The level that I saw was called Cul-De-Sac, and the player had to get into a gang member's house (during a raucous party, no less), which showed off a bit of the game's impressive soundtrack, as well as the dynamic sound system. Rather than having music playing over the game at all times, there are music sources in certain locations throughout the level which can be changed when you get to them. They'll also sound different depending on where you are in relation to them. For instance, I could hear the bump of the bass at the beginning of the level, and it became increasingly louder as I neared the source. Hip-hop heads will love the soundtrack, featuring hits from DMX and Ghostface Killah.

As we battled through the level, we got a chance to check out some of the weapons that are available. The standard pistols and submachine guns can be utilized to battle the bad guys (or the good guys, depending on the situation), but I was most entertained with the tazer. You can point it at your foe, pull the trigger, and watch him jerk and twitch like a worm on a hook. It might be a bit twisted, but it's a ton of fun. 25 to Life also features some impressive throwable weapons, such as flashbang and smoke grenades. However, it's the incendiary grenades that offer the best effects, throwing off some excellent heat distortion and nice looking flames.


In addition to the unique single player game, 25 to Life also supports online multiplayer action, with all of the bells and whistles that you'd expect. A total of 16 players can do battle across a variety of maps based on single player levels, with full support for stat tracking and clans. The interesting twist is that you'll be able to create both a thug and a cop on every account, allowing you to play with a customized character no matter which side you end up on. The customization tool is pretty standard, as you can change your avatar's clothes, tattoos, and face. Of course, you can also choose from a variety of facial hair designs, because no cop is complete without his moustache.

There a few different types of games to play against your buddies, and each one recreates those "cops and robbers" games of our youth. There is, of course, the standard team and solo deathmatch modes, as well as Tag mode, which tasks you with infiltrating an enemy's territory, then covering up their gang's tags with one of your own. For those players who want to recreate the heist scenes made popular in movies like "Heat", you can play the Robbery mode. You and your teammates must get in, grab the loot, and get out with a minimum of casualties. Finally, you can perform a Raid, kicking down doors and nabbing perps, SWAT-style.

So far, the best way to describe 25 to Life would be to call it a SOCOM with a decidedly urban twist. The action takes place from the third-person perspective, and the enemies come at your fast and furiously. Thankfully, the intuitive controls feel pretty smooth so far (though they might be a bit sensitive), making it easy to take out the baddies, who possess some surprisingly unforgiving AI. While it's not quite as exciting as pretending to take a robber's slug to your chest, 25 to Life might be the next best thing.