RoadKill (video game)
| RoadKill | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Terminal Reality |
| Publisher(s) | Midway Games |
| Engine | Infernal Engine |
| Platform(s) | GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2 |
| Release date(s) | PlayStation 2 & Xbox GameCube |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
RoadKill is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Terminal Reality and published 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 automotive combat franchises such as Twisted Metal with the attitude of Grand Theft Auto III; however, despite receiving decent reviews by the gaming community, RoadKill remains a relatively obscure title to find.
Plot
RoadKill is set in an alternate history inspired by classic post-apocalyptic road films like the Mad Max series and Death Race 2000.
In the 1980s a deadly plague known as "The Rot" was released and killed off most of the world's population and brought nearly all the world governments to their knees. In the midst of all the chaos a man named Mason Strong who before the plague has a long employment history such as a taxicab driver, used car salesman, bouncer, demolition derby driver, and even a short-lived tour in the army. Today Mason finds himself on Earth which has gone haywire. Which no longer has anymore law and order, where gangs engage in open warfare throughout communities every day and every night.
Mason must work his way up the ranks of the gangs, surviving as best as he can in a new planet without any laws, politics, or justice.
Citizens
There are plenty of people walking everywhere in the post apocalyptic cities, but generally speaking, there are five distinct types of citizens in Roadkill, all are armed.
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.
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 modified 1960s Dodge A100 pick-up trucks (Bulldog), classic Mini Coopers (Bean), sand rails (Goblin) to bumper cars (Grinder). 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 (Brahma) and those used as lowriders such as 1957 Chevrolets (Senor) and limousines (Tub), (hydraulics are not available in-game). The Gauchos are likely based on the Colombian Cartel gang in Grand Theft Auto III.
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. They are also homosexual, and their leader General Warwick takes quite the liking to Mason when assigning his missions. Being a military-like gang, their vehicles are modified versions of those normally used by military, ranging from off-road jeeps (Ese) to armored cargo trucks (Vault)
- 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. The Talons vehichles include 1955 Chevy hot rods (Burner), 1957 Chevy stake body trucks (Sanford) and Volkswagen dune buggies (Drifter), Their vehicle has the power to turn invisible and can only then be effectively hit by electric shock attacks, which he also uses against Mason.
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 vehicles include Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagons (Brady), Chevy Blazers (Juice) and Plymouth Barracudas (Fireball), 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 and is the main group of antagonists in the game. 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 (Lawdog, Stalker, and Bruiser), including APCs (Gauntlet). Axl's vehicle is, of course, the most ominous and powerful in the game.
Radio
There are six radio stations available in-game, each with their own genre and theme. There are three music stations and three talk stations. The classic rock station, named QQQQ 69.3, plays 80s licensed music. The Wild 66.6 plays nothing but a fictional band, The Fuzz Brothers, which is a parody of famous bands such as Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden.
References
External links
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