"T" must be a really powerful letter. In Resident Evil it was used to denote the world's most damaging virus. In Terminator II: Judgment Day, the villain-turned-good-guy was sent back in time to destroy a liquid robot called T1000. Now in Urban Chaos: Riot Response, players will take control of Nick Mason, a top police officer who belongs to the group T-Zero. T-Zero was created in response to the dozens of violent attacks across the city.

The world has never seen anything like it. Some fear it's too late, and grim news reports don't paint a prettier picture for the future. But Nick can't let a little pessimism stop him. He's got to keep pushing forward, killing these thugs one bullet at a time.

Urban Chaos is yet another addition to the over-populated first-person shooter genre. Give me a fact sheet and I'll say it sounds familiar. Show me a screenshot and I'll think of other violent games. Hand me the controller and it's a whole other story. Seeing the game at E3 led me to believe that the gameplay would be fun, action-packed, and feature a couple of unique teamwork twists. Urban Chaos delivered in that respect, serving up a large helping of enemies, headshots, and rewards for how gang members are killed. That right there is enough for a good rental, but what does it take to make a game worth buying in a world where we've already had several intense shooters on PS2?

That answer differs between great games. Urban Chaos's answer is cinematic presentation. The game is much more involved (physically and visually) than the standard console title, let alone the average FPS. The graphics are current-gen. You can't escape that, not on a console that's been out for almost six years. The cinematics, however, are more than impressive. Rather than using CG movies to provide the most realistic effects possible, Urban Chaos uses its in-game engine – coupled with character ghost, blur, and camera shake – to create an immersive experience akin to the original Metal Gear Solid.

Every scenario is like an action flick come to life. Hostage situations are some of the most memorable. Once notified that someone is in danger, I rush to the scene of the crime-in-the-making. From about 50 feet away I spot a masked man holding a gun to another officer's head. The officer is squealing, acting nothing like he would in a real hostage situation (or in a movie, where he would likely say, "Forget about me! Shoot! You must not let him get away!"). Ignoring the fact that the cop is a whiner, I move into my enemy's sights, unknowingly putting myself in danger. He opens fire, unleashing every bullet in his gun. Stand in his crosshairs for the duration of his firing and you'll die. Dodge the bullets and you'll die. Peak over corners and you'll still probably die.

The only way to survive this ordeal is by using your trusty, bullet-resistant shield. (Contrary to what they say in the movies, I'm told real cops never say "bullet proof" when referring to a vest or shield.) This is where the game gets even better. Every bullet leaves a small hole in your shield. Every hit pushes you back a foot or two. You could be running toward a hostage, and if the perp has a full clip, you won't make any progress!

Eventually everyone has to reload, and that's when you get to spring into action. The game automatically adjusts the camera view, zooming in very slowly. The goal now, as your enemy reloads, is to shoot him in the head while your hostage tilts his body slightly to one side. Successful hits won't mean an instant kill. The game encourages headshots by rewarding you with special medals (200+ of them, each rewarded for going above and beyond the average player. Headshots are one of many things that'll earn you some accolades). But it takes more than one headshot to kill hostage-takers, presumably because of their thick masks. All enemies wear masks in this game, though it seems some provide more protection than others.

Upon killing the enemy the game switches over to a fancy, movie-style, slow-motion effect with the enemy falling to his death. It's a realistic, subtle animation that has the enemy falling in a way that's appropriate to his position, how he was killed, etc. You likely won't see the same animation twice in a row.

The blur and ghost effects are used during gameplay (pay attention to how characters, good or bad, look while standing next to a large flame), during real-time sequences, and during the hostage scenarios described above. When you're not trying to save an endangered cop you're trying to protect a firefighter. Or vice versa. Urban Chaos has a stellar approach to world of serving and protecting by combining the use of police, firefighters, and paramedics.

Paramedics heal you and other downed officers, while firefighters are needed to put out flames, open locked doors, and help in other interesting ways. Some locks can be shot open, but the game does not make that crystal clear. It's not that the developers wanted to confuse us, but as I explore this gritty, dangerous, and mostly realistic world, the last thing I want is to see a gate highlighted in green. That's necessary for other types of games, but not this one. Urban Chaos is for long-time FPS fans, the kind that have played through the Halo and Medal of Honor games of the past.

Gameplay: 8.9
Top-notch, non-stop, super-intense first-person shooting action. Urban Chaos: Riot Response is a different kind of FPS in the best way possible. It does its own thing, but that doesn't mean the developers haven't learned from the genre's best. You'll be on the edge of your seat from the moment the journey begins. There are even hints of puzzles in the game, causing Nick to use his shield for more than just bullet protection.

Graphics: 8.0
Stellar cinematics – some of the best seen on PS2. The animations and camera work are awesome. You'll definitely notice some parallels between Urban Chaos's camera style and 24, as well as other shake-heavy TV shows.

Sound: 8.5
Great music, decent voice acting, and several eerie news reports that warn of the city's growing dangers.

Difficulty: Medium
Mostly challenging, especially when you forget to use your shield. That’ll become second nature really fast. A rookie mode is provided for beginners, but if you need it, chances are you’re not going to beat the game any time soon.

Concept: 8.5
It's not a whole new genre, or a reinvention of one already in existence. Urban Chaos does, however, do a number of things that no other FPS has done – and it keeps you on the edge of your seat while doing them. Boredom is not allowed.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Eight players supported, letting more than one Nick Mason-wannabe become a Nick Mason-wannabe! Exciting, but the best content comes from the single-player campaign.

Overall: 8.5
A wonderful, must-play action game. Urban Chaos is extremely violent and may not be for every FPS lover. But if you've played GTA, you've already seen worse. And if you're 18, I doubt any warnings of blood and gore will be a turn off. Other than that, there's no reason why you wouldn't want to play this game. It's full of action, clever moments, a great soundtrack, outstanding visuals, and is the most fun I've had with a PS2 shooter since Medal of Honor Frontline.