RoadKill
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| RoadKill | |
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| Developer(s) | Midway Games |
| Publisher(s) | Midway Games |
| Platform(s) | GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2 |
| Release date | NA November 4, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (17+) PEGI: 18+ |
RoadKill is a video game of the action genre released in 2003 by Midway Games. The game has been described by Midway as "the only mission-based combat driving game set in a post-apocalyptic world".[1] Indeed, RoadKill's gameplay features many characteristics of famous auto and combat franchises such as Twisted Metal and Grand Theft Auto; however, despite receiving decent reviews by the gaming community, RoadKill remains a relatively obscure title to find.
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[edit] Gangs
Apart from the Sentinels, none of the gangs are generally hostile to the player unless they are seen driving around in the opposing gang's cars as designated on the car select screen. Oddly enough, local rivalries do not expand beyond their individual islands with the exception of the Sentinels. For example, Mason can drive a Talon car from Blister Canyon around Lava Falls without repercussion from any of its local gangs.
[edit] Lava Falls
- The Daredevils - Headed up by the deranged carnival owner Woody, this clown-themed gang is the first gang that Mason works for. The vehicles they drive are the most diverse in shape and size, ranging from pick-up trucks to bumper cars. Their headquarters is the theme park at the west end of Lava Falls.
- The Gauchos - The archetypical Mexican gunslinger-theme gang. Their leader is unknown but they are the gang you antagonize in the Lava Falls area. Their main hideout is at the Airport on the other side of the city from the Carnival. Being Latin American in origin the vehicles they drive are those associated with the stereotype, mainly large, off-road pickup trucks and those used as lowriders (hydraulics are not available in-game.)
[edit] Blister Canyon
- The Section 8s - A gang that strictly follows military protocol to the point where anybody who makes a noise out of line is shot on the spot. As their name implies, they are also homosexual, and their leader General Warwick takes quite the liking to Mason when assigning his missions.
- The Talons - Known for their use of bodypaint, they occupy the opposite end of Blister Canyon, near the old power plant. They are headed up by Grim, the final boss of the Blister Canyon area. His vehicle has the power to turn invisible and can only then be effectively hit by electric shock attacks, which he also uses against Mason.
[edit] Paradise City
- The South League - The game's black gang. They aim to take out the two other gangs in Paradise City, though the final mission is undertaken directly by you. Headed up by a man named Coach Knox, their territory is centered around the stadium at - logically - the south and east end of Paradise City.
- The Dregs - Roadkill's tribe and the tribe most fitting to the game's post-apocalyptic theme, reminiscent of the Mad Max films. Named after the phrase "dregs of society" and headed up by a man known only as Sage, they occupy the shopping mall at the west end of the Paradise City area.
- The Sentinels - Axl's gang. They are not so much a gang as the city's police department, hated by all the other gangs. They can be encountered across the city as the player builds up their "RIOT" level, but the main Paradise City area is where they make their headquarters. Their vehicles are post-apocalyptic versions of those normally deployed by law enforcement. Axl's vehicle is, of course, the most ominous and powerful in the game.
[edit] Radio
There are six radio stations available in-game, each with their own theme. There are three music stations and three talk stations. Note that the frequencies clearly break the established limits, but in the chaos of the RoadKill world, established frequency limits clearly do not exist.
[edit] Music
- QQQQ 69.3 - A classic rock station and the only station featuring licensed songs from bands such as April Wine, Judas Priest and the Blue Öyster Cult. The latter's song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is also the song played in the ending credits. The DJ sounds eerily similar to Otto from The Simpsons.
- FUOK 102.3 - Pronounced like its initials suggest, this rap station features original songs written by and played for individual districts of the Paradise City zone.
- WILD 66.6 - A heavy metal station featuring original songs catering to Paradise City's denizens.
[edit] Talk
- GEAR - Gear Talk, a parody of NPR's famous auto talk show Car Talk. Hosts Frank and Vinnie as the two hosts, holding discussions on the various weapons that enhance citizens' cars. They also take calls from people such as kids seeking to install weapons on their tricycles as well as their concerned mothers, and read fan letters.
- - A violently right-wing talk channel featuring a clear parody of Rush Limbaugh named Stu Pickle (not to be confused with the Stu Pickles of Rugrats fame.) He seems to have a rather large audience that he can send to mob people that inadvertently give them addresses.
- - A talk radio channel (104.9 DLUV) dealing with relationships, featuring a former prostitute/stripper and a stereotypically gay man as co-hosts. Keeping with the depraved environment of the city, the show's calls are often sexually explicit in nature, and one even involves the hosts encouraging and later cheering on a woman who stabs her abusive husband out of a PMS-induced rage.
[edit] References
- ^ Midway Unleashes Havoc With RoadKill – The Only Mission-Based Combat Driving Game Set in a Post-Apocalyptic World
