True Crime: Streets of LADeveloper(s)Publisher(s)Release date(s) Genre(s)Mode(s) Rating(s) Platform(s)

Luxoflux

Activision

US November 4, 2003 2004

Third-person shooter

Single player

ESRB: Mature (M) PEGI: 16+ CERO: 18+

Windows, Mac, Xbox, PS2, GameCube, Mobile Phone

True Crime: Streets of LA is a video game developed by Luxoflux and published by Activision for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube in 2003. Activision later released versions for Windows and the Mac in 2004. The computer versions contained various extras, such as multiplayer games, unlockable characters, training videos, and songs.
The game went platinum for the PlayStation 2 in 2004, and a sequel, True Crime: New York City, was released in Fall 2005 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube.

Contents 1 Overview 1.1 Plot 1.2 Character relationships 2 Branching Storylines 3 Characters 4 Voice cast 5 Quotes 6 Technical Limitations 7 Trivia 8 Soundtrack 9 References 10 External links

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Overview

One of the first free roaming action games to be released after Grand Theft Auto III, True Crime: Streets of LA focuses on the other side of the law in the genre of the police procedural. Unlike GTA, the player is given a good cop/bad cop rating based on the morality of the player's actions. These actions affect the storyline, leading to one of three different endings.
The game features an extensive 240-square mile recreation of Los Angeles with street names, landmarks, highways, and numerous vehicles that can be commandeered by the player.[1]

Plot

The player assumes the role of Nick (Kang) Wilson, a young part Chinese-American detective and the living bane of every police chief, because of his highly unorthodox and destructive means of catching criminals — the maddening part being that he always gets his man. When the game begins, Kang returns to Los Angeles after being suspended for going after a suspect and disobeying a direct order from his superiors.
Kang is at a police shooting range practicing his two-fisted technique when the Chief of the E.O.D (Elite Operations Division), Wanda Parks, enters. Parks welcomes Nick back to the fold and asks his assistance in solving a rash of bombings of local businesses in the Chinatown district. Though seemingly unrelated, the pattern of the crimes indicate the work of one or more of the Chinese Triad groups. At first, Nick is uninterested in the case, wanting to focus on his personal matters; Parks subtly coerces him to help out, on one condition — he does things his way. Despite Kang's reputation, Parks quickly agrees to this.
Parks partners Nick with Rosie Velasco; when Nick teasingly remarks how she's a "good girl", Rosie angrily responds, saying that before going straight and becoming a detective, she "ran with more than a few Latino gangs in her time." Like others in the department, Rosie is uneasy about Nick and his reputation, but for Rosie it's more personal — if Nick goes wild again, she doesn't want to get dragged down with him.
As Nick unravels the thread tying the smaller criminal dealings together throughout the game, he faces Triad thugs, as well as crime lords like Jimmy Fu, Big Chong, the mysterious and legendary Ancient Wu, Rocky (a member of the Russian Mafia) and Han Yu Kim (a general of the Korean People's Army).

Character relationships

Why Nick first refused, and then accepted this case is personal; his father, Henry Wilson, was an exceptional police officer who was involved in a major drug operation in the 1970's; one day, he disappeared, and was never found. Soon afterwards, Internal Affairs found a stash of cocaine in his locker, bringing his motives and role in the situation into sharp question. Though heartbroken by his father's disappearance, Nick refuses to believe this.
Although branded as every police officer's worst nightmare, Nick Kang is secretly highly respected by a number of his peers. His relationship with Rosie begins extremely shakily, but develops into a firm bond based on mutual respect. On two occasions, Nick directly places himself in harm's way to protect the life of his partner.
Rosie learns the story of Nick's father, and that when he died, Nick and his brother Cary had traveled to Hong Kong to grieve. Nick then returned for revenge while solving another case. His methods grew increasingly reckless in his pursuit of "justice". FBI agent Masterton distrusts Nick Kang. Masterton wants him off the case, yet is unable to do anything because the Bureau has a contract with Wanda Parks. He grows even more frustrated as Nick embarrasses him with his sarcastic sense of humor.
Both Nick and his brother Cary are accomplished martial artists, but Nick makes a personal vow to himself to protect his younger brother from harm, because of what happened to their father. He is unable to keep him from being attacked by Rocky's thugs, though, and pursues him relentlessly (in a possible side story, Nick fails to protect his brother, leading to his death. Enraged, Nick vows to avenge him and singlemindedly goes after Rocky, losing sight of the truth).
Nick went under the surname "Kang" when his father Harry Wilson died, because he couldn't live up to or match his father's expectation and reputation as a great cop. He shares this feeling with George, his father's best friend.

Branching Storylines

In the game, the plot takes one of three different turns: Bad, Average, and Good. Nick's actions and his good/bad cop rating decides the course. Each ending path concludes with a one-on-one brawl.
Bad Ending: Nick faces off with Han Yu Kim at the top of a high-rise bank, after shooting his way through the General's mercenaries. If Nick loses the final fight, he is thrown off the building and only wakes up in time to realize his fate, as the General escapes. If Nick wins, the General falls off the building. Rocky is also dead and the case is closed, leaving many questions unanswered.
Average Ending: Rosie is kidnapped by Rocky, who forces Nick to drive an armored car full of counterfeit money to the Chinatown Plaza, in exchange for her life. After being ambushed and killing the General's mercenaries, Rocky and Nick have a final fight. If Nick loses, he dies and Rocky escapes. If Nick wins, Rocky surprises him and is about to stab him to death, when he is shot down by Rosie. Earlier, he had taunted Nick about knowing the truth about his father; however, the secret died with him.
Good Ending: After battling through Ancient Wu's trials, the truth is revealed: Rocky was formerly a plant by the KGB, who quickly turned criminal when given the opportunity, along with Rafferty, Henry's former partner. Kang tracks the two to the Santa Monica airport, but is surprised and knocked unconscious. Coming to, Rocky reveals the rest of the story: when Henry refused to be turned by Rocky or Rafferty, Rocky shot him in the head and dumped his body in the ocean. He is about to shoot Nick when Rafferty leaps in front of him and takes the bullet, moments before Nick is freed from his bonds and attacks Rocky, before having to fight off the General's mercenaries.
He manages to kill them and escape the hangar where he was being held, just in time to see Rocky escaping in a private plane. Nick follows in a nearby car, shooting the engines and causing the plane to explode, killing Rocky. The only one left in the case is the General, who commissioned Rocky to launder counterfit bills made in North Korea for actual money, in order to rebuild their economy. The involvement of the Triads and the Russians were to mask their actions. However, Rocky decided to keep the money, leading to the General becoming directly involved. The two have a final battle next to the ruins of Rocky's jet.
If Nick loses, the general escapes and Nick either passes out or dies from his injuries just as the police arrive. If Nick wins the fight, the General is presumably killed just as the police arrive, accompanied by a furious Agent Masterson who demands answers about the damage done and where Rocky is. He is quickly knocked unconscious by an opening car door as Wanda and Rosie arrive, congratulating Nick on a job well done. He invites them to dinner, which they flatly walk away from, and Nick gets back in his car and drives off into the sunset, as George closes out the story with a final narration.
Branching storylines in True Crime involve performing many "Good Cop" tasks, to reach the higher paths.

Characters

• Nick (Kang) Wilson:

Although he was recently suspended indefinitely from the police force due to repeated incidents of excessive brutality, property damage, and refusing to follow orders, Nicholas Kang (Wilson) was recruited into the E.O.D. as the group's first field agent. The same over-the-line methods that got him thrown off the force enable him to succeed at the E.O.D.; his arrest record speaks for itself. Kang's skills in martial arts are only matched by his ability to expertly dual-wield firearms and drive like a Hollywood stuntman.

• Rosie Velasquez:

An ex-gangbanger turned straight, Rosie Velasquez is determined to prove herself worthy of her badge; unfortunately, she's just been partnered with Nick Kang, and isn't too happy about hitting the streets with a loose cannon. Nick isn't too happy about it either, but when their first meeting together concludes with her being wounded in a shootout, she winds up behind a desk working intel for the rest of the case — which in the long run, is probably safer for the both of them.

• Chief Wanda Parks:

Wanda Parks is the Chief Detective in the LAPD, as well as head of the Elite Operations Division, with jurisdiction over the entire City of Angels. She has two decades of law enforcement experience and is one of the most well respected officers on the police force. Parks puts up with Nick's brash and over-the-top nature because she knows that when all hell breaks loose, Nick is the only man who consistently delivers.

• George:

An old friend of Henry's, and a father figure and mentor to Nick. He reveals the backstory of the Wilson family to Rosie, and serves as a narrator at the beginning and end of Nick's quest, whether Bad, Average, or Good.

• Rasputin "Rocky" Kuznetskov:

Not much is known about Rocky at the beginning of the game, except he is a member of the Russian Mafia and is involved with the Chinese Triads in some matter. As the game progresses, more about this character is revealed, including his peculiar habits...

• Agent Masterton:

He is called on the scene to oversee the case that the EOD is working on throughout the game. He doesn't like working with the EOD, especially because of Nick, but he will eventually learn that all is for the best within their precinct.

• Rafferty:

An old friend and partner of Henry's when they were working on the drug case, Rafferty knew the Kang brothers as they were growing up. It is eventually revealed that he was corrupted by Rocky, and went along with his drug smuggling and money laundering operations. Though Rafferty attempted to turn Henry, Henry refused and was subsequently murdered.

• Misha:

Rocky's bodyguard, visible a number of times throughout the game. Depending on the path Nick takes, he may have to fight him. In one ending, he is killed by a vengeful Nick, in response to Rocky's killing of his brother, Cary.

• Han Yu Kim:

A General from North Korea, seeking to strengthen his country's position in the world scene through illegal means. To this end, he is working with Rocky and his Mafia connections, as well as the Chinese Triads. He is seen in all three endings, and fought as the last boss in two; his ultimate goals are only revealed in the true ending, however.

• Ancient Wu:

This mysterious figure is said to be the creator of the Chinese Triad, though many view him only as a myth or a legend. Nevertheless, Nick will learn the truth of this legend as he pursues Rocky and the Triads... In later branches, he is viewed as Nick's mentor and often helps him escape sticky situations (he releases Nick's handcuffs when he was captured in the airport and appeared in one scene to get Nick out of a police car).
Ancient Wu is an obvious homage to David Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China, with both characters being undead, having their bases of operations underneath Chinatown, and played by James Hong.

• Jimmy Fu:

Jimmy Fu is a lesser Triad crime lord, working for Big Chong. Nick sneaks into his warehouse, but is trapped and forced to shoot his way through Jimmy's men. After killing his attackers, Nick is about to question Jimmy, but is forced to defend himself against a sniper determined to silence Fu. If Kang fails, his vest saves him, but Jimmy will be killed, and Nick is yelled at by a furious Rosie who reveals Jimmy's last words as the next link in the case. If Kang kills the sniper, Jimmy is arrested, and under heavy interrogation spills the name of his boss: Big Chong.

• Big Chong:

A crime lord from Ancient Wu's gang, Nick tails him from his house to the Cyrus Hotel where Nick loses him. Nick then finds out that he is at the Russian spa, having a meeting with Rocky. Nick then jumps from where he's spying Rocky and shoots through Chong's crew. Chong comes out to kill Nick himself but is killed in the ensuing firefight.

• Cary (Kang) Wilson:

Nick's little brother, owner of a vast chain of 24-hour dojos throughout the city, where Nick can improve his fighting ability for a price. Nick is very protective of his younger brother who, for his father's sake, he has vowed to defend with his life. In one ending, he is killed, and Rocky is subsequently chased and shot at by a vengeful Nick.

• Jill:

Rocky's girlfriend; she uses her charm to trap and lead Nick astray more than once.

• Snoop Dogg:

Snoop Dogg is a unlockable playable character in the game, possessing his own minigame and quotes. He is unlocked by either collecting 30 Dogg Bones scattered throughout Los Angeles, or by entering a cheat code.

Voice cast

• Russell Wong: Nick (Kang) Wilson
• Christopher Walken: George
• Gary Oldman: Rasputin "Rocky" Kuznetskov, Agent Masterton
• Michael Madsen: Rafferty
• Michelle Rodriguez: Rosie
• CCH Pounder: Chief Wanda Parks
• Ron Perlman: Misha
• Mako: Han Yu Kim
• James Hong: Ancient Wu
• Keyone Young: Jimmy Fu, Big Chong
• Ryun Yu: Cary Wilson
• Grey Delisle: Jill, Lola
• Snoop Dogg: Himself
• Vernee Watson-Johnson:dispatcher

Quotes

Throughout the game, Nick often trash-talks as he performs various actions. Intended to be humorous, Nick's script has been criticized by some reviewers as more annoying than amusing[2].

Technical Limitations

There are several technical issues and glitches with the game, such as the U.S. Bank Tower's graphic. All versions of the game have also been known to freeze the computer after playing for long periods of time.

Trivia

• Posters of this game can be seen posted up fences in the sequel True Crime: New York City.
• The slow-motion action (during "Gun Mode") is a play-off of the bullet time from the game Max Payne and The Matrix films.
• Despite terrible glitches, this was one of the first games to integrate a full sized city, which was loaded from disc during gameplay. The original plan was to make the city 400 square miles, as seen in the trailer at E3 2001.
• Nick Kang resembles Russell Wong's character in the movie Romeo Must Die, especially when Nick wears his alternate costume in nightclub missions.
• A billboard advertises jockstraps in the game, designed to imitate Rockstar Games' logo. Rockstar responded in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with a "True Grime: Street Cleaners" billboard.
• On the dispatcher, one can occasionally solve crimes involving a stolen truck full of Activision games, or the shooting of a movie called Vigilante 8. Vigilante 8 was another Activision game and the first game developed by Luxoflux.
• At the inaugural Spike TV Video Game Awards in 2003, True Crime: Streets of LA won the award for Best Action Game.
• One of the lines that Nick Kang says throughout the game is "I am an E-O-D Agent! Open up!" - a parody on a line said in a movie named Point Break. The movie, which featured Keanu Reeves, had the original line of "I am an FBI agent." However, the mock tone and style Kang says it in is easily identifiable.
• Cheats for the game allow players to go through the game as several different characters, including Wanda, Rosie, a corpse and a large cigarette smoking donkey.[1]

Soundtrack

True Crime has around 50 songs. In addition to those 50, more songs were added to the PC version of the game. A CD soundtrack is available.

References

1. ^ "Activision's Chris Archer." www.xbox.com
2. ^ http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/true-crime-streets-of-la/6377p2.html

External links

• Official website
• True Crime: Streets of LA at MobyGames