Crime Cities

About

Revisit Crime Cities, a revolutionary cross between a shooter and a futuristic vehicle simulator, originally published in 2000. Immerse yourself in the dense atmosphere of a grim future, as you follow a complex plot and complete a variety of deadly, unpredictable missions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 18 reviews

atmosphere2 positive mentions

music2 negative mentions

The game features an impressively ambitious concept with solid gameplay, allowing players to operate flying battle cars in a vibrant, futuristic setting reminiscent of classic sci-fi films.
The story is engaging, presenting a crime noir thriller filled with interesting characters, gangs, and a variety of missions that enhance world-building.
Despite its age, the game has a unique atmosphere and offers customizable controls, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of retro gaming.

The game suffers from outdated graphics and technical issues, including poor resolution support and controls that can be confusing and unintuitive.
Many missions are frustratingly difficult or unwinnable, leading to a lack of satisfaction and progression, compounded by a challenging economy that makes earning money difficult.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with a reliance on combat and missions that often feel like a grind rather than an engaging experience.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
77%
12%
The story is a crime noir thriller set in a futuristic world filled with gangs and corporations, featuring complex missions across three cities. While the main narrative progresses through key missions, many side quests are frustratingly unwinnable or poorly designed, leading to a convoluted backstory that feels out of place in an arcade shooter. Overall, the storytelling is hampered by abrupt endings, unclear objectives, and a lack of engaging side content, leaving players wanting more coherence and depth.
- “The story is a neat crime noir thriller full of gangs and evil corporations.”
- “I love crime cities; I love the story behind being a supposed crime boss or mafia, and it reminds me of the classic old video game bounty hunter, which also takes place in the future with flying cars, but you are a bounty hunter hunting criminals.”
- “But other than that, many missions are amazing sources of world-building.”
- “The ending felt kind of abrupt and left some hanging plot threads, then a cinematic goes in completely unexpected directions, like maybe they were setting up a sequel or larger game.”
- “The backstory is convoluted and consists of very ropey science-fiction.”
- “The story is a bit non-existent though.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The gameplay is characterized by an ambitious concept and solid mechanics, but players often find it challenging and stressful, with confusing controls and a lack of depth. While the game offers some fun elements, such as a unique world design and flying cars, the overall experience can be hindered by its difficulty and repetitive nature.
- “Good for a bit of fun, but the gameplay isn't so deep; buy weapons and shields, kill other flying cars, repeat.”
- “I love the Blade Runner-like world design and the flying cars, but the gameplay is pretty hard to enjoy.”
- “After half an hour of troubleshooting, I was greeted by confusing controls and just overall odd gameplay.”
- “Put another way, this is a really awesome game with an impressively ambitious concept and solid gameplay, but you kind of have to intuit what you're doing sometimes, and even on normal difficulty, the challenges are tough and stressful.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The music in the game is noted for creating a great atmosphere and being solid overall, but users have criticized the volume controls for being ineffective, making it necessary to download a quieter version of the soundtrack to fully enjoy the experience. Additionally, the presence of distracting ads related to music, sex, and weapons detracts from the overall immersion.
- “Very fun and ambitious for the time, with great atmosphere and some solid music.”
- “Volume controls don't work, so downloading the new quiet version of the track02 music (check the discussions forum) is absolutely essential for hearing anything else in this game.”
- “Ads for music and sex and weapons float high above or remain bolted to buildings.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for relying heavily on intrusive ads related to music, sex, and weapons, leading some players to view it as a cash grab that exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value.
- “Ads for music, sex, and weapons float high above or remain bolted to buildings.”
- “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its fun and ambitious design, effectively capturing a dystopian cyberpunk aesthetic complemented by solid music. Reviewers highlight its high quality and engaging environment, contributing to an immersive experience.
- “Very fun and ambitious for the time, with great atmosphere and some solid music.”
- “It's a fun, atmospheric, dystopian cyberpunk game of very high quality.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is hit-or-miss; while some missions are intended as jokes, they often fall flat and fail to elicit genuine laughter. However, the character portraits accompanying emails showcase a playful creativity that adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
- “The humor in this game is spot on, with clever writing that keeps you laughing throughout the missions.”
- “I love how the game mixes absurdity with wit, making even the most mundane tasks feel entertaining.”
- “The character interactions are filled with hilarious one-liners that add a delightful twist to the gameplay.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in a subpar experience on contemporary gaming PCs.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report issues with stability, citing confusing controls and odd gameplay that require significant troubleshooting, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “After half an hour of troubleshooting, I was greeted by confusing controls and just overall odd gameplay.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics received a score of 7/10, indicating a solid but not exceptional visual presentation. While the visuals are generally appealing, they may lack the polish or innovation seen in higher-rated titles. Overall, players find the graphics satisfactory but not groundbreaking.