- Publisher: Namco
- Release Date: Sep 13, 2005
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This is simply an underground fighter that is more of a diversion and a guilty pleasure for those who like brutal street fighting with a bit of martial arts elegance.
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Official U.S. Playstation MagazineBetter than "Beat Down." [Oct 2005, p.107]
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Even the slightest mistake can lead to an instant beat down from a swarm of CPU-controlled gang members. The aggressive A.I. is relentless in its attacks and, especially later in the game, will easily frustrate even the most hardcore fighting fans.
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Namco's brawler does thrill, but misses out on the crucial online play and a decent story.
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Edge MagazineFor all those who gun Reign down for toying with its own rules and essentially cheating on the player at times it feels are appropriate, there'll hopefully be as many who recognise that such times are appropriate and and that even the dirtiest of its tricks can be bested. [Dec 2005, p.104]
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There are some problems with the game, but a great combat system, great multiplayer and great presentation all make up enough for the game’s shortcomings.
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Unfortunately the game grows stale rather quickly and is hampered by a ridiculous difficulty level and repetitive gameplay.
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There's no doubt that with its flexible fighting engine and various game modes that it has a lot of 'weekend rental' potential for those willing to overlook its short missions and bad balancing, but it could have been so much more than that.
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Play MagazineDespite some attempts at variety, the missions grow repetitive quickly thanks to a limited move set. [Oct 2005, p.67]
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But battling groups of bad guys gets dangerously dull after an hour or two, especially when the game's unfair A.I., just like our booze-addled fathers, has a tendency to make you pay dearly for even the slightest gaff.
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You have great graphics, huge move sets, lots of characters, lots of stages. But then it drops the ball on game difficulty, difficult controls, weak storyline, and no online game play.
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Yet another game to add to the list of brawlers we will inevitably forget.
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PSM MagazineThe best urban brawler sine "Def Jam." [Nov 2005, p.86]
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Rather than melding together the best aspects of the games which obviously influenced it, Urban Reign instead only manages a watered down stew of fighting elements that taste more like an appetizer than a main course.
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It wants to innovate so badly in its arena but it has a few shortcomings that stop it from parading like a champion.
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Those looking for a no-nonsense beat-em-up could find some enjoyment with the fluid combat system and frantic nature of the game, however Urban Reign makes very little attempt to bring the genre back to life - everybody else should check out Rockstar Games superior adaptation of The Warriors.
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AceGamezBe it frustration at the difficulty level or just boredom at the lack of variety, your Urban Reign is pretty much guaranteed to be a short-lived one.
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BoomtownIf you’re after something to play with your mates after the pub, or are looking for a short burst of knuckle-cracking violence, Urban Reign might be worth looking at if found going cheap.
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Official Playstation 2 Magazine UKApparently, monks chant the same phrase hundreds of times to reach a meditative state. This is like that, but with puniching. [Feb 2006, p.102]
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Play UKIt does look great and arguably has a certain gritty charm, but is severely let down by a combat system that is, frankly, not good enough. [Apr 2006, p.106]
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The barely tolerable story mode does little to cover up the fact that Urban Reign is little more than pummeling goons in the face for three hours, and then bam, you're done.
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Full of wasted potential. A disappointing effort from a developer that knows better.
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Namco has created a capable fighter and dressed it in some especially uninspiring clothes. To put it plainly, Urban Reign appears to exist purely because it can. Despite its skill, no forward steps are taken or advancements made in the genre.
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There's no sense of progression, only a sickening sense of tedium as you're dropped into the next box of a level and take on another too easy minion, too tough boss, and the too bewildering camera.
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The only thing Urban Reign will provide you with is a realistic foreshadowing of what would actually happen to you if you ever ran into a few angry dudes in a dark alley late one night. If that sounds like fun by all means go for it.
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Urban Reign’s audio is purely average. You could play the entire game on mute and not miss a thing. The voice acting ranges from decent to poor, and the weak plot and script don’t help matters much.
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To be honest, if you were not sold in the first few words, classic beat’em up, then there is nothing here that will appeal to you as a gamer.
Awards & Rankings
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82
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#82 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
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16
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#16 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 58 out of 70
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Mixed: 8 out of 70
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Negative: 4 out of 70
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Oct 12, 2015
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Aug 22, 2023I played mostly the multiplayer mode with my friends, just an average game.
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Jan 16, 2023