24: The Game
Encyclopedia
24: The Game is a third-person shooter
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
for PlayStation 2
. It was announced on March 30, 2005 and first released in North America on February 27, 2006. The player controls many characters from the television series at different points in the game. The missions in the game involve 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 series, 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. 24: The Game was nominated for a BAFTA
award for its screenplay
elements.
Most of the game's missions take place in third-person shooting
format, although a unique aspect at the time was the use of a cover system
. 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.
A variety of weapons are available including handguns, automatic weapons and shotguns, with various ammunition types also in existence. Ammunition is limited in the game and weapons must be reloaded, although additional ammunition can be collected. 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.
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. 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.
There are several missions in which the player controls a motor vehicle
. 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.
With the exception of the interrogation minigame
, they are all computer puzzles. These are either a single puzzle as part of a third-person mission, or as a stand alone mission where the player must complete one or more puzzle within a time limit. The computer puzzles include 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. A number of other puzzles are used only once, 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.
The interrogation minigame involves the players character interrogating a suspect. A graph shows the suspect's "stress level" which oscillates in a sort of pseudo-sine wave
. The player must choose to act either aggressively, calmingly or neutrally towards the suspect. These actions will raise, lower or maintain the stress level. A horizontal target range is highlighted on the chart, which the player must aim for the stress level to be within in order to advance the interrogation. A marker next to the graph indicates how advance the interrogation. The player must complete interrogation within a set time limit to succeed .
attack and attempt to gain access to nuclear weapons. 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
, Kimberly "Kim" Bauer
, Tony Almeida
, Michelle Dessler
, Chase Edmunds
, David Palmer, Max, Kate Warner
, and Ryan Chappelle
, with Peter Madsen being voiced by Christian Kane
.
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, 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.
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
.
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.
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
. 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. 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. The press release was accompanied by a press-only video featuring Kiefer Sutherland
describing some of the story and gameplay elements.
Speculation about 24: The Game was initially positive following the announcement that it would be developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge
Studio. 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. Originally 100 missions were proposed, with only 58 making it into the final game. In an interview, Mark Green 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
.
24: The Game was planned to be released worldwide in the fall of 2005 but was delayed. The game was released in North America on February 27, 2006 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, was released on February 28, 2006 to coincide with the release of the game.
. 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. 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. 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. In contrast, device and ambiance sounds were well liked with gunfire getting a particular mention. 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". 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". Enemy AI for these sections was described as predictable and basic, adopting repeated firing stances or ignoring the character despite being shot repeatedly. 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". 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. The puzzle games were also received badly, being described as "15 shades of easy and 20 shades of terrible". Interrogation scenes were, in contrast, well liked, with reviewers finding the dialogue during these scenes entertaining.
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
video game, based on the FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television series, 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. The game was developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
's Cambridge
SCE Studio Cambridge
Cambridge Studio, part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, was formed in July 1997 when Sony Computer Entertainment Europe acquired the Millennium development studio from Cyberlife Ltd...
Studios and was published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by 2K Games
2K Games
2K is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games. 2K Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series...
for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It was announced on March 30, 2005 and first released in North America on February 27, 2006. The player controls many characters from the television series at different points in the game. The missions in the game involve elements of third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
, driving
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
and puzzle games. The musical score was composed by Sean Callery
Sean Callery
Sean Callery is an film and television composer best known as the composer for the action/drama 24, a TV series for which he also composed three full soundtracks. The first soundtrack, containing music from the first three seasons was released on December 7, 2004...
, 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 series, 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
24 (season 2)
Season Two, also known as Day 2, of 24 was first broadcast from October 28, 2002 to May 20, 2003. The season begins and ends at 8:00 a.m...
and Season 3
24 (season 3)
Season Three, also known as Day 3, of 24 premiered in the United States on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004...
of the show. Set in Los Angeles, the story features three plotlines that overlap around a character from Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
's past named Peter Madsen. 24: The Game was nominated for a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
award for its screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
elements.
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. 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).Most of the game's missions take place in third-person shooting
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
format, although a unique aspect at the time was the use of a cover system
Cover system
A cover system is how a video game lets a virtual avatar avoid dangers usually in a three-dimensional world. This method is a digital adaptation of the real-life military tactic of taking cover to dodge enemy gunfire or explosives. Similar gameplay elements can be traced back to as early as 1986,...
. 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.
A variety of weapons are available including handguns, automatic weapons and shotguns, with various ammunition types also in existence. Ammunition is limited in the game and weapons must be reloaded, although additional ammunition can be collected. 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
HUD (computer gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
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.
In third-person missions and occasionally some other types, a PDA
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
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. Characters also typically have cell phones
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
which they sometimes receive calls on during missions. Some missions involve sniping using first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
gameplay. These missions resemble the use of a sniper rifle during normal missions but the player cannot switch to a third-person view.
There are several missions in which the player controls a motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
. Though the game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
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.
Minigames
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
, they are all computer puzzles. These are either a single puzzle as part of a third-person mission, or as a stand alone mission where the player must complete one or more puzzle within a time limit. The computer puzzles include 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
Cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information, without access to the secret information that is normally required to do so. Typically, this involves knowing how the system works and finding a secret key...
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. A number of other puzzles are used only once, including puzzles to simulate transferring files
File transfer
File transfer is a generic term for the act of transmitting files over a computer network or the Internet. There are numerous ways and protocols to transfer files over a network. Computers which provide a file transfer service are often called file servers. Depending on the client's perspective the...
over a damaged network, infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
scanning of buildings, radar-like scanning of areas, and creating a network link across the entire planet.
The interrogation minigame involves the players character interrogating a suspect. A graph shows the suspect's "stress level" which oscillates in a sort of pseudo-sine wave
Sine wave
The sine wave or sinusoid is a mathematical function that describes a smooth repetitive oscillation. It occurs often in pure mathematics, as well as physics, signal processing, electrical engineering and many other fields...
. The player must choose to act either aggressively, calmingly or neutrally towards the suspect. These actions will raise, lower or maintain the stress level. A horizontal target range is highlighted on the chart, which the player must aim for the stress level to be within in order to advance the interrogation. A marker next to the graph indicates how advance the interrogation. The player must complete interrogation within a set time limit to succeed .
Plot
24: The Game takes place 6 months after Day 2 and two 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 terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attack and attempt to gain access to nuclear weapons. 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
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
, Kimberly "Kim" Bauer
Kim Bauer
Kim Bauer is a fictional character played by Elisha Cuthbert on the television series 24. She is portrayed as the only daughter of the show's main character, Jack Bauer...
, Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
, Michelle Dessler
Michelle Dessler
Michelle Dessler is a fictional character played by Reiko Aylesworth on the television series, 24. She was one of Jack's closest and most trusted female allies at CTU as well as one of his closest friends outside of work. The character first appeared in the second season of 24 as an Internet...
, Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds is a fictional character who was a high-ranking agent in the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit on Fox's 24...
, David Palmer, Max, Kate Warner
Kate Warner
Kate Warner is a fictional character in the television series 24. She was Jack Bauer's romantic interest in the show's second season.Kate Warner was played by Australian actress Sarah Wynter...
, and Ryan Chappelle
Ryan Chappelle
Ryan Chappelle is a fictional character played by Paul Schulze as part of the television series 24. On the show, Chappelle was the Los Angeles Regional Division Director of the fictional government Counter Terrorist Unit agency. He was above George Mason and Alberta Green in the chain of command...
, with Peter Madsen being voiced by Christian Kane
Christian Kane
Christian Kane is an American actor and singer/songwriter of Native American descent. He currently stars as Eliot Spencer on the TNT series Leverage. He is best known for his roles in the television shows Angel and Into the West, and the movies Just Married and Secondhand Lions.He is the lead...
.
The game begins with Jack Bauer waiting outside a ship in the Los Angeles harbor where terrorists are going to release a ricin
Ricin
Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can kill an adult. The LD50 of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally...
bomb in the water supply. A CTU team member triggers an alarm causing Jack and his team to storm the ship, 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
Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds is a fictional character who was a high-ranking agent in the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit on Fox's 24...
. Foiling the attack, Jack discovers that the mastermind behind the attempt is an enemy from his past known as Peter Madsen.
A Sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
gas attack on LA Metro
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
station lures CTU agents away from their headquarters. While distracted, terrorists activate an EMP
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
, 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
Kim Bauer
Kim Bauer is a fictional character played by Elisha Cuthbert on the television series 24. She is portrayed as the only daughter of the show's main character, Jack Bauer...
, forcing Jack to do "errands" for the terrorist cell. One of these errands is to sneak into a NSA
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
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
Chase Edmunds
Chase Edmunds is a fictional character who was a high-ranking agent in the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit on Fox's 24...
.
A major earthquake occurs in Los Angeles, caused by terrorists detonating explosives at focal points (places where fault lines intersect). Kate Warner
Kate Warner
Kate Warner is a fictional character in the television series 24. She was Jack Bauer's romantic interest in the show's second season.Kate Warner was played by Australian actress Sarah Wynter...
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
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
base and the epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
of the earthquakes, is attacked and taken over by terrorists, who then begin stealing weapons-grade
Weapons-grade
A weapons-grade substance is one that is pure enough to be used to make a weapon or has properties that make it suitable for weapons use. Weapons-grade plutonium and uranium are the most common examples, but it may also be used to refer to chemical and biological weapons...
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.
Development
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. 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
Sean Callery
Sean Callery is an film and television composer best known as the composer for the action/drama 24, a TV series for which he also composed three full soundtracks. The first soundtrack, containing music from the first three seasons was released on December 7, 2004...
, while a script had been created by Duppy Demetrius in collaboration with the 24 production team. 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. The press release was accompanied by a press-only video featuring Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
describing some of the story and gameplay elements.
Speculation about 24: The Game was initially positive following the announcement that it would be developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Cambridge
SCE Studio Cambridge
Cambridge Studio, part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, was formed in July 1997 when Sony Computer Entertainment Europe acquired the Millennium development studio from Cyberlife Ltd...
Studio. 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. Originally 100 missions were proposed, with only 58 making it into the final game. In an interview, Mark Green stated that the game style was influenced by the way Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 cross-platform video game based on Peter Jackson's New Line Cinema films The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...
and Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix is the first video game based on The Matrix series of films. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Atari and WB Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube game systems, and for the PC. It was published in Japan by Bandai...
, while gameplay influences were described as James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
007: Everything or Nothing is a third-person shooter video game, where the player controls James Bond. Bond is modeled after and voiced by the former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, making it his final performance for the character in game and film...
and Alias
Alias (video game)
Alias is a 3D third-person stealth/action video game developed by Acclaim Cheltenham and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the television series Alias. The plot was written by Breen Frazier and the game features the voices of the...
.
24: The Game was planned to be released worldwide in the fall of 2005 but was delayed. The game was released in North America on February 27, 2006 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
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
in London, was released on February 28, 2006 to coincide with the release of the game.
Reception
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 PsychonautsPsychonauts
Psychonauts is a platform video game created by Tim Schafer, developed by Double Fine Productions and published by Majesco. The game was released on April 19, 2005, for the Xbox, April 26 for Microsoft Windows and June 21 for PlayStation 2. It was released on Steam on Oct 11, 2006, as an "Xbox...
. 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. 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. 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. In contrast, device and ambiance sounds were well liked with gunfire getting a particular mention. 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". 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
Game mechanic
Game mechanics are constructs of rules intended to produce an enjoyable game or gameplay. All games use mechanics; however, theories and styles differ as to their ultimate importance to the game...
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". Enemy AI for these sections was described as predictable and basic, adopting repeated firing stances or ignoring the character despite being shot repeatedly. 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". The use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
in these sections were heavily criticized for being predictable and simplistic, with enemy vehicles having no regard for their own safety. The puzzle games were also received badly, being described as "15 shades of easy and 20 shades of terrible". Interrogation scenes were, in contrast, well liked, with reviewers finding the dialogue during these scenes entertaining.
External links
- 24: The Game - Official site