The Warriors (video game)
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| The Warriors | |
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| Developer(s) | Rockstar Toronto Rockstar Leeds (PSP) |
| Publisher(s) | Rockstar Games |
| Release date(s) | PS2 & Xbox October 17, 2005 October 21, 2005PSP February 13, 2007February 23, 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Third-person action |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | BBFC: 18 ESRB: Mature (M) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Xbox, Playstation Portable |
| Media | DVD-ROM, UMD |
The Warriors is a beat 'em up video game released on October 17, 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Rockstar Games announced on October 18, 2006 that The Warriors will be ported to the Playstation Portable and was released on February 12, 2007. The Playstation Portable port is developed by Rockstar Leeds. The game is based on the 1979 movie of the same name. The game was developed at Rockstar Toronto, and is published by Rockstar Games.
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[edit] Gameplay/plotline
The game covers not only the events depicted in the movie, but also a precursor, establishing the Warriors' reputation all throughout New York City. Levels 1 through 13 (and Flashback Levels A through E) take place before the movie begins. After Level 13, the player is shown a CG cutscene duplicating, to an extent, the beginnings of the movie, with Cyrus's meeting. Levels 14 through 18 cover the movie itself.
[edit] Gameplay
The Warriors are based in their Coney Island hangout through the game. Between levels, a player can explore the hangout, talking with the other Warriors, completing bonus exercises, playing Rumble Mode (a mode which allows you to make your own gang and participate in single fights of various sorts, including more unusual games like King of the Hill and a wheelchair race), doing Flashback levels, or exiting to Coney Island to complete bonus missions which often benefit the player's stats. Note that between Levels 14 and 18 (the events of the movie), the levels go from one to the next without access to the hangout until Level 18 is completed, and some bonus missions do not become available until those levels are completed.
[edit] Synopsis
The game begins with Rembrandt's induction into the Warriors, a couple of simple levels in which the player gets a feel for the controls and the environment. Cleon, the leader of the gang, sends out squads of two or three Warriors to do various tasks, ranging from beating up people that owe the gang money, to graffiti bombing trains, and even going as far as wiping out a rival gang in retaliation for the murder of one of the Warriors' own. This game also features all the famous lines including 'Warriors come out to play.'
The Warriors shared Coney Island with a rival gang known as the Destroyers. Cleon has a history with the Destroyers's warlord Virgil. Virgil tried to set him and Vermin up to be killed. Cleon told Virgil that he would be the last person he sees before their war is over. When the Destroyers tagged the Warriors hang out, Cleon sent Rembrandt and a couple other warriors to tag east Coney while the Destroyers were getting drunk. Virgil sobered up and saw his base tag with the Warriors burner all over it and planned on getting revenge. Apart from dealing with the destroyers, The Warriors also had to fight gangs such as the Orphans, The Hurricanes, and the Hi Hats. The Hi Hats leader Chatterbox was killed by the warriors.
After defeating the Hi Hats, Virgil felt that it was time get rid of the Warriors. Cleon sent a new blood named Ash to scout Tony's fish Market. He was found dead by Cleon and Swan. Virgil brutally murdered him and used it to set Cleon and Swan in a trap so the Destroyers could burn them to death. They escaped and Cleon took Ash's death personally. He and the rest of the Warriors headed to East Coney and destroyed their businesses and beat down many of the gang members that got in the way. Then the Warriors took the fight to the hangout only to find out that Virgil wasn't there. Cleon and Vermin followed the Destroyer junkie L.C. to the shack and ambushed him. When they got inside the shack, Virgil threw a molotov cocktail and burned down the shack. Before the place could burn down Cleon had one last fight with him and defeated him. He simply tells Virgil he's nothing but ashes and threw the molotov cocktail on him and then leaves him to die in the shack. Every last Destroyer was wasted and The Warriors claimed all of Coney Island for themselves. As the word spreads of the Warriors' deeds, they are called upon to do a favor for one of New York's larger gangs, the Saracens. The Saracens want the Warriors to set-up a rival gang the Jones Street Boys and the dirty cops that are running an operation on Saracen turf. On completion of the set-up, the Saracens agree to put in a good word for the Warriors to the Gramercy Riffs, the largest and most powerful gang in the city.
Cyrus, leader of the Riffs, calls a meeting of all the gangs on the Riffs' network. The Warriors are invited as well. During this meeting, Cyrus explains that if all of the gangs could uphold a general truce and work together, the police would be outnumbered 5 to 1. The gangs could take over everything. Cyrus' vision is greeted with explosive applause, but the dream is not to be realized. Cyrus is shot in the chest by Luther, leader of the Rogues. The only witness was Fox, the Warriors' scout.
The conclave descends into chaos as the cops show up. Luther begins screaming that the Warriors were the ones who shot Cyrus. The Riffs take action and immediately kill Cleon in retaliation, but the eight other Warriors who came to the meeting escape in the confusion.
Alone, scared and outnumbered, the Warriors have to fight their way back to Coney, through the five boroughs full of gangs who are all out looking for revenge. From facing the Turnbull A.C.s, the Orphans, the Baseball Furies, The Lizzies, and the Punks, the Warriors made their way back to Coney Island with only 6 guys left since Fox was thrown into a moving subway by a cop and Ajax got arrested for attempting to rape an undercover police woman. They were chased by the gang that was really responsible for Cyrus's murder, the Rogues. Swan throws a knife into Luther's arm after Luther tries to shoot him. The Riffs made their way to Coney Island after they found out that Luther was the one who really killed Cyrus and the entire gang wasted the Rogues while the last remaining warriors went back to their hang out. The 6 Warriors that make it home are Swan, Snow, Vermin, Rembrandt, Cochise and Cowboy. Mercy is also with them since she is romantically linked with Swan.
[edit] Level-by-level
- New Blood: April 13, 1979, 3 months earlier
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
Rembrandt's (and if there are two players, a game-only Warrior named Ash) initiation into the Warriors, where the player learns how to fight, steal and get around.
- Real Live Bunch: April 13, 1979, 3 months earlier
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Destroyers
A group of Destroyers invade west Coney, so Cleon gathers the major Warriors and fights them off. Returning to the hangout, the Warriors find a large Destroyers tag on the side.
- Payback: April 14, 1979, 3 months earlier
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Destroyers
In retribution, Cleon sends Rembrandt and a group of Warriors (Ajax, Vermin, and Cowboy) into East Coney to cover Destroyer tags. The Warriors' payback is completed when they spray an elaborate Warriors burner on the side of the Destroyers' hangout, and Ajax sneaks inside and sprays a red W on the back of Virgil's denim vest.
- Blackout: April 30, 1979, 72 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Baseball Furies
- Moonrunners
- Panzers
- Rogues
- Savage Huns (only in the Tool Shop)
Vermin, Snow and Ash are out looking for "wool" when a blackout stops their train in Riverside. They join numerous other gang members and bystanders looting and rioting in the area. The police arrive to disperse the riot, and they decide to head back to Coney. On the way to the nearest train station, they first encounter members of the Baseball Furies and barely escape from them.
- Real Heavy Rep: May 19, 1979, 54 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Orphans
The Warriors hear over the radio that the Orphans claim to have defeated them in a rumble, and Cleon, Fox and several new bloods travel to Tremont and wreck every Orphan they find to protect their rep. They meet Mercy, who sends them to a body shop to find the Orphans' leader, Sully. He escapes behind a fence, but the Warriors wreck his car as payback for his lies.
- Writer's Block: May 20, 1979, 53 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Hi-Hats
- Panzers
- Moonrunners
- Electric Eleminators
Cleon has Rembrandt finish another burner behind the hangout. While there, he sees a poster for a writers' showdown in SoHo. Wanting to do his part to build the gang's reputation, Rembrandt signs the Warriors up (without Cleon's permission). After winning the contest, the Warriors (Rembrandt, Snow, Ajax, and Cowboy) and other gangs are ambushed by the Hi-Hats, who staged the showdown to get all the artists in one place to wreck them. The Warriors drop a scaffolding on Chatterbox and escape across rooftops to Chatterbox's gallery, which they ransack to settle the score. Chatterbox promises revenge.
- Adios Amigo: May 25, 1979, 48 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Hurricanes
Cleon hears that Sanchez, a member of the Hurricanes who owes the group money, has been paroled from jail, and sends Ajax, Snow, Cochise, and Rembrandt to Spanish Harlem to collect.
- Encore: June 4, 1979, 38 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Hi-Hats
The Hi-Hats challenge the Warriors to a rumble for destroying Chatterbox's artwork collection. The Warriors wreck a large number of Hi-Hats and Chatterbox flees into a jungle ride. After fighting some more Hi-Hats, Cleon, Swan, Ajax, and Snow come face-to-face with Chatterbox himself, and kill him.
- Payin' the Cost: June 21, 1979, 21 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Destroyers
The Destroyers decide to stomp out the Warriors and invade their side of Coney. Cleon collects protection money from local business, and then fights off Destroyers trying to ransack the various stores. After fighting off the Destroyers, Cleon and Swan go to check on Ash who went to collect from a business farther away, only to find him dead and the Destroyers raining molotov cocktails on them. Cleon and Swan escape, leading directly into...
- Destroyed: June 21, 1979, 21 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Destroyers
The Warriors storm East Coney and attack the Destroyers' money-gathering operations, protection, gambling and prostitution, in order to force more of them into the streets. Having depleted the Destroyers' forces, the Warriors lay siege to their hangout and finish off the rest. Cleon and Vermin pursue Virgil, and ultimately leave him to die in a burning warehouse, the Destroyers themselves destroyed.
- Boys in Blue: June 30, 1979, 12 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Turnbull AC's
- Jones Street Boys
- Satan's Mothers
Wondering what "big item" Cyrus has in store, Cleon sent Fox and Snow to Pelham to a gambling club in hopes of finding out. When they don't return, he sends a party (Vermin and Cowboy) led by Cochise to investigate. A cop was killed by the Rogues, and the police are out in full force. Following directions from a Riff, they find the other Warriors, who've been badly beaten by a wheelchair-riding Turnbull AC named Birdie. Ultimately Birdie is killed when Cochise knocks him off a ledge onto railroad tracks.
- Set Up: July 3, 1979, 9 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Saracens
- Jones Street Boys
Because of their growing reputation, Cleon has managed to make a deal with the Saracens; if the Warriors break up a partnership between the Saracens' biggest rivals, the Jones Street Boys, and some corrupt police, the Saracens will try to get the Warriors invited to Cyrus's big event. Cowboy and Cochise come through; the cops think the JSBs are holding out on them, and the crooked cops are busted by honest ones for possession of stolen goods.
- All-City: July 10, 1979, 2 days before the meeting
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Moonrunners
Cleon dispatches a party (Snow and Fox) led by Rembrandt to take the gang all-city by spraying burners on train cars in a trainyard in the north part of the city. Although having to contend with transit police and the Moonrunners, the Warriors complete their work and escape.
- Desperate Dudes: July 12, 1979
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Every Gang In The Riffs Network
Because of their large reputation and the favor from the Saracens, the Warriors are invited to Cyrus's meeting. Cyrus is shot by Luther which the Warriors are blamed for and gets Cleon falsely murdered by the Riffs. In this level, Swan and Snow sneaks through a Pelham junkyard to gather the other Warriors. After escaping from a bus of Turnbull AC's, they board a train and escape.
- No Permits, No Parley: July 13, 1979
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Orphans
- Electric Eleminators
- Satan's Mothers
The Warriors are forced to leave the train at Tremont. After easily battling their way past a group of Orphans, they are separated when police arrive. Swan and Snow finds the other Warriors and they continue onward.
- Home Run: July 13, 1979
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Baseball Furies
While eluding the police, the Warriors are forced to split into two groups excluding the Fox because he was killed by the Subway. One team ends up in Riverside, and must fight the Baseball Furies to get closer to home. After defeating their warlord Cobb, Ajax finds an undercover police woman and decides to stay behind only to be arrested for attempting to rape her. Snow and Cowboy went to go back for him but they were too late.
- Friendly Faces: July 13, 1979
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Punks
- Lizzies
The second group of Warriors encounter the Lizzies, and the libidinous Warriors easily follow them to a party at their apartment. After Rembrandt tries without success to convince Conchise and Vermin to leave, the Lizzies attack, and the Warriors have to smash the door down to escape. The remaining Warriors soon meet up at Union Station, and fight a group of Punks in a restroom while trying to keep them from killing Mercy.
- Come Out to Play: July 13, 1979
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Rogues
- Riffs
The Warriors finally make it back to Coney, but have to prevent being run over by the Rogues' car. Swan has a short one-on-one fight with Luther, who then tries to shoot him, while Swan tries to get close enough to use his knife. After hitting Luther, the Riffs arrive to finish the job. The Warriors walk along the beach, their names cleared.
- End Credits: As the ending credits roll, the song "In the City" plays. You briefly control the Grammercy City Riffs and can beat up on Luther and the Rogues.
[edit] Flashback
As side missions, the player is given five different missions which explain how each Warrior was inducted.
- Roots : April 16,1978
Gang Appearance:
- Destroyers
- Satan's Mother
This is started off with Cleon and Vermin's falling-out with the Destroyers (Virgil sets both of them up to be murdered by another gang, the Satan's Mothers and Cleon told Virgil he would be the last person he sees before the war is over).
- The Best: May 6, 1978
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Electric Eliminators
- Panzers
- Moonrunners
- Saracens
- Destroyers
Swan and Cowboy, also former Destroyers, are inducted after beating a King of the Hill match in a Gun Hill junkyard, then carving out the new area to be turned into the Warriors home turf, including a flophouse used by the Destroyers.
- Heavy Muscle: June 15, 1978
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Destroyers
Other Warriors are recruited and tested based on their strengths. Ajax and Snow represent the muscle in the gang, hence their initiation starts with a cage fight against the current Warrior's lineup and then a journey through Destroyer territory in which the two are hopelessly outnumbered and must fight their way in to get their vests that were stolen by the Destroyers when they got ambushed and then back out again.
- Scout's Honor: July 22,1978
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Savage Huns
The Fox is the team's scout and stealthier than the other Warriors. As such, his mission teaches you the importance of stealth and finding the right opportunity to strike as he, along with Vermin, take on a gang called the Savage Huns lead by their warlord, Ghost.
- Sharp Dressed Man: August 18, 1978
Gang Appearance:
- Warriors
- Boppers
Cochise's initiation is a task in which he and Snow are sent into Harlem to retrieve a size 9 hat from the Boppers. This leads the two to a battle with the big bopper himself, Big Moe. This mission provides a variety between stealth and fighting, utilizing what you have learned from previous missions.
[edit] Comparison between the video game and the movie
Both the game and the movie involve the same characters and locations. The primary difference, however, is in the fact that a large portion of the game takes place before the actual movie begins (including flashback missions, which go back to the beginning of the Warriors' gang), and the events of the movie itself take place near the end of the game.
The game also looks deeper into various gangs and characters, fleshing them out and giving them real personalities and backstories, where they might have only been seen in the background or mentioned in passing in the film. Cleon, for example, is the leader of the Warriors. The game portrays him as somewhat of a protagonist, whereas he dies within the first few minutes in the movie. The Hi-Hats are one of the gangs at Cyrus's conclave, but they are never named and only appear in the opening of the film. The game has at least two missions in which the Hi-Hats feature prominently, giving a lot of depth to the group that many fans of the film had taken to calling "the mime gang."
The game has received very strong reviews, and is seen as a revival of the old school beat em' up. Street brawls between rival gangs are the central focus, but as players navigate the urban landscape, other gameplay mechanics are seamlessly integrated, such as laying down graffiti and avoiding enemies with stealth. There is an unlockable mini-game that exactly mimics the opening and graphical style of Double Dragon.
The major plot points of the movie are all translated into interactive stages within the game.
The Warriors' insignia, a winged skull, is changed in the game to a cobra--a la the Saracens--with flaming wings. (This is because the Hells Angels complained it was too similar to their insignia.)[citation needed]
[edit] Original gangs
The game contains several original gangs not featured in the movie.
- The Hi-Hats: The Hi-Hats are basically a gang that only consist of mimes. They rarely or don't even speak at all only using sign languages to communicate with fellow gang members and other gangs. The Hi-Hats were only shown in the opening of the The Warriors movie.
- The Destroyers: The orginals of Coney Island, this gang is led by a backstabbing drunk, Virgil. In the game, Cleon and Vermin were part of The Destroyers but later got backstabbed by Virgil.
- Satans Mothers: One of the heavest set of gangs in New York, The Satan Mothers are ruthless gang who deals in knives and flash. They won't let anyone mess with them or their rep.
- Moonrunners: The Moonrunners put more emphasis on getting up then brawling but they aren't afraid to drop paint and battle it out on other gangs who steps onto their turf.
- Jones Street Boys: A cocky bunch of trust fund kids who lives in a world where money isn't an object and petty crime is a thrill ride. These guys are a bunch of rough and tough kids and are not to mess around with.
- Savage Huns: The Savage Huns are the only Asian gang in the whole Warriors game. They are skilled in Martial Arts and can withstand a heavy beating. They deal in extortion and load-sharking. Their Warload, Ghost, rarely speaks a word and is a very disciplined Martial Artist.
- Saracens: A serious set from Brooklyn, New York, they won't hesitate to bring down the whole gang if that is what it takes to survive. Street smart and strategic, they've earned a lot of respect from other gangs.
- Hurricanes: An all Puerto Rican gang featured in one mission. They all wear white tanktops and blue jeans plus hats resembling that of The Boppers (another gang). Their logo is a blue globe with "Hurricanes" written across it in red.
- Panzers: The Panzers are a generic gang that is shown in the opening movie of the game. They are essentially aggressive civilians in that they will not hesitate to attck you. They are filler gangs on missions where several are needed. They are also in bonus missions that can be found in Coney while not on a story mission, the Panzers are not noted in the game's instruction manual. The Panzers can however be played in rumble mode. The Panzers wear dark green and have a bomb as a logo.
- Electric Eliminators: Or just Eliminators. They are featured in the movies entrance video as well as a generic gang in missions. They are much like the Panzers because they are not credited in the insruction manual and are only mentioned by name in rumble mode. They wear bright yellow jackets and are in bonus missions around Coney. Their logo is a Lightining bolt with writing around it.
- Van Courtland Rangers: Or VC Rangers. They are only in the game as a gang mentioned by Cyrus as a rival of the Moonrunners. They are not mentioned in any missions and are only shown in Rumble mode as a selectable gang.
- Orphans: A small time outfit that keeps trying to move up by boasting about raids that never happened. At the bottom of the minor leagues. they try to make up for being soft by swarming with numbers; but a crew that can't battle doesn't have much of a future.
- The Boppers: Tough enough to keep other colors off their turf, the Boppers keep Harlem smooth. A softer set that grooves with style instead of muscle.
- Turnbull AC's: A bunch of tough, crass anarchists looking to rock or rumble any chance they get. One of the heaviest sets in the city, these skinheaded thugs are a serious outfit to contend with.
- The Lizzies: The Lizzies are an all girl-gang who can hang with the boys. Using their God-given gifts to their advantage, The Lizzies can easily sneak their way past any crew's defense.
- The Punks: The Punks are a serious bunch of brawlers. Mean mothers looking for a good time and a good fight. This clique won't back down from anything.
- Baseball Furies: A Group of real major leaguers who bring their A-game to every rumble. Packing bats and plenty of muscle, the Baseball Furies' rep stretches through every network in NYC.
- The Rogues: The outfit responsible for killing Cyrus the leader of the Gramercy Riffs, they framed The Warriors for the murder of Cyrus which they didn't committ. They're not the heaviest set in the city, but their abrasiveness and unpredictability even out of the odds.
- Riffs: The Riffs are the biggest gang in NYC, controlling and influencing every piece of turf in the city. Their president is Cyrus, a poetic revolutionary who envisions one unified gang ruling the streets of New York City.
[edit] Reception
- Further information: Reviews
- Metascore: 84/100 (PS2), 85/100 (Xbox)
- 1UP: 8.4/10 (PS2), 8.6/10 (Xbox)
- GameSpot: 8.6/10 (PS2)
- IGN: 8.7/10 (PS2)
- X-Play: 4/5[citation needed]
- Gamerinformer: 8.25/10[citation needed]
[edit] Controversy
Roger Hill, who played Cyrus in the movie, filed a lawsuit of $250,000 against Rockstar Games for using his voice and depicting him in the video game. He claimed that it shouldn't be hard for Rockstar to give that kind of money since the game made $37 million.[citation needed]
[edit] Soundtrack
Songs on the Warriors Soundtrack:
"Theme From The Warriors" Barry de Vorzon
"Nowhere To Run" Arnold McCuller
"Echoes In My Mind" Mandrill
"The Fight" Barry de Vorzon
"In The City" Joe Walsh
"Love Is A Fire" Genya Ravan
"Baseball Furies Chase" Barry de Vorzon
"You're Movin' Too Slow" Johnny Vastano
"Last Of An Ancient Breed" Desmond Child
Licensed Songs:
"Don't Hold Back" Chanson
"Get Down" Gene Chandler
"Here Comes That Sound Again" Love De-Luxe
"I Love Livin' In The City" Fear
"Knock On Wood" Amii Stewart
"Pueblo Latino" Spanish Harlem Orchestra
"Remember" Vivien Vee
"Shake It" Ian Matthews
"Traigo De Todo" Alberto Alberto
"When You're In Love With A beautiful Woman" Dr. Hook
[edit] Reviews
- Metacritic: Xbox reviews, PS2 reviews. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- 1UP: PS2 review, Xbox review. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- GameSpot: PS2 review. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- IGN: PS2 review. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
- The Adrenaline Vault: Xbox review.
- Mansized The Warriors PSP review
