The graphics need work and the fighting system needs an overhaul and don't forget to make the challengers a little tougher to beat. Also curb the cheesy one-liners.

netjak

Instead of the perfect, mind-blowing game it should have been, True Crime ends up being an unacceptably flawed title. If you've got infinite patience for random crashes and sloppy graphics, go ahead and pick this one up.

Playboy

What does this action game packed with guns, cars and crooks have that "Vice City" doesn't? The voice talent of Christopher Walken and Gary Oldman as characters, for one thing. [Oct 2003, p.37]

Game Revolution

The game tries to be everything for everyone by offering a great variety of gameplay styles, but doesn’t quite succeed at any of them. Each facet of the game has minor issues that hurt an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Worth Playing

Bits such as the fighting engine can be fun even though it is probably the most flawed aspect of the entire game, though when fighting the tougher enemies in the game those flaws are quickly frustrating, to the point of some people returning the game.

GameSpot

Lacks polish and, in some cases, feels unfinished. It makes decent attempts with its different styles of gameplay, but none of them are particularly well done, and the game's storyline doesn't tie them together in a satisfying way.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

It's so-so styleless graphics fail to impress, and the whole thing's too short and easy. [Jan 2003, p.107]

Deeko

I found the driving parts lacking and dull – the shooting wasn’t as refined as it could be, though it was a step above the driving elements.

GMR Magazine

The hand-to-hand combat is, despite a handful of unlockable combos, pure button-mashing chaos. There's a clever fight in which you shove your opponent into a fiery stove, but that's the only strategic scrap.

Edge Magazine

As a place, Los Angeles simply isn't as much fun as Liberty or Vice. Too much of this silicon LA exists simply because the designers wanted to show that it could be done rather than because it serves any gameplay purpose. [Christmas 2003, p.107]

Official Xbox Magazine

The heart of Crime's problems: the driving is OK, but the shooting interface manages to be worse than "GTA's"... You'll spend more time in L.A. frustrated than having fun. [Jan 2004, p.64]

WHAM! Gaming

Maybe the problem is True Crime tries too hard to be all things to all people, and in the process, neglects to do anything especially well.

eToychest

Despite the unnatural and unexplained control system, some graphical anomalies and downright terrible voice acting, True Crime: Streets of LA does manage to expand upon the open-ended style of Grand Theft Auto and others like it in some considerable ways. It’s a shame that the complex default control setup and strange camera behavior give such a negative first impression.

TotalGames.net

Possibly the biggest disappointment of the year. What could have been this year's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" turns out to be a shoddily executed, clumsy and unrewarding experience.

Xbox Nation Magazine

The True Crime universe feels emotionally and psychologically barren - and, therefore, inconsequential. [Mar 2004, p.76]

Play Magazine

Not even the irreplaceable voice acting of Christopher Walken can rescue the mess of a script driving the action of True Crime, a misguided attempt to share the spotlight with the vastly superior "Grand Theft Auto." [Jan 2004, p.62]

games(TM)

Half the game it should have been. Whoever came up with the inventive level structuring or spent months mapping LA has every reason to be furious with the lacklustre implementation of their ideas. [Christmas 2003, p.106]

The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 31 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

bob da builder gave it a7:
besides the fact its basically a gta rip off(you can free roam and kll anyone) its great!

Armandillo D. gave it a1:
This game is just BORING... the city is very boring... missions are boring etc... Wannebe gta, but fails badly ALMOST everything sucks in this game.

Chris B gave it a6:
True Crime was one of the first games I got for Xbox. It's clearly meant to be a GTA-killer - it has many of the same gameplay elements. The problem is execution. Where GTA and GTA-VC feel like very "solid", with seamless passage between driving and on foot action, True Crime feels awkward in both. The cars don't handle well, and the fighting is more geared towards fans of fighting games. There are special moves and combos and things like that. The missions themselves are very run of the mill, and are direct ripoffs from Grand Theft Auto - kill this guy, drive across town in a certain amount of time, etc etc, but True Crime is completely devoid of the humor or originality that some of the missions in Grand Theft Auto game possess. It's also a lot shorter than any of the previous GTA games. One thing that's pretty good about True Crime is the enormous map. It's HUGE. Most of LA is in this game. It's not as impressive now that GTA San Andreas has come out, but True Crime deserves credit for the being the first game of it's kind to have a game world this big. It's a shame the huge city isn't used more by the game. The other problem is that there isn't a whole lot going on. True Crime's city doesn't seem to have as much "life" to it as Grand Theft Auto series games do. There are random crimes that you can choose to help solve, but there isn't a big variety of them at all, and they're pretty boring once you've done a few. While I didn't experience any of the crash bugs that other people have, I did find a few cutscene bugs (the wrong cutscene playing for example). All in all, it's a shoddy GTA rip off, and your much better served picking up ANY of the GTA games if you want this type of game, especially GTA: San Andreas.

GamerBoy gave it an 8:
I like this game because it is Huge in the citys. The game has 400 miles of map witch i think is very good for a Xbox game. but they have not a very BIG database of people that walk the streets. I think the fuuny bit of this game is the way you can stop the people and check them it's cool. Also the way that nick fight it very cool, i would gave the sorryline a 7 out of 10 because it is all the same for game of this sort! and do you not think they the "game maker" so have put in better car or for all those gta loavers out there a honda V1 bike I like this game in the whole but they may have to edit bits for the next True Crime game Thanks, GAMERBOY

Holle H. gave it a 5:
Fighting scenes are good but driving are not so great as in GTA series and shooting scenes are stupid and music sucks against Vice City.

K. F. gave it a 3:
Very poor.

Adam gave it a 1:
Firstly I finished this game in 3 nights, and 1 night was spent trying to get my status from bad cop back to good cop, it was just crap they spouted about having an option of being either of these as you cannot complete the game fully without being good. The game crashed relentlessly, my hand brake would lock on occasionally. There are very few different crimes to assist in which gets very tedious. Coupled with a bizarre nonsensical storyline and no repeat gameplay, this was and remains my biggest disappointment in an Xbox title and I've owned a few stinkers. The game was far too easy, I finished the last portion of the game without stopping or saving. LA is mundane to drive around in, most of the map is pointless some of my time was spent repeatedly failing at getting across town in time for a needless mission. Do the right thing, avoid it, or trade yours in after a week like I did.