Gaming Target - Xbox: Dead to Rights

Written by Nick Doukas on April 09, 2002

First Impressions: Max Payne, meet Jack SlateЕ

Hong Kong action. Fans of the genre instantly recognize the Balletic movements of slow motion attacks, two fisted gunplay and endless spent shell casings. Think Chow Yun Fat was a badass in The Replacement Killers? Meet Jack Slate, ex-cop: framed for a murder he didn't commit and out for revenge against the crew that set him up. Published by Namco and in development at this time by Namco Hometek, Dead To Rights is a third person action title that draws heavy influences, both visually and stylistically, from the films of John Woo. The game's story is cut from the same cinematic cloth and players will control Slate through a twisted and dramatic plot brimming with themes of honor, courage and retribution.

In development for some time now, the team at Hometek is dedicated to bringing a true Hong Kong feel to the 3D game world. To quote Senior Producer Andre Emerson УRather than say, hey let's make the Hong Kong action game that's essentially Doom with a paint job or something, I truly spent time revisiting the films that I really loved anyway, and I tried to look at those and see what about their pacing it is that works so well.Ф The game takes place in Grant City, which the team has designed to act as an effective and immersive background for the rich story and intense action to unfold against. Grant is a coastal city that boasts many cultural areas (ie: Chinatown) as well as several different urban environments. Showdowns are slated (no pun intended) to take place in a warehouse, high atop seaside bluffs, and on the deck of an airplane. The game will unfold in chapters (similar to Max Payne) that move the story along nicely, while paying careful attention to the deeper themes of the narrative. Hollywood screenwriter Flint Dille helped pen the game's script, which takes a film noir like approach to the story.

Jack Slate will have a variety of moves at his disposal, including the ability to target and fire upon two enemies at once (with a pistol for each hand). He can dive in any direction and perform УdisarmsФ, in which Jack takes an opponents weapon and turns it back upon the bearer (Shotgun to the head anyone?). Foes can be grabbed and used as a human shield (the enemies life bar becomes your own) or have their necks brutally snapped. Several of these cool moves are accompanied by short, in game cutscenes that render the action in full detail. Jack will also be able to back up against a wall, then spin out and shoot, before returning to cover. Fortunately, the character will not be limited to ranged attacks only. Jack Slate comes complete with an impressive roster of hand-to-hand moves, including high kicks, punches, grabs and blocks. One early screenshot shows the hero going at it with several thugs in a nightclub setting, performing a spinning kick to the head. This combination of ranged and melee attacks promises to bring great depth to the game play mechanics. Of course, what Hong Kong inspired game would be complete without slow motion? To this end, the team has implemented the Уdramatic diveФ which bears resemblance to the Уbullet timeФ effect found in Max Payne. Slate will leap into the air and fire in real time, as enemies slow to a crawl (making them nice, juicy targets for your hollow points!!) The order can be cancelled in mid flight with the tap of a button, returning everything instantly to real time.

Dead To Rights will feature many other cool nuances, such as the ability to shoot out lights (making you a more elusive target), a color coded targeting system, and a camera that cues the player to the enemy locations, as well as the whereabouts of switches and other interactive elements. AI is reported to be working quite well, with adversaries taking cover, as well as flanking and rushing the player. Emerson relates the following УSo many third person action games actual combat system feels like a shooting gallery, it's like there are guys whose job it is to wait behind this crate for the hero to show up. That wasn't satisfactory for us. One of the things we set out to do was create an AI whose difficulty is scalable. The enemies onscreen will, depending on how we set them, always hunt you down or they'll seek out cover. We're able to identify anything in the [game] world as something that's safe for cover that the enemies will use. It's a really cool system.Ф The team is working hard to create boss fights that go beyond the usual conventions, placing players into a climactic confrontation more akin to cinema showdowns than standard gaming fare.

The game looks quite impressive, even at this stage. Slate's animations are fantastic, and the in game environments look excellent as well. Having seen the game in action, I can tell you that some very cool moments are in store. Tracers whiz past your head, as Jack leaps and spins with stunning realism. Slate grabs an enemy, relieves him of his shotgun, then fires a gutful of buckshot into the miscreant, over his own shoulder. Threat eliminated, thank you very much! Players should find much to be happy about here, as the game promises to deliver an unprecedented experience full of action and intrigue. Emerson espouses further УI think what people have to look forward to is an amazing story-driven experience that we will make an effort to ensure captures the over-the-top gunplay and the heroic bloodshed of Hong Kong action films. I think that through a cleverly written story, a variety of mechanics, and incredibly cool bosses, puzzles and minigames, we'll ensure that our pace feels right. I think it's a gamers game, and anyone who's a fan of the film genre will really be excited about being the star.Ф Sounds good to meЕhow about you?