True Crime Review

True Crime Streets of LA is the next evolution in the Grand Theft genre. The city is spot on. The Asian American cop is a nice new type of hero. The fighting and driving are sweet. The only flaw is that the the law may be a bit too forgiving... perhaps Nick Kang should have been a bounty hunter, or a Mafioso with heart. Of course, being able to play as Snoop Dogg erases any moral ambiguity.True Crime is the prince of the Grand Theft Familia, and it is ready to take over the operation.

True Crime Streets of LA is similar to Grand Theft Auto in that it is violent, you can steal cars, and is largely free form. However, this isn't Grand Theft L.A. True Crime features a branching story line, the good cop and bad cop routes not only differ in the number of donuts you get, but in the encounters and endings you experience. Run over pedestrians and ignore random crime and your karma will drop, letting you experience the dark side of L.A. vice. Capture crooks without killing them (the awesome Kung Fu system makes this as much fun as casually shooting them)and help stop muggers and you will be one of L.A.'s finest.

The ability to aim and shoot at the same time is welcome, as it the first person shooting modes. However the true innovation in true crime is how it all wraps together. There are role playing elements in which you can upgrade your skills. There is an actual story to follow (Asian Mafia is misbehaving). You can wander around the very real map of L.A., stopping crime. And you can set up killer combos in the fighting mode.

The true accomplishment of True Crime is that it twists everything together seamlessly. It should entertain you for hours. Tired of driving? Go practice your shooting or Kung Fu. The variety is here and it is ready to spice of this much loved genre. Oh... and you can play as Snoop Dogg, which is easily worth the price of admission.

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