“Huh? Based on a 70’s movie? Why now?” I heard myself utter those words when I first heard about The Warriors. Apparently, the people over at Rockstar (infamous now because of their controversial Grand Theft Auto series) won the rights to this relatively unknown action film. It makes perfect sense considering their track record, appealing to all destruction/violence loving gamers of the world. Plus, they can always tap into the fairly large fan base that still regards this 1979 film as a cult classic.

Graphically, you will instantly recognize the common Rockstar style here, especially in regards to the character models. Each has their distinctive look: cowboy hats, baseball uniforms, purple jackets, bandanas, tattoos, and more. Characters themselves look sinewy, yet strong, and usually show off a lot of their muscles as it further enhances their menacing, yet colorful, look. It’s like disco meets gangland, something we aren’t used to in today’s age of Crips, Bloods, and bling bling gang scene. The environments are urban, as you could have guessed, showing off the underbelly of New York City. Everything looks left behind and forgotten by the powers that be; graffiti covers every wall, litter is strewn about here and there, and dark alleyways aren’t to be toyed with. You can even bust open some store windows, phone booths, and other destructible environments, adding further to the subtle chaos. The city is alive and well, though. Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t abandoned streets, but they have seen better days. Hobos, police, everyday citizens, and of course, gang members roam the neighborhoods.

The sound department is stellar as usual for a Rockstar production. I guess they snagged former stars to voice some characters, which is another reason for nostalgic fans to check this out. The voice acting as it stands is believable and solid, and is fitting to the movie. The soundtrack is full of an eclectic mix of stylish tunes: a bit of disco, a bit of synth, but mostly funked-out 1970's. Look for this to be another hit on the video game music charts for Rockstar.

Instead of rehashing the movie, it actually starts off months before the scenes from the film, setting up a rich back-story of seedy characters and urban strife. You gotta start from somewhere, and with The Warriors, it’s near the bottom. You have to battle across miles and miles of savage NYC real estate with the cops, and rival gangs, in hot pursuit. There is a wealth of story here, so don’t think this is some sparse fighter romp.

The missions are objective-based for the most part, all of which can be run through with a buddy-co-op style. I only got to try this for a bit, but it’s always a blast to duke it out with your buddy side by side. You may have to tag your gang symbol one moment, and the next you have to whack a high-level gangbanger. Much like the GTA series, you can choose to roam around a bit, mugging, robbing, stealing as you please. This loot can be cashed in for power-ups, weapons, and more. There are even some stealth elements thrown in to mix it up. Instead of an apartment or house, you actually get to chill in a hideout located on Coney Island. You can pump some iron, review stats, talk to your members as well as dabble in some side-missions.

Combat is the core of this game, and thankfully, it’s pretty kick ass at that. I think Rockstar finally made up for the debacle that was State of Emergency. Not only is the fighting realistic, it is extremely brutal and visceral. Everything is a weapon from your simple fists to a bottle of whiskey – prepare to get bloody. You have a host of weak/strong attacks (kicks and punches), throws, and a string of deadly combos. Your fellow members can even team up and perform some extra special moves together. You can perform “Warchief commands,” whereby you have them attack, flee, or generally follow your will. Not only does your A.I. perform well, it also will really save your keester in a pinch. Every Warrior has its own unique abilities and specialties, too. For example, Fox is very stealthy, while Ajax is a sheer brute, and it’s up to you when to use them.

There is also a healthy multiplayer feature to boot called Rumble mode. You can create your own gang against others, in a variety of urban arenas. 5 on 5, 1 vs 1, 9 vs 9, Capture the Flag, and King of the Hill help round out the assortment of mayhem. Sadly, it’s only 2-player compatible, so no multitap or online access here.

First off, the tutorial-based starting mission really eliminates most of the issues, as it does a bang up job on walking you through the basics, especially the controls. The combat system, with the variety of combos and locks, is a bit daunting at first, but most gamers who have picked up a fighting game or two should learn it quickly. With the smart A.I. of your members, you won’t feel like it’s another button-mashing, weary-fingered Dynasty Warriors struggle either. The gameplay is pretty smooth and rewarding. The auto save system spares you some backtracking, something you might be thankful of as you may find it a tad difficult in some areas. But overall, remember, this is Rockstar. They wouldn’t just throw you into a meat grinder... would they?

The controls are really spot on. That comes to mind right off the bat. Responses are snappy and the effects are, well, satisfyingly violent. The only erroneous issues occur with the camera that gets a little out of place. Other than that, Rockstar really ironed out the kinks for this sucker.

The Warriors combines tried and true elements of GTA with classic titles like Final Fight and Streets of Rage, set in a cult movie atmosphere. Add to it fierce brawls, an in-depth story, and wicked sounds, and you have a sleeper hit. Although, from the way word of mouth travels and the amount of advertisements on TV, this game won’t stay hidden for long. So hurry up and do yourself a favor – get yourself a copy of The Warriors the video game, and rent the film before all the copies are checked out!