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25 To Life
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 25 To Life | |
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| Developer(s) | Avalanche Software Ritual Entertainment (Multiplayer) |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Release date(s) | January 17, 2006 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Online multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | BBFC: 18 ESRB: Mature (17+) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows |
| Media | DVD (1) |
| Input | PlayStation 2: DualShock 2, PlayStation 2 Headset (optional) |
25 To Life is a third-person shooter video game for Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox released in 2006. The game was developed by Avalanche Software and Ritual Entertainment, and was published by Eidos Interactive.
Set in a modern environment, the game allows the player to play as both a police officer and a gangster, at different times, in a "cops and robbers" style game. The game can be played online with up to 16 players using the network adaptor for the PS2 and through Xbox Live for Microsoft's Xbox, and there is online play for the PC version as well. In addition, the game features a variety of hip hop songs played during the game.
The name of the game comes from a typical "indeterminate life sentence" that is often given in the United States upon a defendant's conviction for a violent felony. See the article on parole for more information.
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The game is about an African American man named 'Freeze', his friend Sean, and a Police Officer, Officer Williams. The main protagonist being Freeze, the story is focused around him, despite the ability to be all three of the characters during at least one point throughout the game. Freeze commits crimes with Sean to get money, which he promptly spends for his family.
One night upon returning home, his wife confronts him about these actions. Saying they are a bad influence to their son, she wants him to stop. After an argument, he agrees. The next day, he tells Sean he wants out of the game. Sean levels a gun on Freeze, informing him that he must do one last "job" -- a narcotics trade.
At the deal, however, Freeze finds the Latino gang members dead, and police officer Maria Mendosa waiting. He flees with the police in pursuit. Eventually, Freeze finds out that the "job" was a set-up between Sean and Mendosa; Mendosa earns a cut of the money, while Sean gains Freeze's silence. The rest of the game entails Freeze tracking Sean to his small empire in Mexico. Saying, "We used to be best friends, until you sold me out. Now, it's nothin' but flowers and a funeral for you, home boy", Freeze steps on Sean's throat until he suffocates.
25 to Life has drawn criticism from American politicians, particularly several in the state of New York and Delaware, for a feature which allows the player to grab nearby non-player characters and use them as human shields. After being released, contrary to hype, it has received very poor reviews - not for the content, but for being a poorly-made game. [1]
On January 12, 2006, outspoken anti-video game advocate Jack Thompson wrote a letter to California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, where he strongly urged the Justice Department to prevent the game from being released, under California's public nuisance law. Failing that, he offered a justification for California police officers to steal copies of 25 To Life from stores.
Quoting Thompson, "Additionally, please know that California Civil Code Section 3495 enables and authorizes each and every law enforcement officer to walk into any video game store, without a court order, to seize and destroy each and every copy of 25 To Life. California law treats this as acceptable 'abatement' of a public nuisance by parties particularly endangered by such a nuisance."
An anonymous GamePolitics.com poster, saying that he was an attorney, posted the following rebuttal[citation needed]:
I research things before I make patently false or misleading statements. For your edification, Jack, I submit the following: Although California Civil Code does permit a person to abate a public nuisance, the remedy available for private individuals is by way of civil action. Private persons are not empowered to self-help. (See Miller & Starr California Real Estate (2005 3d Ed.) 8 Cal.Real Est. § 22:26.) When they choose self-help, they do so at their own peril. (Hill v. City of Oxnard (App. 3 Dist. 1920) 46 Cal.App. 624.) In addition, one is empowered to abate a private nuisance only when to do so would not result in a breach of the peace. (People v. Overacker (App. 1911) 15 Cal.App. 1620.)
As for a public agency's right to abate a nuisance, such an agency has 3 options: 1) a criminal proceeding, 2) a civil action for injunction, abatement, etc or 3) abatement. Where there are constitutional considerations, however, such as purported obscenity or matters which may implicate free speech rights (such as video games) the public agency may not act without a prior judicial determination. (Id. § 22:28.)(Internal citations omitted.)
It is believed that Attorney General Lockyer disregarded the letter, and no actions were taken.
According to a post on Opposable Thumbs, an Ars Technica blog, "apparently P. Frank Williams, the writer of 25 to Life and 'hip hop journalist' had some moral issues when he was working on the game," referring to an article in The London Free Press.
CNN's Showbiz Tonight reported on the controversy surrounding 25 To Life, including the involvement of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which demanded that people boycott the game.
25 to Life was received poorly by critics, who lambasted it as a "GTA clone" [2], and the game sold rather poorly, despite the attention brought to it by critics such as Jack Thompson.
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- The room that you face Shaun Calerdon in the mansion in the last level is similar to the main mansion room where Tony Montana lived in and similar to the one in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City which is also similar to Montana's.
- A Lot of Posters have Lil' Jon and The Eastside Boys Crunk Juice Album.
- In an episode of Halfway Home the character C-Bass is seen wearing a hat with a 25 to Life decal
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