This is a review of the PC version, since I haven't played a single other release of it. I have had next to no exposure to this universe, so I can't say how well this fares when held up to the comics. This plays like your typical FPS, with the addition of the well-implemented feature of Arresting perps. While you are technically free to attack anyone you want, you are here to serve the justice system, and there is a meter that lets you see how good a job you're doing. If it goes too low, an SJS, Special Judicial Squad, will be sent to apprehend you. Not every crime warrants the criminal's execution, it is possible to shoot the weapon out of the enemies' hands, and you can sometimes avoid violence altogether. The graphics are fairly well-done, with smooth animations and with nifty physics, it genuinely makes an impact where on the foes' body you hit(meanwhile, it wouldn't hurt if it didn't take as little as it does to send them flying, because that does get to looking silly in this). All of the cut-scenes are in-engine, and they're well-scripted. The atmosphere is captured reasonably well, of the futuristic, bleak, dystopian setting. There is morbid dark comedy in this. The satire isn't always equally subtle. There are clichés in this. I am not the right person to say whether or not the plot fits with the graphic novels. This is hardly ever genuinely scary, but I'm not certain it was meant to be. The AI is decent, they take cover and all. NPC's get "stuck", occasionally. The game-play is fun. There are no items apart from ammo, guns and the med-kits(which you can carry up to three of total, and are used automatically when you run out of health; in addition, you have self-repairing armor), and there are hardly any puzzles. This is also a rather short game. Story mode isn't the only one, fortunately, and the better you do on it, the more Arcade levels there are(and those are nicely unique from each other). There are a lot of unlockables(models and cheats), in both, and they are determined by the rank that you receive, which, in turn, is based on how well you did on the specific mission. They are essentially entirely linear and don't always do a lot to hide it. You start out with training. Story-wise, it feels out of place, meanwhile, it's probably best to have it. The design in this tends to be great. There's not an awful lot of variety to what you are asked to do(and you unfortunately don't get to ride that hover-bike... it is seen, however), then again, this doesn't overstay its welcome, and it doesn't stop being entertaining. The multi-player is cool, as well, with a bunch of different sets of rules. They are as follows: Blockwar(similar to Domination), Bounty Hunter(everyone against one player, who is the only to earn by taking others out), Runner(same as BH, only points are earned for staying alive for ten seconds), Deathmatch/TDM, Elimination(aka Last Man Standing, and also possible with teams), Informant(one player is unarmed and has to be protected), Judges vs. Perps(team FFA, with restrictions on what you can fire or pick up), Thief(think CTF), Umpty Raid(see previous parenthesis, sorta), Vampire(everyone loses life whenever they aren't fighting/killing). You can play against bots, as well, up to and including a full dozen, and they're about as smart as the ones you find in single-player. Control is easy enough to get into if you know the standard WSAD-style setup. This isn't terribly tough, including the handful of boss battles. There are three difficulty settings. You can play Co-Op, with one other person. As far as the arsenal goes, you have a fitting load-out, and the majority of the genre's favorites are present, including a grenade launcher, shotguns, an assault rifle that doubles as a sniper and a bad-ass machine-gun. Apart from those, the awesome Lawgiver(tm) is of course your main one, and it uses the six types of bullets that it's supposed to, I understand: Standard, Armor Piercing, Ricochet, Incendiary(burn, baby, burn), Hi-Ex(heavy splash damage) and Heatseeker. They use the same clips, with altered amount of drain, from 64 down to 8. It's excellent and effective, and there is a use for every one of the types. You can not carry more than two instruments of bringing about destruction at any time, no matter the size(and in SP, you can't normally toss the aforementioned pistol), so you have to be strategic about your choices, and, of course, *find* them, whether you're playing by yourself on with other people. Melee is always only a right-click away, and it's strong. In fact, notice that you may not be able to take them in alive after delivering a blow. A fist or the butt of whatever you've got in your hands. You can use Stumm Gas Grenades, too, to knock out groups. Dredd makes comments during this, and not overly often, so you don't get irritated at hearing it, as that kind of thing mostly leads to. The music is magnificent, really gets you into it, kick-ass rock. In general the sound is well-done, and the voice acting is no exception. The lines are well-written and -delivered. You can save at any time and place, and there are checkpoints. There are few bothersome bugs, they tend to be glitches, and the stability doesn't leave terribly much to be desired. I'm not sure I've tried anything else by Rebellion Interactive or Big Finish Productions. After this, I'm willing to give something else by them the benefit of the doubt. There is a lot of blood, gore and violence in this, and it does contain disturbing content. I recommend this to any fan of action VG's, and fans of the titular character, provided they not married to the idea of every incarnation of him getting everything completely right, because I believe that this doesn't quite reach that lofty goal. 7/10
