In the arena of options, City Crisis is quite limited. The game opens with four different menus. The Training section takes players through three short exercises: flying, rescue, and fire-fighting; each are designed to provide you with a preliminary feel of what awaits in the actual missions. The Time Attack tests your skills by placing you in a Pilot Wings-esque race against time, where players guide their chopper through rings positioned around the city. The Option menu only allows for adjustments with small features such as controller configuration, game saves/loads and music volume. Then comes the Missions, which branches off into three areas (Rescue, Chase, and Final Rescue). In Rescue, players are sent out to extinguish any fires that might break out and rescue the survivors caught in the melee. The Chase mode requires you to aid the police in tracking down any escaping fugitives on the run. Scoring well enough on these two modes will open up the third mission mode - Final Rescue, and later, will unlock a special mission level called Disaster. While it won't take long to get through all of the missions, the exceptional challenge of playing through each level and unlocking hidden areas gives City Crisis some buoyancy to stay afloat. City Crisis obviously doesn't take full advantage of the visual power of the PS2. The graphics seem good for maybe a Playstation game, but not PS2. One nice thing is the widespread city where the game takes place. The small details found throughout really enriches the experience of rescuing people from burning infernos or chasing down convicts on the lam. One possibility of the low end graphics could be to ensure a smooth framerate. The game rarely slows down and, thankfully, piloting isn't obstructed by herky-jerky movements. In fact, my only problem with the graphic setup involved the camera angles. Determining your helicopters position from an overhead view is like trying to find decent parking spot at Wal-Mart. It'll take awhile to get used to, but that's really the only real flaw I found.

Controlling the helicopters is one of the most frustrating and arduous tasks I've ever had the displeasure to experience. To pilot them, both analog joysticks must be used. The left joystick controls the movement of you're craft while the right one controls the height and direction. This alone will take at least an hour to learn to the point where you aren't flying like you just dropped acid. Combine this setup with the previously mentioned camera angles and insanity will soon follow. There is nothing more demeaning than airlifting someone to safety then turning around and flying into a gas station sign. The button setup is equally confusing. Why the trigger buttons are used to perform tasks instead of the face buttons is beyond me. It requires almost complete sync with hands and eyes to properly guide the choppers through the city.

I was glad that Syscom was able to at least nail down some decent sound effects. Mission objectives are given in a dispatch format, creating a surreal rescue atmosphere. The choppers have a good hum to them and the game offers the regular fare of explosions and crashes. The victims you're trying to save are extremely whiny and annoying, getting frustrated when you don't pick them up on the first try because you are dodging the other pesky helicopter that serves no other purpose but to get in your way. Getting back on subject, the sound and music aren't altogether bad, they just don't offer anything special to the City Crisis concoction.

If you'd told me prior to playing this City Crisis that I'd end up enjoying myself at all, I would have laughed in your face. But after actually playing, I would've apologized. Take-Two Interactive has finally scored some points with me and if they can build of off this mold, they could surprise a lot more people. City Crisis offers a short, but bitter-sweet adventure experience that could have been handled a little better. Give it at least a rental and maybe you'll be surprised too.

· · · Space Cowboy