The Warriors

About The Warriors

The Warriors is a 2005 beat 'em up video game developed by Rockstar Toronto and published by Rockstar Games. Based on the 1979 film of the same name; it was released in October 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and February 2007 for the PlayStation Portable; the PSP port was developed by Rockstar Leeds. The game was re-released on the PlayStation 3 in May 2013 and PlayStation 4 in July 2016, via the PlayStation Network. Set in gritty 1970s New York City, the story follows the eponymous street gang, who are framed for the murder of a respected gang leader and must return to their home turf in Coney Island while being hunted by rival gangs and the police. The game expands on the film's plot, with the first half covering events that took place three months before the events of the film.

The gameplay revolves around large scale brawling in 3D environments interspersed with other activities such as chase sequences. The game features songs from the film's soundtrack; however, as of 2016, some of them have been removed from the PS3 and PS4 versions, including "I Love Livin' in the City" and "In the City", due to licensing restrictions. Several cast members from the film returned to voice their characters in the game. Following its release, The Warriors received very positive reviews, with critics praising its controls, design, sound, music, and plot; many deemed the game to be a worthy adaptation of the film.

During The Warriors, there are a collection of levels, referred to as missions, which the player must progress through. Eighteen can be accessed, along with five more bonus missions, known as "Flashbacks", which show how the Warriors were formed, and how each member of the Warriors came to join the gang, and to unlock an arcade machine that will allow you to play Armies of the Night. The setting in the game for the Warriors is their home territory, Coney Island. Throughout the game, the player travels to other areas of New York City visiting other gangs' territories in the process. Completing the missions allows the player to replay levels, to improve on the player's score, and unlock new characters, and a game mode called "Unleash the Fury", where the Baseball Furies are controlled, though it serves as the hardest difficulty setting.

The design and casting of the characters were faithful to what was seen in The Warriors. Each character is portrayed as their respective role from the film ― Cyrus, the Riffs leader, inhabits Gramercy Park. Luther, the Rogues leader, is based out of his hearse. The Baseball Furies' territory is Riverside Park, the Lizzies' their apartment, with other smaller gangs based around the city. When starting a mission, the Warriors will occasionally stay at their home turf or travel to another place via train to use as a starting point.

Missions and events normally begin at the Coney Island headquarters, which is mostly used as a launching point throughout the game. The player can travel to places across New York City, including Tremont where the Warriors encounters the Orphans, a low-class gang, and Riverside Park which is run by the Baseball Furies, a well-respected gang. The main players travel from one turf to another across New York, to let the public radio station know there is a new gang in town. This sometimes results in the Warriors brawling with the rival gangs. The Warriors' hangout features mini-games such as a weight section and a punching bag, and a machine resembling a pinball table that gives access to the "Rumble Mode" which upon completion of missions, unlocks special stages where the player can fight all of the gangs in New York City.