In the not-so-distant future, Paradise City is a wicked, messed up place. Violence, gangs and mob-based thugs rule the neighborhoods. The government has locked down the city and decided it needs someone to clean it up. They pluck you from your cozy island paradise (a reformed thief with $10 million in the bank), and unceremoniously toss you in the city. The gates won’t open until you’ve cleaned up the place, though using the term clean is a misnomer.
The poor people of Paradise will be exchanging one overlord for another. The NSA, who placed you in town, doesn’t seem to care much about pillaging the populace for cash. As the story unfolds, there’s more to the Metropolis than meets the eye. The preview build didn’t delve into much story, but what it did hint at was there’s a supernatural element that’s influencing the massive crime waves. This should offer an interesting twist to an otherwise formulaic mafia romp.
The game is divided into 16 chapters. Each chapter begins with a small story intro, and then one of three main characters is selected to lead the so-called “liberation”. Nick Porter is a Syriana George Clooney clone. He is your typical gun-toting, “rough around the edges” but likable kind of guy. Angel Vargas is the tough Hispanic girl straight from the movie Aliens. Her specialty is close combat, brass knuckles and knives. Boris Chekhov rounds out the trio and is a new-age Russian Mafioso. Like many Russian mobsters, he used to be part of the KGB until the Soviet empire collapsed.
The game has a good tutorial which will have you up and running quickly. Once the learning curve has been conquered the game is straight forward. Check the mini-map, look for a little castle icon, and pummel the boss there until he capitulates. He will then run to several different locations informing the patrons they no longer pay protection money and services to him, but to you instead. Each mission can have multiple neighborhoods to conquer, and with enemy grunts in competition for those resources, it becomes a bit like “control the checkpoints” in many multiplayer and battleground games. The control points are hotels and when under player control they generate funds to purchase further weapons, armor, drugs, alcohol, henchmen, and other skills.
The game has moderate role-playing elements that appear to be well implemented. There are five traits that can be increased as you level up: Body, Perception, Agility, Concentration, and Charisma. Weapons and armor often have minimum requirements, so between these traits and skills, there’s a good deal to look forward to later in the game. Like any good RPG, corpses can be looted for weapons, money, and an assortment of drugs to buff your character. Though the press material boasts a “deep skill tree”, what’s actually available for preview isn’t exactly Titanic - six categories with just four upgrades each.
Action plays out in strategic real-time combat. Click an enemy, and utilize one of the many skills the character has at their disposal. In bars and off the primary screen - henchmen, medics, soldiers, gang members and more can be brought in. Some are permanent, and others are just for short periods of time. Each henchman can be upgraded with a few specialized skills to make them more effective. Though the AI is slow to use these skills, they’re available for you to click and use as if they were your own. Regrettably the weapons, armor, and inventory of henchmen aren’t accessible as well. This would have increased the role-playing depth of the game and added another line of financial investment for the characters (though maybe the final game will have this feature).
The story and voice lines are somewhat clichéd, but the voice acting itself is stellar. When the background music comes in, it’s enriching and blends perfectly with the environment. The graphic detail in the game is excellent. Every object, wall, tree, and sidewalk was created in sedulous detail. The lighting and shadows are well done, the day/night cycle adds sentient warmth, and the environmental effects such as rain are perfect. The camera gives you a versatile view of the action from both a top-down strategic overview, and good 3rd person perspective (for combat and action).
