Warr - i - ors, come out and plaa-aaay! If you recognize that line then you’re probably familiar with the 1979 film The Warriors. The movie took place in a New York overrun by gangs, each with its own theme and dress code. When the titular gang is wrongly accused of killing a rival gang leader, they must begin a trek across the dangerous gang-controlled streets to reach the safety of their home turf. While you don’t see many films from the 70s making it to games these days, The Warriors actually provides a pretty good setting for one. Rockstar saw this potential and has taken advantage of it to create a brawler that spans the streets of 1970s New York. And those of you who are fans of the film are in for a treat as Rockstar has stayed true to the look and style of the original, and has also recreated an expanded vision of the movie’s storyline.

The Warriors at play.

The Warriors consist of nine gang members: Cleon, Ajax, Swan, Snow, Cochise, Cowboy, Rembrandt, Vermin, and Fox. During the game you’ll have the opportunity to play as each one, with all of them getting their turns in as mission leaders. However, you won’t spend all of your time on missions – Rockstar practically invented the free-form play environment with the Grand Theft Auto series after all. You’ll have the freedom to boost your finances by stealing car stereos, mugging passer-bys, and robbing stores. You’ll also be able to tag rival gang graffiti and search the environment for weapons such as Molotov cocktails, bricks, and even TV sets.

Well The Warriors wouldn’t be a brawler without, well, brawls, and the game is set to deliver on this point. There will be three distinct fighting styles in the game: street fighter, brawler, and kung fu fighter. These styles will all be integral to a deep fighting system that adds moves such as dives, tackles, and reversals. You’ll even be able to pull off tandem attacks with your fellow Warriors. The fights won’t end until you say they end as you’ll be able to chase down fleeing enemies, pull them off of fences, and even stomp the ones trying to crawl away. There’s also a special rage mode that give you access to super-powered moves that can literally clear an area. As you and your opponents take damage you’ll be able to see it in the form of cuts, bruises, and bloodstained clothing.

Look to hit the streets with The Warriors on October 18th, 2005.