2. Game Story and Cast.
In the game, you are a young street kid looking to become a legendary graffiti
artist. To do this, you will have to learn from the best talents in the world.
Thankfully many of them have come to train you in your home city, the great
metropolis known as New Radius. This vast urban ghetto has long been a center
of the graffiti industry. It also contains a high level of crime and poverty,
but that comes with the territory, so you best get used to it. Unfortunately
for you, the city is being run by a new mayor who is looking to seriously clean
things up in the style of George Orwell's 1984. If you have not read that
classic novel, do so. It will make your life more interesting, I guarentee.
Basically, the city now has security cameras all over the place and Gestapo
troopers prowling around looking to savagely beat down anybody who tries to
rebel. That includes you of course. :) Your eventual purpose in the game is to
launch a campaign of not-so-quiet desperation against the Mayor and his
associates. It will not be an easy task, but hey, nothing worth it ever is,
right? Best of luck, man. You will need it. A healthy level of skill in
stealth, combat, acrobatics, and painting will also be helpful. So will street
cred.
Cast: Here are the characters in the game.
The Good Guys-
Coltrane "Trane" Crowley: This is you, dude. You are a resourceful street kid
who happens to have a natural athletic ability, skilled martial arts know-how,
and a sixth sense for danger and drama. Your goal in life is to follow in your
father's footsteps by becoming a graffiti legend. Your old man suffered a
mysterious death before you hit puberty, so you also want to uncover the truth
and avenge him. In the beginning, you have to flee your home to follow your
dreams. The streets will be unforgiving, as is their nature. You start out as a
toy, but your skills quickly develop, and by the end of the game, you are a
legend. Your techniques and tools become mature and varied, and your art is as
classical as anything in history. You gather friends and start your own gang,
the Still Free Crew (great name!). You also make a lot of enemies, but hey,
them's the breaks. :) Trane is voiced by Talib Krewli, a well-known black
comedian who is also the CEO of Blacksmith Music. Kudos to Talib for his great
acting and to Marc Ecko and all the game's writers for some of the most awesome
character development I have ever seen in a video game (mind you, this is
coming from a fan of Final Fantasy and MGS).
Tina: This gal is the game's hot chick, a doll who comes to greatly respect and
admire Trane over the course of the game. So Trane hopes anyway. At the start
of the game, she's with a loser jerk, but by the end her taste improves- again,
so Trane hopes. :) She is voiced by Rosario Dawson, an amazing actress who has
starred in such films as Josie & the Pussycats, Rent, The Rundown, and Sin City.
Decoy: A veteran graffiti artist who mentors Trane once our hero comes to his
attention. Decoy has been on the streets a long time and knows their secrets.
He also knows some of the truth about Trane's father. Veteran TV actor Sean
Squire lends his voice to this role.
RL Graffiti Legends: Over 50 real-life graffiti masters make cameos in the game
to help Trane out. They include Cope2, who teaches you about tagging the subway
system; Futura, who introduces you to your black book (portfolio for the
uninitiated); Sheperd "Obey" Fairey, who teaches you about wheatpasting and
graffiti in advertising (you may be familiar with his Andre the Giant sticker);
SEEN, who teaches you to make large pieces; SMITH, who teaches you about high
places and sneaking; and TKid, who shows you how to do murals. There are also
many others who appear via their art and influence alone. I'll list them in the
walkthru. All artists voice themselves.
Kry1: After being saved from a beatdown early on in the game, this kid becomes
Trane's unofficial sidekick. He cheers our hero on throughout the game and
backs him up on occasion. Giovanni Ribsi, a character actor known for his work
in TV and film, provides the voice.
White Mike: This big albino isn't much of a writer, but he does become a friend
to Trane and provide some much-needed physical support. He is easy to bug and
hard to miss. Great black comedian Charlie Murphy provides the voice.
Karen Light: The numero uno reporter of New Radius and the game's other hot
chick besides Tina. For all your news needs, Look to the Light! :) She provides
an unbiased exposure of Trane's quest to the city and will be a good friend to
you. Brittany Murphy, an actress known for her work in Sin City, King of the
Hill, and and numerous teen dramas, voices Karen.
Stake: This dude leads the Wrong Way Assassins, a street gang that is known for
tagging the highways and skyscrapers of the city. He will be a friend to Trane
by the time you meet. His gang dresses in black and are known for their ninja
tactics. Hip-hop MC RZA is the voice.
Grandma Celia: Another veteran of stage and screen, Eileen Galindo, voices
Trane's grandmother, who has raised him since his father died. Like Tina, she
spends most of the game worrying about our hero.
The Bad Guys-
Vandals of New Radius: This is the biggest gang in town, also known as the
VaNR. They are known for wearing orange and blue, revering the local basketball
team the Stunners (especially #33, Van D'Allister), and putting tags all over
the place. They are very protective of their territory and will serve as
Trane's first opponents as he tries to make his mark on the city. They come in
various skins, but two types predominate. The first is Punks, who are basic
fighters, and the second is Brutes, who are big bruiser types. Trane will have
to take on many of both in early levels.
Gabe: This boy leads the Vandals of New Radius. He is a veteran tagger who
develops a semi-friendly rivalry with Trane. They're foes, then friends. What
happens after that? Well, play the game, okay? :) Gabe is also Tina's
boyfriend- uh oh. He is voiced by hip-hop star Michael Berrin.
Dip: This preppie dude is Gabe's numero uno enforcer and a serious subway
bomber. He also knows how to use a belt in some very painful ways. Voiced by
Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, another bigtime hip-hop star.
Spleen: Gabe's numero dos enforcer, a tough Dominican who uses a machete and
mutts to hurt people. Jeff Garcia voices this clown.
Mayor Miguel Sung: The mayor of New Radius and your main opponent. This guy is
very corrupt and anti-graffiti. He dedicates himself to reviving and rebuilding
New Radius, but truly he just wants power. He is responsible for all the
Gestapo troopers on the streets, the security cameras watching your every move,
and the death of Trane's father. Truly a nasty man. Great character actor
George Hamilton is voicing this mook.
Shanna Ray: The Mayor's personal troubleshooter. One heck of a lethal lady.
Voiced by Manao DeMuth.
Sung Agents: These black-suited thugs carry pistols and will shoot at Trane
with them. Be cautious- they are accurate and highly trained. They also know
martial arts and employ them against you.
The CCK: These guys are Sung's police goombahs and will be Trane's most
frequent nemeses. They come in two colors- orange and the stronger silver. They
wield both nighsticks and high-powered rifles. CCK will also shoot at you from
spotlight towers and helicopters- these can't be taken out. Beware of them in
any form, and fight back with your skills in stealth, graffiti, and martial
arts.
Chief Will Hunt: The head of the CCK. Voiced by Adam West, a great character
actor best known for playing Batman in the 1960s.
The Vandal Squad: A special unit of the CCK specifically targeting graffiti
artists. They wield stun batons and are known for disguising themselves as
homeless people.
Aunt Beth: A notorious drag queen member of Vandal Squad who is known for her
creative tactics. She is voiced by Andy Dick, a great comedian and actor.
Workmen, Janitors, and Security Guards: These guys are trying to build, clean
up, and generally maintain what you're trying to "deface," so naturally they're
your enemies. They will come after you using the tools of their trades as
improvised weapons. Watch out!
Dogs: Vicious guardian beasts trained to attack the unsuspecting. Kick them
down, Trane!
Butchers: These guys staff the meat-packing plant that is the hideout for the
VaNR gang. They will be among Trane's foes when he infiltrates that area.
Dom: The foreman of the butchers.
Civilians: These include businesspeople, bums, and other average citizens of
New Radius who will not interfere directly in your quest but serve mainly as
background. Be aware that they may call the CCK if they see you committing
crimes. Otherwise they serve mostly as comic relief characters.
The Ugly Guys:
I think I've already covered plenty of those. :)
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