Customer Reviews

Urban Reign

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...you might want to give Urban Reign a try. Because, that's exactly what this is. A *FIGHTING GAME*. Many official reviews I've read online seem to be missing this crucial fact.

Urban Reign was not meant to be about intricate plotlines like an RPG...or freely roaming cities like Grand Theft Auto...or crazy side-games...or transparent distractions. It's emphasis is on the *FIGHTING*. And, there's a lot of fighting to be had in Urban Reign...after all, this is a tribute to the old beat-em-up days of Final Fight and Streets of Rage.

The best part is that you can get as involved as you want. You can button mash like a zombie if you wish, and I suppose that will get you a certain degree of success. However, if you are interested in going further, you will find a surprising depth typically lacking from the beat-em-up genre. There are special reversals, juggle combos, and (dare I say it?) STRATEGIES you must adopt to ensure victory. If anything, I believe the gameplay in Urban Reign takes this dormant genre in a promising new direction.

The single player experience will keep you busy for a while; unlocking many of the goodies requires you to familiarize yourself with the story mode. A warning: check your ego at the door. Story mode will own you. Period. The 1-on-4 whoopings will be frustrating, so if you fear challenges, steer clear.

However, the multiplayer experience is where the game shines. The action is fast paced and fairly intelligent...if you learn the nuances of the game, it probably won't get boring anytime soon. Especially with the library of characters, moves, and modes. Think Super Smash Brothers, but decidedly less cute...

Or if you don't feel like beating up on your friends, Challenge Mode allows you and a buddy to take on a series of computer controlled teams. It's not quite the co-op story mode we all wish for...but, it's a start...

Bottom line: Urban Reign is a FIGHTING game, first and foremost. All other aspects of the game play minor roles. No massive cities to explore...no intricate tasks to perform...nothing. Nothing but the fighting, that is. And, as fighting games go, it's a pretty dang fun one.

Urban Reign is one of those game that will appeal to a certain audience and was made for specific type of gamers. Its a beat em up game similar to final fight, death by degrees etc. Created by the same team that brought you the Tekken series it has that Tekken feel to it like that electric sprite you get whenever you hit someone.
It has has all the makings of a beat em up urban areas, gangs to beat upc, weapons like bats, pipes, etc. The story is not something you'll really focus about, basically your a brawler for hire named Brad Hawk who goes around beating up various gangs and their members to rid the streets of urban chaos, well for the second half at least for the first half your just beating up people left and right just for the hell of it.

Ok so the story is out of the way, now the gameplay its fighting from stage to stage just beating up people by whatever means but on occasion you'll be tasked to damage a enemies leg or their arms. Now there's 99 missions and this why I gave the game 4 stars the levels can get repetitive because you'll be revisiting the same areas but with different enemies. And this is the same with boss characters you'll fight the same ones again; first by themselves and then with more enemies by their sides, its lazy but hey I guess they had to stretch the 99 mission some how.

Now this game is notorious for its sudden peak in difficulty, this is why I said its meant for specific gamers. If you like beat em up games, not fighting game that's just one on one;in this game you'll have guys coming at you from all sides juggling you to the point that it feels cheap and this can be maddening on the later levels. But one thing I like is that there is Multiplayer which helps you forget about how difficult the later missions can get. You can play with a buddy or just duke it out with more players in a deathmatch type modes; the multiplayers is the best part about this game.

Urban Reign is a game for those who want the old school beat em up experience with challenging opponents who are just as tough as you. The multiplayer is a great add on that relieves the game that other wise would of been to hard for casual gamers.

Unfortunately, beat-em-up's are kind of a thing of the past. A few years ago they made a one last surge though and Urban Reign, reigned supreme.

Back in the day, this genre ruled the arcades and consoles with hits like Double Dragon, Final Fight, and Streets of Rage. But slowly over time, the brawler got left behind and there was a sense that what could be done had already been done and that there was no more left to do. That's a real shame because it's a great genre and though it past, nothing came to take it's place.

A few years back, there was a small resurgence with Final Fight, Beat Down and Urban Reign all making an apperance around the same time. Final Fight and Beat Down attempted to mesh some GTA "mature" themes into their games and forgot the gameplay and they failed because of it. Urban Reign flew under the radar as the other 2 were publicized and promo'd alot more. But Urban Reign had something the others didn't, the developers of 2 of the greatest fighting franchises.

Urban Reign keeps the beat-em-up theme intact but takes a fighting game approach to the genre. Instead of walking through the city and trashing every thug in sight, missions are set up through a quick story recap that puts you on one stage to dispatch of anywhere between 1 and 5 street punks at a time. The stages vary in size from a back parking lot to a city block with ample running room. The story in pretty straight forward and revolves around various gangs vying for power and control of turf. Your a hired gun, assigned to fend off and expose the new threats. Which makes little difference to you as your just going in to crack skulls all the same. But the 100 missions are interesting enough to pay attention and the voice acting and cut scenes are actually pretty good.

The graphics are suprisingly good for a PS2 game. Even today, they hold up very well. I have to believe that they only benefit from the smaller focused stages and characters. That's another good thing, as your not just beating up the same 5 guys wearing different jackets like in older games. Every one of the 60+ characters has a unique look, fighting style and move set. Most of them are unlockable and playable in alternate modes, including Marshall Law and Paul Phoenix from Tekken. The soundtrack includes some rocking tunes that'll put you in the mood for some pummeling and the cracks and smacks of combat accomodate perfectly.

But it still all comes down to gameplay and that's where Urban Reign shines. Though theres only 1 button for strikes and 1 for grapples, the fighting is actually pretty deep. In the first few stages, it doesn't seem too fun or interesting, but as you go on, you upgrade your character with fight points and aquire new moves along the way. Eventually, you'll be able to pull off some impressive and really cool looking combo strings. It's like a mix of a traditional fighting game, a beat-em-up and a wrestling game. There's slams, throws, grapples and even double teams with an AI or human partner. There are also weapons strewn throughout stages and a super combo meter that can be built up to unleash a few different combos. The other 2 face buttons are used for run and evade. I really like the evade button as it requires more skill than a block button and makes the fighting flow and look more natural.

This is also a pretty challenging game. There's 5 levels of difficulty and the challenges only increase as you move up, so spend your points wisely on the attributes that'll help you the most. Some of the bosses and hardcore fighters will test your patience but there's always a method that'll differ to use on each. Always be observant to what works best and where they take the most damage and go with that.

As for downsides, the camera can be a little funny at times. When the action really gets going or your running around the stages, the camera has a hard time keeping up and your opponent will be off screen. You can move the camera with the shoulder buttons but it moves a little slow and your not always sure which way to move it. You can also find yourself being juggled against walls or in corners by opponents but luckily, you can use your power combo meter to break or evade their juggles. They can be a little frustrating sometimes but not enough to ruin the game.

Overall, this is a very satisfying game that flls a genre that's all but lost. Graphics and sound are very good here but gameplay is king. There's also plenty of unlockable modes and characters for solo, and multi-player (up to 4), that add depth and replayability. I know I'm guilty of passing on Urban Reign as I just didn't know what to expect and I only recently picked it up for cheap. But I'm sorry I did as it's alot of fun and fills a catagory that I didn't have already in my library. Definitely recommended for Tekken and beat-em-up fans.

Urban Reign is a great game if you willing to accept two things upfront. One its one hard game. And two,the story is pretty much nonexistent. With that said,lets start the review.

When you first start Urban Reign (hereafter UR)your greeted to a few nice cut scenes that start to flesh the story out. Sadly after that the story is told via text before you start your missions (of witch there is 100 of). The fighting in UR uses only 2 buttons for attacks,but you can make a lot of combos and grapples with them,I'm amazed at what Namco did with the fighting engine here.

Graphics wise UR is fairly good its about on par with Metal Gear Solid 2. It runs nice and smooth at (to the best of my knowledge) 60FPS with no slowdown at all.

One thing that should be mentioned is this game is HARD. I shamelessly turned the difficulty down to Very Easy after the first 5 missions and it was still hard. Two of the bosses here will absolutely open countless cans of whup*** on you. (Napalm 99 and Golem) But disarm them and use there weapons against them to make the battles about 10x more easy,going hand-to-hand is not an option.

Like I've said above the story is pretty bland in UR but it's alright if you accept it for what it is. UR main competition in 2005 was Beat Down:Fists of Vengeance (Beat'em ups are a dying breed. The only one out on current consoles is Yakuza 3.) And that game was utter crap. It was trying to be a beat'em up/GTA hybrid that didn't work out to good. UR is way better than BD in every department (except graphics witch are about on par,remember they were released within a month of each other.) I definitely recommend you pick up this game I found it in a bargain bin at Canadian Tire (think sears for our US friends) and am happy I got it,You will be to!

I should also add I gave it 4 stars due to the insane difficulty and unpleasing story (its like not being satisfied after having s*x)

A smart and repetitive fighting game that will have you wondering why you haven't played this game yet. A unique set of controls will have you in a trance while you stomp, pile-drive, snap-arms, and run up walls flipping backwards to kick someone in the face.

Urban Reign is sort of a combination of Power Stone and Kunio and Mac with some character customization thrown in between levels. It is set on the streets, and you fight gang member after gang member in various stages with different objectives. Some are timed, some have enemies just there to distract you from the real target, and most have interactive environments where objects can be picked up and used in battle. The graphics are smooth looking, the controls are decent, and the music fits the mood of the game. Between levels, you may increase different abilities of your character with experience points. There are no real special abilities or anything; this is not a science fiction themed game, just straight up street fighting.

People should know before buying this game that it has NO 'true' Co-Op multiplayer! Most people playing a 'fighting game' know that having Co-Op is part of what makes a game fun. There are versus modes, of course, but the ONLY kind of Co-Op gameplay is in the 'Challenge' mode which you have to UNLOCK! Take a guess as to how long you have to suffer through the very punishing Story mode (3+ people versus 1 player) just to unlock it?

YOU CANNOT JUMP AND THERE IS NO JUMP BUTTON. There's a 'dash' button that lets you perform jump-like moves off of enemies and walls but there's no 'true' jump button like 99% of the genre. Maybe they figured it wouldn't be such a big deal, but it does hamper the experience.

If you're lucky, find a game save or cheat code to unlock 'Challenge' in case you want to play a bit of halfway-Co-Op. There's no online multiplayer either, which would've been a great addition but is sadly missing from a game like this. It would've added a bit to its lifespan.

The game is basically a series of 'missions', each involving one or more enemies (sometimes 4 or more!) at a time. They will attack you and beat the hell outta you very easily, they don't just sit back and let you pummel their friends. Its fairly long but each mission only takes a few mins to complete (depending on how you play).

I guess if you have a multitap (good luck finding one) then the 4-player modes can be really fun.

This isn't 'Streets of Rage', not by a long shot. That gaming trilogy of goodness (I prefer the gameplay/enemies of 1 with the special meter of 3) had one thing going for it, it was FUN despite its repetitiveness. And easily-executed-back-attacks? YES! This game has neither...somewhat disappointing.

If you like to play solo and perform exact strategies to your enemies, this is for you.
If you hate being gang-(censored) by several dudes, then you will be frustrated unless you master your movelist.

Urban Reign is a beatem'up fighting game for the PS2. You fight several gangs to gain territory and advance the storyline. The graphics are really good; character models look good, level environment can be damaged, and great looking fighting moves.

Actually the fighting moves are the best part of the game. Using a combination of fighting styles that range from boxing, karate and wrestling- you can do the regular punch, kicks, jump kicks, grabs and body slams. You acquire more moves as you progress through the game and also increase your skill stats. Your skill stats consists of your punching, kicking, grapple and defensive powers; by increasing your stats, your character becomes much more stronger (though this happens over the long haul). I was impressed with some of the fighting animations as your character can do flips, jump in the air and kick multiple enemies at once and you can throw them into objects like cars, trash cans and the walls. A lot of the fighting reminded me of the many, Jackie Chan movies with clever fighting techniques and they were just as fun to watch in motion within Urban Reign. I also like the fact that the game is very long and contains 100 levels as apposed to just 15 levels like many other fighting games. Urban Reign sounds great right? So where did it go wrong?

The disaster begins with the unresponsive controls, you'll be button mashing like crazy and become irrate when the character executes moves slowly. Many times you'll want to beat up your enemies in a certain way while they are in a daze, to be hindered by your character's sluggish response. Many of the missions have a short time limit which will frustrate you even more. Although you can increase your character's stat skills and make him stronger, the CPU enemies will always be stronger. Aside from that you can be pushed into a corner and get pounded continuously with cheap shots from the CPU. Other than the fighting, nothing much else is taking place inside the levels; which gives it a empty feeling and the city overall seems abandoned and dead. The difficulty level will also tick off a lot of players as it just increases from normal to super hard in a short time. The worst thing about Urban Reign, is the terrible defensive blocking system, which they call "deflecting". You have to press the block button at the right moment to deflect the CPU's attacks, if you press it at the wrong time you will receive the punch/kick. While so many fighting games allow you to just hold the block button, this game does not. The story mode can only be played by one player, so you cannot play with a friend! The challange mode (unlockable) can be played co-op, but it would have been better and more fun if the story mode could be played this way. If you want a better fighting game, look elsewhere because this is not it.

Pros:
+cool fighting techniques
+100 levels

Cons:
-terrible blocking system
-sluggish controls
-dumb story
-one player in story mode
-tons of cheap shots by CPU
-you can be cornered
-unbalanced difficulty

I am so tired after finishing this game this is what I found hard about it:

1. Fighting- it is a fighting game, but boy do the computer have some cheats and can get you frustrated. This unique fighting system of just smashing buttons gives you the cramps and blocking does not exist, its more like dodging and believe me you get hit a lot but your enemies can block.

2. Graphics/music- really good but if the game is so frustrating what does it matters?

3. Storyline- Its allright, you got to complete a series of missions

4. Over all Fun Factor- you only get one to amax of three points to built your character fighting power and defense, it takes long, the missions can be frustrating and at the end it seems like no matter how tought you built your character it still sucks...Golem can be very dificult. If you find getting your finger and forearms tired then you will find this fun.

If You Love Beat em up Fighting games and Multiplayer Mayhem Then This will Indeed be one of the funnest Games for you. Its a great Game and I think if you have your friends over it would be even more fun! Even if you play by yourself its still fun because there are 100 missions in the game. The only thing that this game is missing is a Co-op Story mode. Even though you can play the challenge with another partner or an AI, It still would have been even better if you able to play with a real partner in in the story. It's Awesome - Collin