If you compared this game to a bag of drugs, my friend, I would say that it was cut with rat poison. If you compared this game to a bar of chocolate, my friend, I would say that it had a layer of white chocolate underneath. If you compared this game to a breed of dog, it would probably be a Shitzu, and if you were to tell me that this game exceeded your expectations, I would probably laugh in your face. My reason for those out of the ordinary comments is simple; this game is out of the ordinary - but it's not extraordinary, in fact it's less then ordinary - it's distinctly average. In fact, it's crap.

Maybe I'm too old (is the rating on the case the maximum age you can be to enjoy this game?) to like True Crime: New York City. But the story is so daft that you'd have to be mentally challenged, or really break the law and play this game underage, to actually squeeze even a drop of fun out of what's on offer here. The thing is, you're a bad-ass rebel. You're a criminal. "Street thug. Criminal. The sentence? LIFE AS A STREET COP." That's the advertisement. That's how the game plays. But wait a minute. Let's ask Mr. Pursesnatcher from 'Da Ghetto' how he's getting on as a cop. "Yeah, I killed a couple people and here I am, serving for the law - couldn'ta gotta better job easier if I tried!"

So the story is terrible and so is the gameplay. The only redeeming thing is the fact you can be either a good cop or a bad cop. Mind you, nothing changes whatever route you take, but you can arrest somebody nicely, or you can take them down with sheer brute force. So actually, it's not that redeeming after all. Sorry about getting your hopes up there. But I think the best way to tackle this game is to tell you what exactly is wrong with it.

Going back to the basic principle of the gameplay and story, you're playing as that typical rebel cop who seems to be enjoying being a complete fool. "You want me to what? **** off! I ain't yo' bitch!" But then this complete fool does as he is told in the end anyway, so what is the point in acting so completely foolish? All these films always have a bad cop in them. I'm sick to death of it. Chris and I want a nice cop game for once. We'd buy it! Other problems get in the way though. The voice acting is quite good, but it is spoilt by moronic dialogue and phrases that don't actually make sense. Good voice talent (to some extent) has been paid for, but forcing this talent to read wishy washy phrases doesn't cut it at all.

The actual missions in this game are scrappy, and don't offer you any degree of satisfaction whatsoever. Going around the recreated New York City is fun, but quickly ruined by the slowdown, which runs through the entire game. I'm not kidding. When you're running on foot you seem to slow down before you actually speed up, and the same goes for the vehicles, which might I add look rather generic; you go through a slow-motion phase before blasting out into the clear running. I very much doubt this is a deliberate effect. If it is, then it really doesn't make the gameplay fun at all. Side missions are on offer for you to embark on, to make yourself some extra cash, such as cab-driving and girl protecting; basically the side missions from Grand Theft Auto, but watered down.

The sound in this game has a decent soundtrack running though, which fits the game well. While it might not be my type of music, a blend of inevitable rap and gangster tripping dance-beat music does True Crime proud. The voice acting is rather good and I believe Christopher Walken narrates the game, - and who doesn't like that guy? But most of the voice acting, like I said before, is lost in the homeboy phrases, which I just don't dig. The game is a little graphically challenged; the city is mostly dark and gloomy, which puts me off ever visiting New York - and I bet it's a lovely place in reality too. Textures flicker, the HUD is basic and unimaginative, character animations are a little basic too - and almost all the lips are out of sync in the FMVs. Maybe I'm just a fussy dogg.

There are too many things wrong with True Crime: New York City for it to be enjoyable. Maybe it's because I just don't like the main character, maybe it's because the story is dafter than my opening paragraph, maybe it's because it's a third rate GTA wannabe. In any case, this one should be avoided unless you really liked the first one, although this is actually a step back from the original. Ah well. If I fail on my quest to become a journalist, at least I know the police cop route is always open - providing I kill a few people first. DEX-YPD - Freeze! Get down on the floor - and stay down. You're wasting my valuable time!

Reviewed by Dexter Pearson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).