Product Description

Like Grand Theft Auto 3--also by Rockstar Games--State of Emergency offers the player virtually unlimited scope for mayhem and huge, sprawling urban environments to explore through missions or non-linear action. But this time the level of chaos has been upped considerably, with the potential for hundreds of rioters to be onscreen at once, each one with his or her own AI, set of motivations and loyalties. The environments are intricately interactive: almost any object (including body parts) can be picked up and used as a weapon.

There are two game modes, Revolution and Chaos. Chaos allows for freelance havoc-wreaking, while in Revolution you will be sent on hundreds of missions--ranging from fire-bombing to gang warfare--all with the ultimate purpose of toppling the tyranical "Corporation" that runs the city. The violence in this game is cartoony but extreme and for the mature gamer only. Children should in fact not even be allowed to be in the same room where this game is being played. For the mature gamer, though, State of Emergency will forever change the concept of what a video game can be.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6224 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Rockstar Games
• Released on: 2002-02-22
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review
The publishers of Grand Theft Auto 3 are back with another game geared towards a mature audience. But fans of GTA3 should note that while State of Emergency also contains adult themes and extremely violent gameplay, that's pretty much where the similarities end. Whereas GTA3 was about creating a deep experience unlike any other video game, State of Emergency is a throwback to arcade beat-'em-ups like Smash TV and Double Dragon. However, the game takes the genre to a new level with mind-blowing graphics.

You play as one of five selectable characters that's going up against The Corporation--a tyrannical group that has the city in an iron grip. The city is in an utter state of disarray and the citizens are rebelling. Amazingly, up to 250 characters can be rioting on screen; it's very surprising that the developers were able to render so many moving characters while keeping a smooth frame rate. Basic gameplay consists of picking up numerous weapons and objects to cause as much damage as humanly possible. Providing context to the mindless violence are Revolution and Chaos modes: the former is the game's story mode, with over 175 missions, while the latter is a single-session mode with a few variations.

For the most part, State of Emergency is an enjoyable cacophony of senseless violence, but there are some flaws: although Revolution boasts an impressive number of missions, they do get repetitive; the game screams for a multiplayer mode, but it's strictly one-player. In spite of these flaws, the game remains addictive and fun. It bears repeating that gamers looking for another GTA3 will not find it here: this game provides an arcade-like experience that's excellent, but in a very different way. Parents should note that this game carries an 18 rating for violence and gore. --Raymond M Padilla

Manufacturer's Description
State of Emergency is an urban riot game set in the near future, where the oppressive American Trade Organization (ATO) has declared a State of Emergency. State authorities are clamping down on organized resistance and restricting movement across the City to counter the spread of revolt. It is up to you to smash up everything and everyone in order to destabilize the ATO. Use any item available to begin fighting, including pipes, bricks and benches – even dismembered body parts. This is the first game ever to let you participate in relentless street combat with over 100 people on screen at once! State of Emergency is a game for those who have always wondered what it's like to be armed and dangerous in a city gone out of control.

Customer Reviews

Branded by it's Rockstar Games Companion
Everyone who owns a copy of Grand Theft Auto 3 will most cerainly agree with me that to put it frankly... it rocks. A great game and one that will be hard to beat under the circumstances. But although State of Emergency has also
been developed by the same company- Rockstar Games doesn't by any means mean that it is a sequel or has been designed to be an improvement of GTA 3. I think that becuase people are thinking this, they are therefore feeling the need to come down hard on it, but they are 2 completely different games in their own rights.

On with the review, the game itself is basically a riot-sim, cause a riot in a shopping mall= loadsa points. If you get bored of this then go on to a mission mode where objectives are given out for you to do. Fairly original idea when you take the 'cause a riot' concept into consideration and you instantly think that it will be a top quality game........

Graphically the game is what I think could be described as being almost perfectly adjusted, balancing the cartoon style effect with the game's violent Sound is a factor that does not need a great amount of focus put towards. I mean who needs
nature. I think this is a clever concept that is executed well.

Sound is a factor that doesnt need a whole lot of time focusing on as it would never be a major strong point for this kind of game, however it is present and doesnt distract gaming in any kind of way and the public's comments and screams are not too bad either and maybe a bit too realistic!

You will pick up the easy controls in well under 5 minutes and should almost be able to master the game in not much longer than double that time. Another strong aspect would definately be where many, maybe over 50 members of the public are able to run around like crazed animals on the screen at one time with hardly any slow-down. The mode of gameplay where you basically have to pick up as many points as possible has a nice addictivity element in it and nicely adds a littler more lifespan to the game as you will come back again and again to improve on your score with the game's different characters.
Basically to course these riots, pick up anything you see, when I say anything I mean variations of flamethrowers, televisions, chairs..... the list continues, and for a while! Use these items obviously as weapons and generally beat people to a pulp, not only people but windows and cars as well. Everyone will run manic and you will end up having a crowd of armed police men chasing you wherever you go unless you attempt to pick them off as well! As far as the mission mode goes, it doesn't really- it starts off a lot of fun following someone's orders to deliver packages, take out a certain person etc, but this quickly gets repetetive and you will feel as if you have already done a certain mission- several times. You also loose the sense of freedom while you are playing as you are pretty much restricted or directed to your destination whilst not doing a whole lot else. An improvement that the game could/should have added to increase the longivity would have been a multiplayer mode, maybe a death match or something along that line.

This game is certainly worth a rent and fans of the game should definately buy it but you have to understand that it is not for everyone.

75/100

About as much in common with GTA3 as crown green bowling
I feel sorry for the producers of this game following hot on the heals of the superb GTA3 with promises of gameplay that will again shock your granny, they have so much to live up to and they don't.

Comparisons aside this is still a bad game, boring, repetative, annoying camera angles, poor selection of average music, sub-robocop storyline.. I could go on it's just uninspired.

JUST RENT IT and get the curiosity out of your system...

State of Emergency
Although fun to start with, this gore fest soon turns mundane as you hack your way through the levels using guns, axes and crowbars to name but a few of the weapons. For those who enjoy sitting back and watching the blood flow this is for you but if your looking for taxing game play this may not be the best. Some of the earlier levels are easy but very quickly become too hard. Best played with cheats for invulnerability, infinite ammo and decapitation with 1 punch!