Metacritic Games

Urban Chaos: Riot Response (Xbox)

Set in the not too distant future, Urban Chaos: Riot Response follows a year in the life of Nick Mason, returning from military service to find his home city ravaged by gang warfare. He is quickly enlisted into the ranks of the newly formed G18 Counter Gang Division; an elite enforcement unit granted special emergency powers over all other public services and tasked with securing the city and its citizens at any cost. With direct control over Paramedics, Police and the Fire Department, you must work together to save lives, property and your city. An innovative, voice activated control system issues orders to offer protection and tactical guidance in the fight for survival. [SCi Games]

SCi Games / Eidos Interactive
First-Person Shooter, Action
Players: 8
M (Mature)
Developer: Rocksteady Games
Released June 13, 2006

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

72 / 100

Critic Reviews

90 GameSpy
Some will take Urban Chaos at face value and feel good inside with the game's many nods at the every day heroes of Americatown, USA. Others will take in the game's blatant sensationalism and wonder if it's not-so-subtle satire. Regardless, Urban Chaos: Riot Response is lots of fun, and merits a look from anyone who enjoys shooters.
86 Official Xbox Magazine UK
A no-nonsense shooter that combines brutal violence and utter pandemonium with clever and varied mission objectives. [May 2006, p.74]
85 Next Level Gaming
I'll admit, I really would have liked better AI and a jump button. But at the end of the day, I'm still playing this game to try and get the mini-goals.
83 Gaming Age
Urban Chaos brings together some solid gameplay that integrates the gimmick as well as can be done. Over that lies a layer of old school sensibilities and a feeling that'll have you jamming to Team America's infamous "America, **** Yeah.” Put all of that together, and you’ve got a killer game.
83 Xbox Evolved
The story may not be all that, but the presentation is pretty good and the graphics certainly aren’t shabby, especially the outdoor environments with the bloom lighting.
81 Games Master UK
The action never lets up and the bullets never run out. It's not subtle but it is fun. [June 2006, p.64]
80 Play Magazine
The game never advances the genre, but its use of a protective riot shield, one that progressively takes damage to the point where it's almost impossible to see through, is certainly a nice touch. [July 2006, p.72]
80 GamingExcellence
While the story and some of the gameplay elements could use some work, the sheer variety of action is enough to set it apart from a lot of so called “run and shoot” FPS games out there.
80 Armchair Empire
But it more than makes up for that with a smoking-hot single-player adventure sure to provide one last summer sizzle on your Xbox.
80 MS Xbox World
A very solid title despite its rather lacking looks. The overall presentation is good and it features plenty of cool ideas that seem to work very well in general.
80 XboxAddict
Urban Chaos is definitely worth a rental. If you’re good, there’s no reason that you can’t complete it in a weekend.
80 GameZone
It definitely isn’t a pretty game but when it comes to the shooting action Riot Response will not let you down.
80 GamerFeed
An excellent first-person shooter, using a moving storyline as a backbone for its fast-paced gameplay, awesome presentation, and packed online experience.
79 IGN
If you can get past the ordinary textures, bland character designs, and strange presentation of Urban Chaos: Riot Response, you'll find a technically capable game that offers a lovely little surfeit of gameplay touches that make it very worthwhile.
79 TeamXbox
By around the fourth level of Urban Chaos: Riot Response, it was clear to us that we were thoroughly enjoying this title. Despite each level not be drastically different from the next, we loved the execution of the high-octane action.
78 Game Informer
It's by no means a blocckbuster that can suck away years of your life, but it offers up memorable thrills that you won't find anywhere else. [Ju;y 2006, p.105]
78 GameSpot
The game's twisted sense of humor and tendency toward overindulgence make it that much more enjoyable. If you're looking for a fun, pick-up-and-play shooter, and don't mind a lot of senseless brutality, Urban Chaos is the game for you.
78 eToychest
It’s not the best FPS ever made, but it is one of the more action-packed and genuinely interesting titles to come out in recent memory.
76 Cheat Code Central
Urban Chaos is definitely worth a rental. If you’re good, there’s no reason that you can’t complete it in a weekend. There are plenty of side missions that will extend the replay value if you purchase the game and want to wring every second of enjoyment out of it, but you don’t have to take on these side missions if you just want to blast your way through it.
75 Detroit Free Press
It is a delight to play and a refreshing change from the usual stack of first-person shooters. The challenges and objectives are reasonable but not so challenging that you'll want to throw the controller.
70 Worth Playing
The game's narrative is told by way of full-motion video news clips (with a genuine news anchor — none of these are rendered or anything) that look incredibly authentic, yet are cheesy at the same time.
70 Computer Games Magazine
It's goofy, satisfying, and unapologetically drenched in hilarious M-rated cussing, blood and ragdollery. [Sept. 2006, p.81]
70 Yahoo! Games
Had the single-player elements not been so overused, it might have been a breakthrough title. As-is, playing Urban Chaos feels a lot like listening to a hit pop song. It's fun to hear the first few times, but repetition has its limits.
70 Games Radar
It looks underwhelming, but spend a little time with Urban Chaos: Riot Response and it quickly stands out from the crowd.
70 games(TM)
The graphics are surprisingly impressive, movement is smooth and, despite the occasional feeling of repetition, the action is constantly fast-paced and compelling. [June 2006, p.118]
70 Total Video Games
There's just enough in Urban Chaos that's different from the standard FPS title to entice players, thanks mainly to the implementation of the riot shield, which is used to great effect throughout the game.
60 Pro-G
The level designs vary from excellent to poor, enemy variety is non-existent (ok, the gang members where masks, but still), the aforementioned rescue missions become tedious, and the end arrives a couple of levels too soon.
60 Edge Magazine
Ultimately, Urban Chaos doesn't have the reach to deliver what it promises, and ends up retreating into cliché. A few months more, a few dollars more and this could have made a much more defiant stand. [June 2006, p.93]
60 G4 TV
It's not as flashy as Black or Farcry: Instincts, but the patriotic vibe and real-life arsenal make up for the graphical inadequacies.
58 The Onion (A.V. Club)
Finally, a twitch-and-kill action game that right-wingers can get behind.
50 Official Xbox Magazine
If you're morbidly curious or looking for a weekend rental, Urban Chaos is nowhere near as crummy as its first impression would lead you to believe. [July 2006, p.85]
50 GamePro
Urban Chaos tries to be different than other FPS titles, and it manages to get a few things right. But shoddy visuals and generic action bring the game down to the depths of mediocrity. [July 2006, p.78]
50 1UP
Finally, the multiplayer component isn't bad, though there are two things that are glaringly missing. First, there's no straight-up deathmatch mode. Players will be taking the side of either the cops or the criminals, and the sides aren't particularly well balanced. Second, there's the inexcusable absence of splitscreen play.
47 Electronic Gaming Monthly
If you need a simple gunplay fix this could maybe see you through a weekend... [July 2006, p.92]

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