24: The Game

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24: The Game
Developer(s)	SCE Studio Cambridge
Publisher(s)	2K Games Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer(s)	Tim Hall, 2K West (producer) Mark Green
Aspect ratio	16:9 or 4:3
Native resolution	480p (EDTV) 480i (SDTV)
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date	NA February 27, 2006 EU March 17, 2006
Genre(s)	Third-person action
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Mature PEGI: 16+
Media	DVD
Input methods	DualShock 2

24: The Game is a Sony PlayStation 2 video game based on the FOX television series, 24. The game was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge Studios and was published by 2K Games.^[1] It was announced on March 30, 2005^[2] and first released in North America on February 27, 2006.^[3] The player controls many characters at different points in the game, involving elements of third-person shooter, driving and puzzle games. The musical score was composed by Sean Callery, while the script was written by Duppy Demetrius and the series production team.

24: The Game makes extensive use of actors' voices and likenesses from the TV show, as well as using a script and music score from the same production team. The events contained in the game are set between Season 2 and Season 3 of the show. Set in Los Angeles, the story features three plotlines that overlap around a character from Jack Bauer's past named Peter Madsen. While 24: The Game was nominated for a BAFTA award for its screenplay elements,^[4] it was let down by poor game mechanics.

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Mini games 2 Plot 3 Development 4 Reception 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Gameplay

Like the series, the game takes place over 24 hours and has the same start and end clocks for each hour, marking the start and end of each part of the game. The hours are broken down into 58 separate missions, of which there are three broad types, each described in further detail below. Some missions are objective based, while others have a time-restricted element.^[5] Each mission is graded out of 100 points, based on the quality of performance, number of objectives completed, shooting accuracy and so on. A grade of 90 points or higher rewards the player by unlocking some form of bonus feature, including 3 movies (interviews with cast about the game, TV promos), 98 images (wallpaper-like images of main characters) and 23 characters (3D models that the player can view).^[6]

Most of the game's missions take place in third-person shooting format,^[5] although a unique aspect at the time was the use of cover.^[7] When a character is behind a low object like a crate, or at the edge of a corner or doorframe, they can press a button to use the object or edge as cover. Another button will allow the character to peer around and enter a targeting mode, while releasing the button will quickly return them to cover. There is also a stealth mode which has the character stoop, walk silently (unless running), duck behind any low obstacles they can hide behind and be less detectable by sound. A character can sneak up behind an enemy using stealth mode and perform a silent "stealth takeout" by breaking his neck.^[7]

A variety of weapons are available including handguns, automatic weapons and shotguns, with various ammunition types also in existence.^[8] Ammunition is limited in the game and weapons must be reloaded, although additional ammunition can be collected.^[7] Players can also call out to enemies who will sometimes surrender and can then be captured (put in handcuffs) with their ammunition also collected. There are also civilians in the game who can also be called out to and then rescued by the player. Health bars for enemies, vehicles or friendly subjects that must be protected are also sometimes shown. There are health packs which can be picked up, as well as health stations mounted on walls which can be used. Body armor is also sometimes provided or found in levels. A small heads-up-display features a radar/map with an arrow showing the character's direction, red dots for enemies, green dots for civilians, and yellow stars for objectives. The direction and field of vision of enemies is shown on the radar.^[5]

In third-person missions and occasionally some other types, a PDA is available. In the PDA the player can view their list of objectives (which can change over the course of a mission), maps of the area if available, a help screen and a list of weapons held with information on each.^[7] Characters also typically have cell phones which they sometimes receive calls on during missions. Some missions involve sniping using first-person shooter gameplay. These missions resemble the use of a sniper rifle during normal missions but the player cannot switch to a third-person view.^[5]

There are several missions in which the player controls a motor vehicle.^[5] Though the game engine is the same as the third-person mode, these missions are based on being in a vehicle. They usually involve getting to a certain location in a certain time period, often while avoiding pursuers while heading to the end point. Weapons can not be used while in a vehicle. While the PDA is not available in these mission types, a map of the city is. Cell phone calls are also sometimes received in these missions.

[edit] Mini games

Some missions have the character interrogating a suspect. A graph shows the suspect's "stress level" which oscillates in a sort of pseudo-sine wave. The player can instruct the character to behave either aggressively, calmingly or neutrally with corresponding buttons. These actions will raise, lower or maintain the stress level from the point at which the button was pressed. A horizontal target range is highlighted on the chart, which the player must aim for the stress level to be within. If this is achieved, the player manages to interrogate the suspect and receive an answer before moving on to the next question. A marker next to the graph indicates how many answers the player has received. In more difficult levels, the target zone will begin changing width and moving up and down the graph during some questions.^[9]

There are several missions that are based on computer puzzles, sometimes involving a single puzzle, sometimes occurring in standard third-person missions and sometimes involving a chain of puzzles.^[5] Maze puzzles, where a player must select a coloured path from a starting box to an ending box and sometimes a second and third box, are used to represent bypassing locks and other computer functions. Letter sequence puzzles, where a player swaps adjacent pairs of a series of random letters until they are in the correct sequence, are used to represent code-breaking such as for encrypted files or a locked door. Colour/symbol matching puzzles, where a cursor randomly moves across a field of coloured squares and the player must press the controller button that corresponds to that coloured square, are used to represent unscrambling files from hard drives and other similar functions. Several other puzzles are used only once or twice, including puzzles to simulate transferring files over a damaged network, infrared scanning of buildings, radar-like scanning of areas, and creating a network link across the entire planet.^[10]

[edit] Plot

24: The Game takes place 6 months after Day 2 and 2 and a half years before Day 3. In a similar way to the TV series, it can be split up into three sections or chapters. Section one revolves around an attack on Jim Prescott, while section two covers an attack on the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Section three covers a major terrorist attack and attempt to gain access to nuclear weapons.^[5] A large number of characters from seasons two and three feature in 24: The Game, with each using the original actor's likeness and voice acting. Main characters returning include Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, Chase Edmunds, David Palmer, Max, Kate Warner, and Ryan Chappelle, with Peter Madsen being voiced by Christian Kane.^[9]

The game begins with Jack Bauer waiting outside a ship in the Los Angeles harbor where terrorists are going to release a ricin bomb in the water supply. A CTU team member triggers an alarm causing Jack and his team to storm the ship,^[11] discovering the whole ship's crew dead in a cargo hold. He later learns of an assassination attempt on Vice President Prescott through undercover agent Chase Edmunds. Foiling the attack, Jack discovers that the mastermind behind the attempt is an enemy from his past known as Peter Madsen.^[5]

A Sarin gas attack on LA Metro station lures CTU agents away from their headquarters. While distracted, terrorists activate an EMP, attacking and taking over the CTU LA main building, holding the staff members hostage. The terrorists execute these hostages, including data analyst Sean Walker and eventually escape with a stolen hard drive. Jack runs into Peter Madsen, who has kidnapped Jack's daughter, Kim Bauer, forcing Jack to do "errands" for the terrorist cell. One of these errands is to sneak into a NSA building and retrieve confidential data for the terrorists. Jack manages to find and rescue Kim and recover the stolen hard drive with the help of undercover agent Chase Edmunds.^[5]

A major earthquake occurs in Los Angeles, caused by terrorists detonating explosives at focal points (places where fault lines intersect). Kate Warner is also kidnapped by the terrorist cell, along with Governor James Radford who is kidnapped for assassination but is then rescued by the CTU. A conspiracy involving Radford in the day's attacks is uncovered by the CTU and Radford is killed by the terrorist cell because he attempts to back out. Fort Lesker, U.S. Military base and the epicenter of the earthquakes, is attacked and taken over by terrorists, who then begin stealing weapons-grade plutonium before attempting to smuggle the weapons out of the U.S. to the Middle East. Kate Warner's father is forced to aid the terrorists by helping them smuggle the weapons with his customs passes. Jack finally kills Madsen when he tries to escape by shooting his speedboat with an M-80 assault rifle, causing it to explode. He also kills Max, who was holding Kate Warner hostage, saving her life but in doing so Max manages to shoot Jack once in the stomach before dying. As a result, Chase Edmunds takes Jack to the hospital via helicopter.^[5]

[edit] Development

24: The Game was announced on March 30, 2005 by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe through a licensing deal with Twentieth Century Fox to bring 24 exclusively to the PlayStation 2.^[1] The announcement described how the game would sit between seasons two and three of the TV series, answering many questions left unanswered by the TV show storyline. Also included was the news that the game would feature the voices and likenesses of many of the cast of the TV show. By the time of the announcement the music score had been prepared by Sean Callery, while a script had been created by Duppy Demetrius in collaboration with the 24 production team.^[1] News that many of the sound effects and noises from the TV series would be used in the game was also mentioned in the announcement.^[1] The press release was accompanied by a press-only video featuring Kiefer Sutherland describing some of the story and gameplay elements.^[12]

Speculation about 24: The Game was initially positive following the announcement that it would be developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge Studio.^[12] 24: The Game made an appearance later that May at the E3 show in 2005, where four sections were demonstrated: a third-person shootout, an interrogation scene, a computer tech minigame and a driving sequence. Some of the intermediate cut-scenes were also shown at this point. The interrogation scene received praise, while the driving segment was let down by poor mechanics and physics.^[13] Originally 100 missions were proposed, with only 58 making it into the final game. In an interview, Mark Green (developer) stated that the game style was influenced by the way Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Enter the Matrix, while gameplay influences were described as James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing and Alias^[14]

24: The Game was planned to be released worldwide in the fall of 2005^[2] but was delayed. The game was released in North America on February 27, 2006^[3] and in Europe on March 17, 2006 (March 16, 2006 in Ireland, due to St. Patrick's Day). The musical score to the game, performed by the Nimrod Studio Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London,^[15] was released on February 28, 2006 to coincide with the release of the game.^[16]

[edit] Reception

Reviews
Publication	Score
Edge	6 out of 10[17]
Eurogamer	6 of 10[18]
GameSpot	6.2 of 10[10]
GameSpy	2 out of 5[11]
IGN	4.2 out of 10[19]
Compilations of multiple reviews
Compiler	Score
Metacritic	62 of 100[20]
Game Rankings	64%[21]

Although expectations were high, 24: The Game met a mixed reception from critics. The game was nominated for a BAFTA Games Award in the Best Screenplay category in 2006, losing out to Psychonauts.^[4] Items from the TV series such as multi-perspective screens (as shown on the box cover) were popular for illustrating multiple viewpoints of an objective.^[11] The use of episode start and end graphics to mark the start and end of missions was also liked. The script was generally described as being a redeeming feature of the game, although fans of the series may find that the viewpoints, motives and reasoning of the villains isn't covered well.^[19] Cutscenes were singled out for particular praise by IGN, highlighting good use of camera angles and tight focus. Voice acting was generally popular, although some lines suffered from poor direction or emphasis.^[19] In contrast, device and ambiance sounds were well liked with gunfire getting a particular mention.^[10] The soundtrack and musical score were singled out for particular praise. The music was recorded using an orchestra, while the music in the TV series was mostly synthesized. The opening theme music to the game, which was also used as the introductory track in the album, was described as "the best version of the theme for the show we've ever heard".^[22] The use of licensed assets in these ways proved to be the game's main popular point, with almost all gameplay sections heavily criticized.

Gameplay mechanics were singled out as being particularly poor. The third-person shooter sections suffered from poor camera-angle management, making targeting enemies feel "awkward and disjointed".^[11] Enemy AI for these sections was described as predictable and basic, adopting repeated firing stances or ignoring the character despite being shot repeatedly.^[19] Sniper variants of this fared better. The vehicle sections were also disappointing, with physics and vehicle handling being rated poorly. Vehicles were described as feeling "slow and clapped out", with pursuits described as being "boring".^[18] The use of artificial intelligence in these sections were heavily criticized for being predictable and simplistic, with enemy vehicles having no regard for their own safety.^[11] The puzzle games were also received badly, being described as "15 shades of easy and 20 shades of terrible".^[10] Interrogation scenes were, in contrast, well liked, with reviewers finding the dialogue during these scenes entertaining.^[11]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• 24: The Game - Official site

v • d • e 24 Characters Jack Bauer · Chloe O'Brian · Bill Buchanan  · List of characters · Minor characters · Minor CTU agents Days Day 1 · Day 2 · Day 3 · Day 4 · Day 5 · Day 6 · Day 7 · Episode list Merchandise Conspiracy · The Game · The Soundtrack