Crime Patrol
Encyclopedia
Crime Patrol is a live-action laserdisc video game
released by American Laser Games
in 1993.
, achieved through systematically neutralizing threats which appear in various environments and scenarios. With your gun (or mouse, depending on if you use the computer version), you shoot down gangsters, murderers, drug lords and terrorists in various tactical situations, only to ultimately face a serious nuclear threat in the final scenario.
There are four levels which the player completes one by one, not counting the shooting range
, which one can access to improve his or her aim and reflexes. As a Rookie, the player teams up with a somewhat boisterous policewoman, taking on shoplifters, armed robbers and gang members. After getting promoted to Undercover, the player gets a slightly overweight male partner and confronts drug smugglers and crime lords in a nightclub, impound lot and airport. Next, in SWAT
, bank robbers and terrorists become the enemies. Finally, in Delta Force, the player must stand up to criminals who are a serious threat to national security, such as a hijacked shipment of Nuclear material
, hijacked planes, and assassination attempts. Each part of the game is made up of three separate scenarios, with one final mission involving a plot to steal plutonium
that is filmed partly in nightvision, awaits the player who can complete all of those in Delta Force.
version, for example, involves the use of a mouse or light gun
to aim and shoot the villains. Reloading is done by moving the light gun outside of the screen and pressing the trigger; this is also achieved when using the mouse by directing the cursor to the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and right-clicking. This must be done when the ten available bullets are spent, though the player can reload at any time and an infinite number of times. The player has three lives at his disposal and must be careful not to lose them by getting shot or gunning down innocent civilians. There is no possibility to choose one's path in the game.
Laserdisc video game
A laserdisc video game is an arcade game that uses pre-recorded video played from a laserdisc, either as the entirety of the graphics, or as part of the graphics.-History:...
released by American Laser Games
American Laser Games
American Laser Games was a company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico that created a wide variety of light gun laserdisc video games. The company was founded in the late 1980s by Robert Grebe, who had originally created the system to train police officers under the company name ICAT , and adapted the...
in 1993.
Storyline
Crime Patrol, just like the company's previous releases, didn't focus so much on the storyline as on the general concept of the game, which was in essence its being a rail shooter. A plot is still present though. The player is employed in the police force and works his way up from Rookie to Delta ForceDelta Force
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
, achieved through systematically neutralizing threats which appear in various environments and scenarios. With your gun (or mouse, depending on if you use the computer version), you shoot down gangsters, murderers, drug lords and terrorists in various tactical situations, only to ultimately face a serious nuclear threat in the final scenario.
There are four levels which the player completes one by one, not counting the shooting range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
, which one can access to improve his or her aim and reflexes. As a Rookie, the player teams up with a somewhat boisterous policewoman, taking on shoplifters, armed robbers and gang members. After getting promoted to Undercover, the player gets a slightly overweight male partner and confronts drug smugglers and crime lords in a nightclub, impound lot and airport. Next, in SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
, bank robbers and terrorists become the enemies. Finally, in Delta Force, the player must stand up to criminals who are a serious threat to national security, such as a hijacked shipment of Nuclear material
Nuclear material
Nuclear material refers to the metals uranium, plutonium, and thorium, in any form, according to the IAEA. This is differentiated further into "source material", consisting of natural and depleted uranium, and "special fissionable material", consisting of enriched uranium , uranium-233, and...
, hijacked planes, and assassination attempts. Each part of the game is made up of three separate scenarios, with one final mission involving a plot to steal plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
that is filmed partly in nightvision, awaits the player who can complete all of those in Delta Force.
Gameplay
Gameplay is relatively simple, though this somewhat depends on the version of the game. The PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version, for example, involves the use of a mouse or light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
to aim and shoot the villains. Reloading is done by moving the light gun outside of the screen and pressing the trigger; this is also achieved when using the mouse by directing the cursor to the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and right-clicking. This must be done when the ten available bullets are spent, though the player can reload at any time and an infinite number of times. The player has three lives at his disposal and must be careful not to lose them by getting shot or gunning down innocent civilians. There is no possibility to choose one's path in the game.