In 2005, Rockstar Games surprised the industry by releasing a movie-licensed game that didn't suck. The Warriors, based on a 1979 Walter Hill film of the same name, continues to garner interest with its vicious brutality and spectacular presentation. Thankfully, the company released a $19.99 PSP version, which retains all of the features of the original.

In The Warriors, players start the game as Rembrandt, the newest member of the infamous Coney Island street gang. Following a small initiation, he works with other members of the group, completing missions throughout the city. These tasks differ, with some involving spray painting over rogue gang's logos and others requiring the player to beat the living crap out of a few thugs. The game eventually ties into events from the movie, and the pace quickly picks up.

A fellow gang leader named Cyrus calls a meeting involving all of the Coney Island gangs in an attempt to bring them together as one super-power. However, he gets assassinated, and the Warriors end up being framed for the murder. This outrages the other gangs, who seek revenge. The game then focuses on the Warriors' plight for survival, as they fight against enemies while on the run.

Most beat-em-up games tend to become uninteresting due to repetitive game play and failure to motivate the player. However, The Warriors doesn't suffer from either of these issues. The combat system works quite well. Players mix up their moves with strong attacks, light attacks and throws. In addition, a filled Rage meter provides some much-needed strength against stronger enemies and groups. Players also tend to other criminal activities, such as stealing car radios (rotating the analog stick to undo the screws), mugging (featuring a "pressure" system to further intimidate the victim), making drug deals and breaking into shops to steal goods and weapons. Some running stages provide tons of enjoyment, as players jump across rooftops and leap over fences, outrunning thugs along the way.

Rockstar does some great work with The Warriors' presentation. Like the console games before it, the PSP version successfully carries the film's tone. Characters resemble their 70's bad-asses, donning leather vests and funky hairstyles (yes, including afros). The levels themselves represent the dark side of Coney Island, right down to where the drug dealers wait. The camera occasionally loses track of a player, especially during big gang fights. Other than that, the game looks sharp.

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