December 09, 2004 - It's official: urban warfare with hip-hop flavor is the new shooting genre. Or maybe it became official when Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas came out a few months ago. Either way, Eidos' 25 to Life aims to secure the sub-genre even further with lots of guns, urban settings, and a hip-hop soundtrack. While we were in attendance at a formal presentation held in San Francisco yesterday, we were reminded that 25 to Life is definitely coming from the streets and will be as authentic as possible, but what really matters is the combat and the online battles.

Players can choose to play as either a gangster or a cop and each group has a different weapon selection. While gangsters get heavier weapons such as AK-47s, the cops are armed with lighter weapons such as pistols and Tasers. However, because of their training and access to items such as bullet-proof vests, cops are blessed with superior aim and will be harder to take down.

We saw two single-player missions today. As a thug, one of the goals is to break into a bank and get out by killing several SWAT team members and cops along the way. The cop mission involved a police officer walking into a gang war by himself and taking everyone else out. Gang members were everywhere and it was like that crazy group scene in Colors all over again.

You can play in either a third-person or first-person view, with a pretty standard setup of moving around and regular weapons to choose from. The action felt similar to Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain -- except with a hip-hop flavor.

While the basic gameplay is looking to be pretty straightforward cops and robbers, we were told that when finish it will present the true hip-hop lifestyle. To help with this goal, writer P. Frank Williams has been taken on to develop a more realistic story. While the idea of creating a genuine plot that rings true with modern life is a noble one, it was still too early to see how everything will turn out in that regard, and of course developers Avalanche and Highway 1 still want to keep some things secret until the game is released.

In addition to single-player action, 25 to Life allows for as many as 16 people to play online at once in SOCOM style cops vs. crooks setup. Expect four different multiplayer modes in 25 to Life. "War" is the standard deathmatch mode you would expect. The objective in "Tag" mode is to paint your gang sign in as many places as possible. In "Raid," the cop team has to do just that -- raid a gang-controlled building or area on the map and live to tell the tale. The gangsters go on the offensive in "Robbery," where the thug team has to blast their way into a building, steal a cache of cash and get out alive.

Another big part of the multiplayer experience is the customizable character models. Not only can you change your models and clothes, but you can also alter your head, arms, torso, legs and feet. Combine this with tattoos, shoes, hairstyles and bling and you have a near unlimited number of combinations.

Hip-hop is a lifestyle -- one that is defined by music as much as clothes and culture. As such, you can expect some big-name hip-hop artists lending their talents to the game. The soundtrack will include cuts from DMX, Ghostface Killah and Tupac, among others, with more artists to be announced. Similar to San Andreas, you'll be able to change what song is playing when close to an in-game boombox, even in multiplayer.

We just had a brief look at the game today, but as the game gets nearer to completion, that will definitely change, and we'll be bringing you more about 25 to Life as we hear it. In the meantime, check our media page below for a collection of brand new screenshots. Peace out!