Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Crime Cities delivers an intense blend of open-ended mission structure and high-speed aerial combat. From the moment you take control of Garm Tiger’s craft, you have the freedom to accept or decline contracts from a range of factions—criminal gangs, shadowy government agencies, and clandestine corporate interests. Each decision carries weight, forcing you to balance the lure of quick credits against potential fallout from crossed parties. This level of agency keeps the experience fresh, as you’ll often juggle competing interests to climb the underworld hierarchy.

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The core combat mechanics are accessible yet deep, revolving around dogfights that weave between towering skyscrapers and congested urban canyons. Maneuvering your agile ship requires a blend of precision and situational awareness: stray into civilian or police traffic and you’ll trigger a deadly police response that knows no distinction between criminal and undercover agent. Weapon loadouts and upgrades are earned through successful mission completion, rewarding targeted playstyles—be it quick, hit-and-run strikes or sustained, heavy-armored assaults.

Time-sensitive objectives add a welcome layer of tension, demanding split-second decisions as you race against the clock to rescue hostages or eliminate high-value targets before they vanish. Between missions, you can roam freely across interconnected city zones, scouting potential targets or scouting lucrative side jobs. This open-ended structure is balanced by the risk of overextending your reputation; taking a lucrative job for one faction might close doors with another, making every choice feel meaningful and sometimes nerve-racking.

Graphics

The visual design of Crime Cities is a standout for a title of its era, presenting sprawling, neon-lit cityscapes that capture the grit and glamour of a crime-ridden future. Skyscrapers loom overhead as you weave through narrow canyons of steel, while dynamic lighting effects—neon signs, searchlights, and explosions—bring each district to life. The sense of verticality is well-implemented, and the draw distance manages to convey scale without compromising performance on mid-range hardware.

Texture work and model detail are surprisingly robust, considering the game’s age. Each craft is distinguishable by shape and silhouette, aiding in quick target identification during fast-paced dogfights. Particle effects for missile trails, flak bursts, and engine exhaust contribute to a visceral combat feel. Occasional pop-in is noticeable in the densest areas, but it rarely detracts from the overall immersion, as high frame rates remain consistent even during the most chaotic encounters.

Environmental variety also shines through in the distinct districts you pilot through—from industrial zones shrouded in smog to opulent corporate plazas bathed in colored spotlights. Weather and time-of-day cycles further enhance atmosphere, casting eerie shadows across ruined buildings or bathing toxic marshes in a sickly orange glow. These visual touches do more than dazzle; they reinforce the narrative of a society teetering on the brink of collapse, controlled by hidden puppet-masters.

Story

The narrative of Crime Cities hooks you from its framing device: Garm Tiger, a loyal agent of the Human Federation, is deliberately disgraced and dropped into the Synclides prison city as “Johnny Red.” This undercover premise serves as fertile ground for intrigue, betrayal, and unexpected alliances. As you rise through the criminal ranks, you unravel the layers of conspiracy that threaten the very core of the Human Federation, questioning loyalties at every turn.

Story progression is cleverly tied to mission acceptance and faction standing. Helping a mob boss get the drop on a rival gang might unlock you to top-tier underworld assignments, but it could also trigger a vendetta that ripples through subsequent plot beats. Dialogues delivered via the GloAdam Hartleyet interface feel terse and mission-focused, yet they provide just enough context for your covert operation. Key revelations—such as the identity of the true mastermind—emerge organically from gameplay, rewarding attentive players.

While the central plot is engaging, it’s the unpredictable web of side plots that keeps you invested. A routine bodyguard assignment might reveal hidden caches of incriminating data; a rescue mission gone sideways could entangle you in a rogue AI subplot. These narrative branches, though sometimes lightly sketched, inject freshness into repeated playthroughs. The interplay between official Federation objectives and criminal underworld politics creates moral tension, turning each mission into a choice not just of action but of allegiance.

Overall Experience

Crime Cities stands out as a compelling hybrid of action and strategy, offering both a thrilling solo campaign and robust multiplayer support. The single-player mode provides dozens of hours of content, with mission difficulty scaling in line with your reputation and ship upgrades. Meanwhile, the LAN and Internet deathmatch arenas, capped at 16 players, remain entertaining showcases for the game’s finely tuned flight and combat systems.

Audio design enhances the frenetic pace of play: pulsing electronic music underscores high-speed chases, while the roar of engines and cracking of plasma cannons deliver satisfying feedback with each kill. Voice prompts from dispatchers and rival pilots add flavor without overstaying their welcome. Load times are minimal, ensuring that you spend more time flying through urban skylines than staring at loading screens.

For modern players, Crime Cities may show its age in certain UI elements and raw polygon counts, but its core strengths—engaging mission variety, meaningful player choice, and dynamic aerial combat—hold up remarkably well. Whether you’re drawn to its noir-tinged storyline, its atmospheric world design, or its high-octane multiplayer battles, Crime Cities remains a worthwhile dive into a dystopian future where one skilled pilot can tilt the balance between order and chaos.

Retro Replay Score

6.6/10