Reservoir Dogs (video game)

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Reservoir Dogs

Cover for the PS2 version of Reservoir Dogs
Developer(s) Volatile Games
Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows
Release date Flag of the United States 24 October 2006
Flag of Europe 25 August 2006
Genre(s) Third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: M (Mature)

Reservoir Dogs is a video game based on the Quentin Tarantino film of the same name. Released in 2006, it garnered mostly mediocre review and caused minor controversies for its violence, being banned in Australia and New Zealand.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The game is based on the movie by Quentin Tarantino. It has the same story, but goes into more detail. It remains faithful to the film, with gamers able to play all the key characters. It follows the progress and planning of the diamond heist, and reveals some of the events which only took place off-screen in the film itself. The game consists of both third-person shooting and driving sections. The game encourages the player to take hostages and avoid mass-slaughter: both in the ratings system, where a player may be rated as a "Psycho" if many people are killed, or a "Professional" if they are not; and in the fact that it is difficult to progress without cheating if hostages are not used and if the player causes much destruction. It also features the full and original soundtrack from the movie, the so-called K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies. Of the original actors, only Michael Madsen provides his likeness and voice acting for the game. Other characters look and sound only vaguely similar to their big-screen counterparts.

[edit] Weapons

The player can carry 2 weapons and 1 grenade at one time. The player can also single or dual wield all 'pistol' types.

[edit] Grenades

[edit] Characters

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Mr. Orange - Used in a training mission "A Matter of Business", which guides the player through a tutorial like section which introduces the player to the game mechanics - how to do things like take hostages, use weapons, bullet festivals and order police around etc. Death: shot in the head by Mr. White. Signature Move: None. Bullet Festival Pose: Cracks his neck. Voice: Scott Menville.

Mr. Blue - The only character whose fate wasn't shown in film, but does in the game. Initially Mr. Blue is introduced as one of the two (Mr. Brown being the other) getaway drivers. After being locked in at Karinas Wholesale Diamonds, he makes his escape into the police infested streets, then he negotiates (or shoots depending on the player) his way into a movie theater, finally he is gunned down in the movie theater by the police (this is a reference to the death of John Dillinger, as Joe Cabot stated that Mr. Blue was "dead as Dillinger" in the film). Signature Move: Burns out his hostage's eye with his cigar. Bullet Festival Pose: Throws away his cigar.

Mr. Pink - If you're wondering how Mr. Pink really got out, he escaped out the back of the diamond store with the diamonds just left before Mr. White. After weaving his way through suburbia he is shown running out of a laundromat where (like in the film) he is hit by a passing car which he commandeers. It is assumed that en-route the rendezvous point that he stashes the diamonds 'in a safe place'. Later he must travel to this location (trainyard) to retrieve them. His fate depends on the player's score - on Professional he accidentally spills the diamonds but gets away, Career Criminal he is arrested, and Psychopath he is gunned down. He is the only character whose fate can be changed (all the other characters die). Signature Move: Bashes his hostage's nose in with his gun. Bullet Festival Pose: Same as Mr. Orange. Voice: Weetus Cren.

Mr. Blonde - A very popular character, and again if you're wondering how he got out, after navigating Los Angeles' back alleys and side streets he makes his way into a shopping mall, where he takes a cop (Marvin Nash) hostage. After leaving the Mall he makes his escape by stolen Cadillac with the cop in the trunk. Before making his way back to the rendezvous point he stops off for a Burger and Soft Drink. Death: gunned down by Mr. Orange before he tries to burn Marvin Nash alive. Signature Move: Cuts off his hostage's ear with his razor. Bullet Festival Pose: Puts on his sunglasses. Mr. Blonde was the only character in game who was portrayed by his movie actor (Michael Madsen). Therefore, his game avatar was the only one that looked or sounded like the original movie character.

Mr. White - Has a few roles in the game, he escapes through the streets and back alleys after Mr. Pink left him at the Diamond Store. He meets up with Mr.Brown (getaway driver) and Mr. Orange. Mr. Brown is shot during the getaway and dies from his wound at the wheel. Orange and White hijack a second vehicle, during which Mr. Orange is shot in the belly by a panicking civilian. White returns to the rendezvous point with Orange. Later he must leave the warehouse to ditch the stolen vehicles at the Scrapyard. Death: gunned down by the police after executing Mr. Orange. Signature Move: Cuts off his hostage's thumb with a cigar cutter. Bullet Festival Pose: Combs his hair. Voice: Jack McGee.

Mr. Brown - Getaway driver, played only once (in the game's longest driving level) where he drives to a location which coincides with his fate in the movie. He is never controlled on foot and thus has no signature move. Death: shot in the head by the police and later bleeds to death.

Nice Guy Eddie - The game reveals where Mr. White, Mr. Pink and Eddie went with the cars, through the character of Eddie, Mr. White dumped his car at a junkyard, Mr. Pink went to get the diamonds, and Eddie went to supervise. Death: shot by Mr. White in "the Standoff". Signature Move: Same as Mr. Pink's, except he does it fewer times and with more force. Bullet Festival Pose: Cracks his knuckles. Voice: Michael Cornacchia.

Joe Cabot - the arranger of the heist. Father of Nice Guy Eddie. He is fast talking, stern, and hates to be wrong. He stands by his decisions. He was never 100% sure of Mr. Orange and this was his undoing. He is never used in game, therefore he has no signature move. Death: shot by Mr. White in "the Standoff".

[edit] Enemies

Security Guard - Weakest enemy in the game, the player can tell them what to do, as long as they have a hostage. Usually armed with a pistol or shotgun.

County Police - Similar to security guards. Usually armed with a pistol, shotgun or MP5.

Police Officer - More difficult to deal with than most other enemies, and a little tougher. The only way police officers will drop their weapon, is if the player hits a hostage or does a signature move. Usually armed with a pistol, shotgun or MP5.

SWAT - Much more difficult to kill than regular police officers. Will not stop fighting until you're dead. Usually armed with shotgun, MP5, assault rifle, or sniper rifle, as well as a flashbang grenade.

[edit] Missions

Prologue- Joe, Eddie, and the Reservoir Dogs teach Mr. Orange the ropes of robbing a store. This is a tutorial mission. You play as Mr. Orange.

Mission 1- Police officers swarm Karinas Diamonds after Mr. Blonde shoots up the place. Mr. Blue is left all alone, and must escape. You play as Mr. Blue.

Mission 2 (Driving)- After eating breakfast, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blue drive to Karinas (in separate cars), but decide to race there instead. You play as Mr. Blue.

Mission 3- Seeing the police heading toward Karinas, Mr. Pink grabs the diamonds and runs out the back door. He must make his escape through the back alleys of Karinas. You play as Mr. Pink.

Mission 4- After being left behind in the store by Mr. Pink, Mr. White makes his escape through the back door, and must make his way through an apartment complex. You play as Mr. White.

Mission 5 (Driving)- Mr. White and Mr. Orange steal a car, but Orange is shot by the driver. Mr. White must drive to the rendezvous warehouse with Mr. Orange slowly dying in the back seat. You play as Mr. White.

Mission 6- Mr. Blonde, having escaped from Karinas, shoots his way through a shopping mall, eventually taking Officer Marvin Nash hostage. You play as Mr. Blonde.

Mission 7 (Driving)- Mr. Blonde drives to a fast food restaurant with Marvin Nash in his trunk. You play as Mr. Blonde.

Mission 8- Mr. Pink retrieves the diamonds from the trainyard (where he stashed them earlier), but has a hard time escaping when the cops show up. You play as Mr. Pink.

Mission 9 (Driving)- Mr. White has to get his stolen car to an autoyard to ditch it, but the cops are on his tail. You play as Mr. White.

Mission 10- Mr. White reaches the autoyard, but is trapped inside by pursuing police officers. You play as Mr. White.

Mission 11 (Driving)- Eddie follows Mr. Pink to the trainyard to get the diamonds, but on the way must deal with the pursuing cops. You play as Eddie.

Mission 12- Eddie ends up at a gas station/autoyard (where Mr. White happens to be) and must reach the other side, where White is. You play as Eddie.

Mission 13- After shooting all of the customers at Karinas, Mr. Blonde escapes the store, but must make his way through the back alleys, to a nearby mall. You play as Mr. Blonde.

Mission 14 (Driving)- Mr. Brown is shot in the head while driving away from Karinas. He must reach the warehouse, while slowly bleeding to death. You play as Mr. Brown.

Mission 15- Picking up exactly where mission 1 ended, Mr. Blue finds himself confronted by dozens of cops, and must shoot his way through the police-infested streets.

[edit] Reaction

The game has been met with mixed, largely mediocre reviews ranging from a 7 at GameTrailers to a 3 at IGN (the UK branch of IGN gave the game a 7.5).

[edit] Controversy

It has been refused classification in Australia, essentially banning the game from sale.[1] The Classification Board found it could not be accommodated at the MA 15+ classification, and as such, the game has been made unavailable for sale or hire, or be demonstrated in Australia. The game that it is usually compared to, Scarface: The World is Yours[citation needed], was accepted even though in Scarface there is more foul language, drug use and sexual themes.[citation needed] In the Reservoir Dogs game you are encouraged to take hostages and prevent bloodshed if you can but are encouraged to kill civilians where as in Scarface you cannot kill civilians unless you are playing Tony's henchmen, this is the main reason for the difference in classification of the two video games.

The New Zealand Office of Film and Literature Classification have dubbed the game "objectionable", meaning it is not only banned from sale, but that it is illegal to possess or import a copy. The Office found the game "tends to promote and support the infliction of extreme violence and extreme cruelty…for the purpose of entertainment".[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (2006-06-28). "Reservoir Dogs computer game Refused Classification (PDF)". Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-07.
  2. ^ New Zealand Office of Film and Literature Classification (2006-07-07). "Reservoir Dogs Computer Game Banned". Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-07.

[edit] External links