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Geekworld: Cop and the drug chase
NARC is an action/adventure game, which intends to challenge other games like Grand Theft Auto4, Driver3 and Hitman. A tall order indeed, but the developers, Midway and Point of View have managed to keep the game from falling into the trap.
NARC is similar to GTA as far as violence is concerned, but the blood scenes are more gruesome and the language is certainly not meant for a 13-year-old. However, what really distinguishes this game from others is the introduction of drug usage, which plays a very important role, giving the game an ESRB rating of ‘Mature’.
The good guy versus bad theme continues in NARC, one of the latest games to have taken the gamers in its fold.
Storyline
Two NARC agents, officer Marcus Hill, a serious Afro-American guy and Jack Forsenki, a white, drug junky are handpicked to deal with some drug lords. Forsenki is has suffered drug problems and is on probation when he is first introduced in the game. The two officers join forces to bring the notorious American and Asian drug lords who are making big buck through their narcotics business.
The theme revolves around a drug, Liquid Soul, which can bring its users back to life. The distributors are the members of a K.R.A.K cartel, who are scattered in the Los Angeles City and Asia. The players get to visit both the continents and bust the criminals. Some of the bosses include Mr. Big (leader of the cartel), the mind behind the entire drug trafficking business , with his minions the Enforcer, and even the Chinese Ambassador is involved in the scenario. They have thousands of men working for them and they consider both Hill and Forenski a potential threat. They will try every dirty trick in the book, including murder.
Gameplay
The gameplay has a Grand Theft Auto look to it, with fantastic graphics and usage of drugs. This means that you can use these drugs on yourself. Every drug will have a different effect on the players. For example if you use crack, it will give you some accuracy in your targets for a limited period of time. In case of Speed, the world around you slows down and you can run at a mind-blowing speed. However, overdose can make you addicted to the drug and after some time you will pass out. But this can be avoided by purchasing the antidote in the pharmacies marked as a huge red dot on the radar. However, you can only access the antidote between the missions, or when you have been addicted. It will cost a lot but the money you will get after capturing ordinary criminals will make up for it.
One of the fun features of this game is busting. As a cop, you are responsible for the lives of your fellow citizens. You can spot the crime on your radar with a yellow spot. Purse snatching, fights, thefts and drug pushers will be all in the day’s work. You can arrest them in-between your missions.
But the main objective of these arrests is to boost up your badge ratings. Your rating will drop if you kill an innocent person, a police officer or if you accept bribes from different drug lords. When you successfully arrest a person, you will be awarded with weaponry, drugs and cash. You can keep the booty, but it is preferable to drop the drugs at the police station to boost the badge ratings. If the badge rating drops to 45 you’ll be suspended till you boost the ratings to around 75. If you’re rating is above 90, ordinary criminals will often give in without a fight
In some situations, the chief of police will send his men to help you in missions but they will not be of much help since they die very easily. There will be some missions where you would be required to scale buildings and in others you will have to record the enemy’s conversations closely or from a distance using a shotgun mike. You will also have to take photos of some suspects that will be later come into the police’s hands and put into evidence.
Weapons
Hardcore weapons are essential in games like NARC. The first normal weapon in this game is a handgun (although Marcus uses an Assault Rifle at the first level). The advantage is that it has unlimited bullets, very similar to the weapons in Devil May Cry games. But the gun has slow fire repetition and is almost useless when targeting an enemy from afar. Another gun is the 9mm which again has unlimited bullets. It is slightly more accurate than the normal gun. The difference can easily be over looked. The next fairly common gun is the Assault Rifle that can easily target enemies from a distance. It has limited bullets and small-time criminals (For example, thieves) don’t carry it. It can only be acquired from enemies during the missions or ones marked as little red spots on the radar. There is the Machine pistol as well, less accurate than the Rifle but extremely useful in close range gunfights.
The rare weapons are the flame-throwers, Rocket Laun- chers, Grenade Launchers and the Chain Gun. Flame-throwers are effective in close range. The Rocket and Grenade Launchers are effective from long distances. The Chain Gun varies from long distances to middle distances while Close range weapon is the shotgun. It is useful when dealing with multiple enemies.
Environment and surroundings
The cities in which the game takes place is gloriously detailed. The game developers have tried their best to link the game cities to the real ones. They are not huge like they were in GTA, but then again, the developers are not Rockstar (developers of GTA). The entire game takes place at night with no change in the climate. But some buildings can be scaled upon. You may be required to scale the buildings or you can do so at your will.
The cities are brightly illuminated. They can be useful, sometimes. For instance, in one mission you will be required to find a path besides a sign saying ‘Rooms’. It could prove to be difficult to find the location but the sign is usually close to the place from where you first got the hint.
From basements of buildings to underpasses to the top of tall buildings — your mission will encompass all. People will be on constant move but you don’t have to worry much about them because when you run, they will be automatically pushed back. The cars however will hit you. Sometimes they will stop in time or you might have to suffer a hit and run. However, you can take your revenge by shooting them, but this will drop your badge rating considerably.
Graphics and sounds
The graphics are awesome when compared to the GTA games. Violent scenes look more realistic. For example, if you shoot someone in the leg, the victim will hold his leg for a moment and then fall back. The characters in the game have much less ‘edges’ on their body outline as compared to the games of the same genre. The difference is quiet noticeable. It can be clearly seen that the developers have put in more effort in the graphics category
But the game still has its share of drawbacks as far as graphics is concerned. One of them is that characters don’t move their lips in a semi-cut scene, giving the effect that they are thinking, rather than speaking.
The music and sound effects are the main attraction of the game. NARC has a dozen tracks, which are played in accordance with the situation. It will even vary when you inject a drug, meaning that the music played during the Crack usage will be different from the one played when your are using Liquid Soul. The game’s screen will also act according to the demand of the story.
The most entertaining dialogues are from people when they are pushed or jostled. And the language and accent will vary from country to country. But the people in Asia (China) will be more physical than verbal, sometimes even stooping to obscene gestures. NARC will appeal to the reality action/adventure geeks and I recommend that they at least try it once.
The writer serratededges_ blunt@hotmail.com is a law student
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