Pursuit Force is a dream come true for anyone that appreciates fast paced action.
Pursuit Force doesn't have too much to offer when it comes to storytelling. You play as a nameless rookie cop who is on the special unit team, Pursuit Force, in Capital City. The one thing that distinguishes the Pursuit Force team from the other police units in the city is the fact that they will do whatever it takes to take down criminals. This includes driving at high speeds and then jumping from car to car in order to eliminate thugs. In Pursuit Force it is your job to clear the city of all of the criminal activities.
There are six gangs in Capital City and each gang has their own set of missions and final boss battles. These missions include chasing down criminals before they reach their destination, infiltrating the gang's hangout, operating a machine gun turret in a helicopter, and escorting witnesses from one point to another. Unfortunately there isn't much variety in the missions which causes them to be a bit repetitive. At the end of every mission you are given a rating based on how well you completed the level. In order to get a high rating you must eliminate all of the gang members and avoid hurting any civilians. Throughout the game you work your way up the Pursuit Force totem pole which ends at Commander.
Pursuit Force is a great game to play in either small or large dosages. The game play is very fast paced and basic but can be quite frustrating at times. All of the missions that involve you being on foot and going around arresting or killing thugs are the worst in the game. The controls feel very clunky when you are running and shooting at the same time. It's also difficult to make quick turns and still be able to see your enemies. This has to do with the fact that the camera isn't manual which makes it feel a bit outdated.
The vehicle combat, on the other hand, is where the game shines. The driving is smooth and depending on what type of vehicle you're driving you really get a sense of speed. The car combat makes you truly feel like an action hero. Driving really fast and getting close to a gang car and then hopping into it or blowing it up is simply exhilarating. Each time you arrest or kill a gang member the Pursuit meter at the bottom of the screen fills up. Once it is maxed out you have the choice of using it to take down hoodlums in slow motion or you can use it to restore your health and car damage.
Although this game came out in 2006 the graphics still look impressive. The vehicles are detailed nicely making it possible to see any damage that they may take. Unfortunately there are only a few environments in the game; the city, desert, beach and suburban area. It would have been nice to see a few more environments in the missions but the ones that are available look good. The character models are surprising. Each gang has their own distinct look and the bosses look intimidating.
The voice acting is very clever. Before each mission the Chief will give you some vital information about the situation and tell you the objective. His voice is very grim and straight to the point. Even though the Chief is all about business it's hilarious to hear some of the comments that he screams when you die. "Don't die until I tell ya" definitely gets the point across. The voice acting for the gang members is convincing. They all use their own set of threats and slang.
There is, without a doubt, a lot of content packed into this UMD. The heart of the game is in the career mode but there are two other modes to conquer. Time Trials is basically racing throughout the different environments in the game in order to set a record by beating the clock. Race mode takes those same environments and lets you race against gang vehicle to see who makes it to the finish line first. For those of you that are completist there is always the option of replaying missions to receive a higher rating. There are just so many ways to unlock all the numerous amounts of vehicles (boats, motorcycles, trucks and cars), weapons, armor and abilities in the game.
In closing, Pursuit Force is a fun game that has a ton of potential but is plagued by its frustrating third person controls which makes the difficulty harder than what it should be. If you are up for the challenge and looking for a fast paced action packed game then you will find all of that here.