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Stranglehold (video game)
Encyclopedia
Stranglehold, or John Woo Presents Stranglehold, is a third-person shooter
developed by Midway Games
' Chicago studio, released in late for Xbox 360
, Microsoft Windows
and PlayStation 3
. It is Midway's first game to use Unreal Engine 3, and was developed in collaboration with John Woo
.
Stranglehold is the sequel to Woo's 1992
Hong Kong action film
, Hard Boiled
, and stars Chow Yun-fat
in a reprisal of his role as hard-boiled cop Inspector "Tequila" Yuen. Stranglehold is the first project on which Woo and Chow have collaborated since Hard Boiled.
, a policeman goes missing. The department is dumbfounded by the disappearance until they receive a ransom call from an unnamed source. The kidnappers request that a single officer appear at Kowloon market. Lee, the chief of police, believes this request to be a trap and plans to send in a squad. One officer, Jerry Ying, disqualifies himself from this role, claiming that an appearance as an officer will blow the cover he's used to infiltrate a Triad group called Dragon Claw. Instead, Inspector Tequila Yuen
decides to go to Kowloon alone, despite Lee's order for him to bring a team. Once in the market, Tequila is attacked by a number of triads, proving Lee's hunch correct. After dispatching the attackers, he discovers the missing officer's badge, only to find a bullethole through the center and a photograph of the dead officer. While engaging in a standoff with the triads, Tequila receives a tip that the officer was assassinated by a group called the Imperial 9s, located in Tai O.
While in Kowloon, Tequila stops in at a teahouse owned by the triad group Golden Kane, where he orders his usual tequila. At one of the teahouse's tables, the Imperial 9s are making a deal with Golden Kane regarding forged passports. Upon the Golden Kane representative's revelation that the man sitting at the bar is a cop, the I9 representative panics and shoots the Golden Kane representative. Shortly afterwards, the I9 is dispatched by Tequila. Enraged that the cop had broken up the deal, the Golden Kane bouncer Kwong Fang attacks Tequila, only to be gunned down. After emerging from the teahouse, Tequila informs his superior that he's going to go to Tai O to investigate further. He also mentions that during the deal he overheard that the Imperial 9s are working under Dragon Claw.
Upon arrival in Tai O, Tequila asks a local fisherman if he knows anything of the triads' activity. The fisherman responds that Tai O is under I9 control, but that Golden Kane is trying to capture it. He also says that the Dragon Claw leader, James Wong, is currently residing on a boat in Tai O. Tequila tracks down Wong and is introduced to his two top men, the "large enough to have his own street address" Dapang and Jerry, the undercover officer who Tequila had personally trained and worked with in the past. Wong reveals that the Golden Kane assassinated the officer and pinned it on his I9s. Tequila, knowing Dragon Claw to be one of the oldest and largest triad groups, asks why Wong hasn't struck back. Wong's reasoning is that Golden Kane has allied with a Russian mob group based in Chicago, the Zakarovs, who have kidnapped his daughter Billie and granddaughter Teko. The Zakarovs plan to hold them for ransom for a slice of Dragon Claw's territory in Hong Kong. Since Wong can't directly move against the Zakarovs, he asks Tequila to go retrieve his family. He needs a man who isn't affiliated with Dragon Claw but cares enough about Billie and Teko to risk his life for them, and who else but Tequila, the husband of Billie and father of Teko? His hands tied, Tequila agrees to go find them. Immediately after the deal is settled, Golden Kane strikes against Dragon Claw's base in Tai O, and Wong charges Tequila with blowing the place to pieces so he can escape. Since this is in police interest anyway, Tequila agrees, planting C4 charges on his way out of Tai O.
Before leaving for Chicago, Tequila makes a stop at the Golden Kane-owned restaurant Mega, where the Golden Kane leader Yung Gi is holding an internet conference with Damon and Vladimir Zakarov. Seeing that the Zakarovs are recognized as philanthropists while still maintaining high standing in the criminal underworld, the relatively young and inexperienced Yung plans to head to Chicago himself in order to see how Zakarov's organization is run. He also mentions retrieving Billie and Teko, as Golden Kane is to be the middleman between the Zakarovs and Dragon Claw in their exchange. During the conference, Yung's right hand man Ty Lok receives a call that they've got unexpected company, and offers to stay and deal with him while Yung escapes. Exasperated that Tequila is still alive after all of Golden Kane's attempts to eliminate him, Yung agrees and exits. Shortly afterward, Tequila arrives in the conference room and is attacked by the muscular Lok, who wields an oversized gun and a belt full of grenades. Despite Lok's superior constitution, Tequila emerges victorious.
In the Zakarovs' penthouse in Chicago, Yung receives word of Lok's death and the destruction of the Mega restaurant. Enraged, he tells the messenger to do him a favor and kill himself. Following the phone call, Yung is approached by Damon Zakarov, who offers to show him his history museum. Uninterested, Yung agrees to go along with it since it's a part of the Zakarovs' operation. As Damon and Yung leave, Vladimir Zakarov glances at a nearby surveillance screen and notes that two men have arrived in the penthouse's parking garage.
As Tequila and Jerry pull into the parking garage, Jerry pulls out his phone and texts Wong with the current information, telling Tequila he needs to keep Wong thinking he's working for him. The two split up, with Tequila covering the lower floor of the penthouse and Jerry covering the upper floor. This plan goes awry, however, when the voice of Vladimir Zakarov booms through the penthouse's PA claiming to have dealt with Tequila's friend. Tequila fights his way through the Zakarov's penthouse to the top floor, eventually coming face to face with Vlad and a gauntlet of trip mines. As Tequila deals with survival in the penthouse suite, Vlad makes his way to a helipad, where a chopper picks him up. As Tequila makes his way to the Zakarov's glass-windowed office, Vlad opens fire with a rocket launcher from the chopper, hovering just outside. Tequila shoots Vlad, causing him to fire a rocket into his own chopper and blow himself out of the sky. On his way out of the penthouse Tequila discovers a wounded Jerry and helps him out.
Tequila buys a ticket to the Zakarovs' museum, and enters to find Damon and Yung negotiating the exchange of Billie and Teko. Damon changes the plans at the last minute, letting Yung take Teko back to Hong Kong but saying he'll bring Billie himself. After a standoff between the Zakarov organization and Golden Kane, Yung agrees and leaves with Teko. Damon retreats into the museum, holding Billie hostage, and Tequila gives pursuit. He eventually catches up and shoots Damon dead in the fossil section of the museum. He tearfully reunites with his wife once more, and tells her he was sent by her father to retrieve her. The reunion is cut short, however, when Jerry bursts into the fossil room and opens fire with two pistols. Tequila pushes Billie behind him to shield her and fires back, but moves to dodge a bullet which catches Billie in the chest. Firing wildly, Tequila manages to nick his former friend and partner in the shoulder, causing him to retreat. Turning to his mortally wounded wife, he holds her as she tells him that the Golden Kane have taken Teko to Hong Kong and asks him to forgive her. With that, Billie expires and an enraged Tequila dashes through the halls of the museum in pursuit of Jerry. When he catches up, Jerry is standing on a catwalk above an exhibit and firing at him with dual submachine guns. A breathless Tequila asks him who paid him off, and Jerry responds that it was the same man who sent Tequila to find her. With that, Jerry takes off running again, and Tequila follows him to a dead end. The two duel each other with very similar moves, with Jerry diving around the room in much the same manner as Tequila. This doesn't prevent the inspector from gunning down his old friend. As he picks up his fallen partner's phone, Tequila texts Wong with a message claiming to have shot Tequila in the head. With that, Tequila tosses the assassinated officer's badge onto his former partner's body and leaves to deal with Yung Gi.
Tequila finds Yung in his office and immediately sits down to strike a bargain with him. He wants his daughter back, but Yung refuses. With the Russians out of the way, he can now trade Teko to Wong for territory in Hong Kong. Tequila tells him he's a fool and shows him a text exchange between Wong and Jerry, where the two mock how stupid the Golden Kanes are and talk about holding a "GK funeral". Tequila further confirms the Dragon Claws' plan by asking Yung if Wong set the time and place for the exchange, to which Yung replies affirmatively. Tequila tells him to change it, and offers to interfere on Golden Kane's behalf. This way, he gets his daughter and his revenge, and Golden Kane can pick up the pieces of what Dragon Claw leaves behind. Everybody wins. Yung agrees to this and calls Wong to change the location of the meeting to his old neighborhood in Kowloon.
In the slums of Kowloon, the exchange goes down seemingly as planned. The only difference; Tequila isn't on time. Yung is forced to improvise, and is unable to stall Dragon Claw until Tequila arrives. As his men bring Teko out of a nearby temple, Tequila bursts from an alleyway and shouts at him for being unable to hold them off. Wong is startled to see him alive after the text he received from Jerry, but nonetheless maintains his composure. He escapes with Teko while Yung, Tequila, and Dapang are locked in a standoff, and as Tequila breaks the standoff by chasing him Dapang guns Yung down and escapes.
Tequila hijacks a nearby car and chases Wong to his estate, but is forced to deal with Wong's impressive security. Wong's men wield a variety of weapons ranging from rocket launchers to throwing knives to helicopter gunships. After Tequila shoots down a helicopter, it crashes through the locked front door of Wong's main stronghold. Tequila enters Wong's inner sanctum to find the old man looking at him through a sniper's scope from a balcony and Dapang wielding two pump-action shotguns. Tequila takes down Dapang, but Wong pins him down with the rifle. As Wong lines up what is sure to be a fatal shot on Tequila, Teko moves behind him and shoves him over the balcony. As the father and daughter reunite, Chief Lee arrives on the scene and returns Tequila's badge, which he had earlier confiscated for insubordination. Tequila and Teko leave the scene, leaving Chief Lee to gripe about how long the paperwork will take.
: 爪龍) are the most powerful Triad in Hong Kong
, led by James Wong. It was founded by Xia Wong during the Opium Wars
in the 1800s as a way to protect his family's shipping business from the British Empire
. However, over time, the Dragon Claw began dealing in heroin, people smuggling
, prostitution
, extortion
and other illegal businesses. They are rivals of the Golden Kane and Imperial Nines.
: 金凱恩) are another Triad group operating in Hong Kong. It was founded by Yung Gi in the slums of Kowloon
when he was 12-years-old. They started out robbing and extorting local businesses, but eventually grew more powerful and are now involved in drug dealing and gambling. They are rivals of the Dragon Claw, but are allied with the Zakarov Syndicate.
: 金凱恩), or I9s, were rivals of the Dragon Claw up until the 1930s when they were defeated and absorbed into the DC. They do still exist, however, but only as a branch of the Dragon Claw organization.
: злочинна сім'я Захарових) are a Ukrainian
Mafia
family based in Chicago, Illinois. Boris and Viktor Zakarov started the gang when they emigrated to the United States
in the early 1980s. They started out running sweatshop
s and illegal immigration schemes but eventually moved into the crack cocaine
market in the late 80's. Boris and Viktor were murdered soon after their nephew, Damon, arrived in the US to help them run the business. He and his brother, Vladmir, now run the gang. They are allies of the Golden Kane Triad, and are made up of gangsters from the former Soviet Union
.
, used in films such as Hard Boiled
and The Killer, to an interactive media
format. Although the game has drawn comparisons to Remedy Entertainment
's Max Payne
franchise, which was influenced by Woo, a more accurate account of both games' creative provenances traces the games to Woo's lengthy, balletic shootouts.
Another form of gameplay comes from the style and grace associated with Woo's balletic firefights. By taking out enemies the player earns stars. The more stylish the kills performed, the more stars received. Taking out enemies in quick succession, or interacting with the environment when taking down opponents, will earn the player the optimum amount of stars. As an incentive to interact with the environment, Tequila receives a bonus to his attack power and defense during interactions.
Tequila also employs several iconic techniques from Woo's movies, referred to as Tequila Bombs. Tequila Bombs require energy to perform. The player gains energy by defeating enemies (equal to the Stars obtained) and by collecting paper cranes hidden about each level.
Stranglehold incorporates location-based damage. The AI responds differently to various hit locations, varying enemy reactions with damage-mapped impact points. This feature is integrated throughout the game, but especially apparent during the second of four Tequila Bombs: Precision Aim. Also, while targets take time to recover from flesh wounds, they will eventually revive (even if unable to stand) and continue to fire until passing out from simulated blood loss.
Stranglehold contains dynamic in-game advertising
, such as posters and billboards for real world products appearing during gameplay.
A trailer for Stranglehold was present as an extra feature in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
.
The PlayStation 3 Collector's Edition includes Hard Boiled
fully remastered in high-definition
and on the same Blu-ray disc
with all the additional game extras and features. The Xbox 360 Collector's Edition includes the same extras and featurettes but on a separate disc without Hard Boiled.
The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 editions were both packed in a tin case with a holographic cover motif.
released a downloadable map pack for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game systems. The map pack features 10 additional multiplayer maps, as well as 21 all-new multiplayer character skins. The Xbox 360 version also includes 10 new achievements worth 250 points.
, Lion Rock Entertainment is making the sequel to John Woo
's Hard Boiled
. The film will be based on the plot of Stranglehold. In a interview with Twitchfilm Terence Chang
announced that the film will be a prequel to Hard Boiled with a much younger Tequila. Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Fung
will direct the film in Singapore and the U.S. with a $20 million dollar budget.
Stranglehold has a generally positive score of 79% at Game Rankings
. IGN gave it a rating of 8.1 out of 10 for its cinematic flair and melodrama in the storyline true to the style of John Woo, enjoyable battles, and slick presentation. However, they said that the visuals were lacking, the game was too short, and inauthentic because the characters do not speak Cantonese. Empire Online gave it a 4 out of 5, also praising its "dynamic action", as well its "bombastic soundtrack" and "slick visuals". GamerNode gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, calling it the "ultimate guy's game." GameSpot gave Stranglehold a 7.0 out of 10, stating that although the game is solid in every department, it is repetitive, due to a short seven-hour single-player game and weak multiplayer. Electronic Gaming Monthly stated that Stranglehold was "a game whose movie influences are more than skin deep."
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:...
developed by Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
' Chicago studio, released in late for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. It is Midway's first game to use Unreal Engine 3, and was developed in collaboration with John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
.
Stranglehold is the sequel to Woo's 1992
Hong Kong films of 1992
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1992:.-1992:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1992 at...
Hong Kong action film
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
, Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
, and stars Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
in a reprisal of his role as hard-boiled cop Inspector "Tequila" Yuen. Stranglehold is the first project on which Woo and Chow have collaborated since Hard Boiled.
Plot
In latter-day Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, a policeman goes missing. The department is dumbfounded by the disappearance until they receive a ransom call from an unnamed source. The kidnappers request that a single officer appear at Kowloon market. Lee, the chief of police, believes this request to be a trap and plans to send in a squad. One officer, Jerry Ying, disqualifies himself from this role, claiming that an appearance as an officer will blow the cover he's used to infiltrate a Triad group called Dragon Claw. Instead, Inspector Tequila Yuen
Tequila Yuen
Inspector "Tequila" Yuen is a fictional character who appears in the 1992 film Hard Boiled and the 2007 video game Stranglehold, played and voiced by Chow Yun-fat. He is an inspector with the Hong Kong Police Force and is extremely skilled with fire arms. He is also a heavy drinker, which led to...
decides to go to Kowloon alone, despite Lee's order for him to bring a team. Once in the market, Tequila is attacked by a number of triads, proving Lee's hunch correct. After dispatching the attackers, he discovers the missing officer's badge, only to find a bullethole through the center and a photograph of the dead officer. While engaging in a standoff with the triads, Tequila receives a tip that the officer was assassinated by a group called the Imperial 9s, located in Tai O.
While in Kowloon, Tequila stops in at a teahouse owned by the triad group Golden Kane, where he orders his usual tequila. At one of the teahouse's tables, the Imperial 9s are making a deal with Golden Kane regarding forged passports. Upon the Golden Kane representative's revelation that the man sitting at the bar is a cop, the I9 representative panics and shoots the Golden Kane representative. Shortly afterwards, the I9 is dispatched by Tequila. Enraged that the cop had broken up the deal, the Golden Kane bouncer Kwong Fang attacks Tequila, only to be gunned down. After emerging from the teahouse, Tequila informs his superior that he's going to go to Tai O to investigate further. He also mentions that during the deal he overheard that the Imperial 9s are working under Dragon Claw.
Upon arrival in Tai O, Tequila asks a local fisherman if he knows anything of the triads' activity. The fisherman responds that Tai O is under I9 control, but that Golden Kane is trying to capture it. He also says that the Dragon Claw leader, James Wong, is currently residing on a boat in Tai O. Tequila tracks down Wong and is introduced to his two top men, the "large enough to have his own street address" Dapang and Jerry, the undercover officer who Tequila had personally trained and worked with in the past. Wong reveals that the Golden Kane assassinated the officer and pinned it on his I9s. Tequila, knowing Dragon Claw to be one of the oldest and largest triad groups, asks why Wong hasn't struck back. Wong's reasoning is that Golden Kane has allied with a Russian mob group based in Chicago, the Zakarovs, who have kidnapped his daughter Billie and granddaughter Teko. The Zakarovs plan to hold them for ransom for a slice of Dragon Claw's territory in Hong Kong. Since Wong can't directly move against the Zakarovs, he asks Tequila to go retrieve his family. He needs a man who isn't affiliated with Dragon Claw but cares enough about Billie and Teko to risk his life for them, and who else but Tequila, the husband of Billie and father of Teko? His hands tied, Tequila agrees to go find them. Immediately after the deal is settled, Golden Kane strikes against Dragon Claw's base in Tai O, and Wong charges Tequila with blowing the place to pieces so he can escape. Since this is in police interest anyway, Tequila agrees, planting C4 charges on his way out of Tai O.
Before leaving for Chicago, Tequila makes a stop at the Golden Kane-owned restaurant Mega, where the Golden Kane leader Yung Gi is holding an internet conference with Damon and Vladimir Zakarov. Seeing that the Zakarovs are recognized as philanthropists while still maintaining high standing in the criminal underworld, the relatively young and inexperienced Yung plans to head to Chicago himself in order to see how Zakarov's organization is run. He also mentions retrieving Billie and Teko, as Golden Kane is to be the middleman between the Zakarovs and Dragon Claw in their exchange. During the conference, Yung's right hand man Ty Lok receives a call that they've got unexpected company, and offers to stay and deal with him while Yung escapes. Exasperated that Tequila is still alive after all of Golden Kane's attempts to eliminate him, Yung agrees and exits. Shortly afterward, Tequila arrives in the conference room and is attacked by the muscular Lok, who wields an oversized gun and a belt full of grenades. Despite Lok's superior constitution, Tequila emerges victorious.
In the Zakarovs' penthouse in Chicago, Yung receives word of Lok's death and the destruction of the Mega restaurant. Enraged, he tells the messenger to do him a favor and kill himself. Following the phone call, Yung is approached by Damon Zakarov, who offers to show him his history museum. Uninterested, Yung agrees to go along with it since it's a part of the Zakarovs' operation. As Damon and Yung leave, Vladimir Zakarov glances at a nearby surveillance screen and notes that two men have arrived in the penthouse's parking garage.
As Tequila and Jerry pull into the parking garage, Jerry pulls out his phone and texts Wong with the current information, telling Tequila he needs to keep Wong thinking he's working for him. The two split up, with Tequila covering the lower floor of the penthouse and Jerry covering the upper floor. This plan goes awry, however, when the voice of Vladimir Zakarov booms through the penthouse's PA claiming to have dealt with Tequila's friend. Tequila fights his way through the Zakarov's penthouse to the top floor, eventually coming face to face with Vlad and a gauntlet of trip mines. As Tequila deals with survival in the penthouse suite, Vlad makes his way to a helipad, where a chopper picks him up. As Tequila makes his way to the Zakarov's glass-windowed office, Vlad opens fire with a rocket launcher from the chopper, hovering just outside. Tequila shoots Vlad, causing him to fire a rocket into his own chopper and blow himself out of the sky. On his way out of the penthouse Tequila discovers a wounded Jerry and helps him out.
Tequila buys a ticket to the Zakarovs' museum, and enters to find Damon and Yung negotiating the exchange of Billie and Teko. Damon changes the plans at the last minute, letting Yung take Teko back to Hong Kong but saying he'll bring Billie himself. After a standoff between the Zakarov organization and Golden Kane, Yung agrees and leaves with Teko. Damon retreats into the museum, holding Billie hostage, and Tequila gives pursuit. He eventually catches up and shoots Damon dead in the fossil section of the museum. He tearfully reunites with his wife once more, and tells her he was sent by her father to retrieve her. The reunion is cut short, however, when Jerry bursts into the fossil room and opens fire with two pistols. Tequila pushes Billie behind him to shield her and fires back, but moves to dodge a bullet which catches Billie in the chest. Firing wildly, Tequila manages to nick his former friend and partner in the shoulder, causing him to retreat. Turning to his mortally wounded wife, he holds her as she tells him that the Golden Kane have taken Teko to Hong Kong and asks him to forgive her. With that, Billie expires and an enraged Tequila dashes through the halls of the museum in pursuit of Jerry. When he catches up, Jerry is standing on a catwalk above an exhibit and firing at him with dual submachine guns. A breathless Tequila asks him who paid him off, and Jerry responds that it was the same man who sent Tequila to find her. With that, Jerry takes off running again, and Tequila follows him to a dead end. The two duel each other with very similar moves, with Jerry diving around the room in much the same manner as Tequila. This doesn't prevent the inspector from gunning down his old friend. As he picks up his fallen partner's phone, Tequila texts Wong with a message claiming to have shot Tequila in the head. With that, Tequila tosses the assassinated officer's badge onto his former partner's body and leaves to deal with Yung Gi.
Tequila finds Yung in his office and immediately sits down to strike a bargain with him. He wants his daughter back, but Yung refuses. With the Russians out of the way, he can now trade Teko to Wong for territory in Hong Kong. Tequila tells him he's a fool and shows him a text exchange between Wong and Jerry, where the two mock how stupid the Golden Kanes are and talk about holding a "GK funeral". Tequila further confirms the Dragon Claws' plan by asking Yung if Wong set the time and place for the exchange, to which Yung replies affirmatively. Tequila tells him to change it, and offers to interfere on Golden Kane's behalf. This way, he gets his daughter and his revenge, and Golden Kane can pick up the pieces of what Dragon Claw leaves behind. Everybody wins. Yung agrees to this and calls Wong to change the location of the meeting to his old neighborhood in Kowloon.
In the slums of Kowloon, the exchange goes down seemingly as planned. The only difference; Tequila isn't on time. Yung is forced to improvise, and is unable to stall Dragon Claw until Tequila arrives. As his men bring Teko out of a nearby temple, Tequila bursts from an alleyway and shouts at him for being unable to hold them off. Wong is startled to see him alive after the text he received from Jerry, but nonetheless maintains his composure. He escapes with Teko while Yung, Tequila, and Dapang are locked in a standoff, and as Tequila breaks the standoff by chasing him Dapang guns Yung down and escapes.
Tequila hijacks a nearby car and chases Wong to his estate, but is forced to deal with Wong's impressive security. Wong's men wield a variety of weapons ranging from rocket launchers to throwing knives to helicopter gunships. After Tequila shoots down a helicopter, it crashes through the locked front door of Wong's main stronghold. Tequila enters Wong's inner sanctum to find the old man looking at him through a sniper's scope from a balcony and Dapang wielding two pump-action shotguns. Tequila takes down Dapang, but Wong pins him down with the rifle. As Wong lines up what is sure to be a fatal shot on Tequila, Teko moves behind him and shoves him over the balcony. As the father and daughter reunite, Chief Lee arrives on the scene and returns Tequila's badge, which he had earlier confiscated for insubordination. Tequila and Teko leave the scene, leaving Chief Lee to gripe about how long the paperwork will take.
Dragon Claw
The Dragon Claw (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 爪龍) are the most powerful Triad in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, led by James Wong. It was founded by Xia Wong during the Opium Wars
Opium Wars
The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire...
in the 1800s as a way to protect his family's shipping business from the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. However, over time, the Dragon Claw began dealing in heroin, people smuggling
People smuggling
People smuggling is defined as "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents"...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
and other illegal businesses. They are rivals of the Golden Kane and Imperial Nines.
Golden Kane
The Golden Kane (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 金凱恩) are another Triad group operating in Hong Kong. It was founded by Yung Gi in the slums of Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
when he was 12-years-old. They started out robbing and extorting local businesses, but eventually grew more powerful and are now involved in drug dealing and gambling. They are rivals of the Dragon Claw, but are allied with the Zakarov Syndicate.
Imperial Nines
The Imperial Nines (ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 金凱恩), or I9s, were rivals of the Dragon Claw up until the 1930s when they were defeated and absorbed into the DC. They do still exist, however, but only as a branch of the Dragon Claw organization.
Zakarov Syndicate
The Zakarov crime family (UkrainianUkrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
: злочинна сім'я Захарових) are a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
family based in Chicago, Illinois. Boris and Viktor Zakarov started the gang when they emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the early 1980s. They started out running sweatshop
Sweatshop
Sweatshop is a negatively connoted term for any working environment considered to be unacceptably difficult or dangerous. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for very low pay, regardless of laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labour laws may be violated. Sweatshops may have...
s and illegal immigration schemes but eventually moved into the crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
market in the late 80's. Boris and Viktor were murdered soon after their nephew, Damon, arrived in the US to help them run the business. He and his brother, Vladmir, now run the gang. They are allies of the Golden Kane Triad, and are made up of gangsters from the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Influences
Stranglehold attempts to translate the gun ballet aesthetic popularized by director John WooJohn Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
, used in films such as Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
and The Killer, to an interactive media
Interactive media
Interactive media normally refers to products and services on digital computer-based systems which respond to the user’s actions by presenting content such as text, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc.-Terminology:...
format. Although the game has drawn comparisons to Remedy Entertainment
Remedy Entertainment
Remedy Entertainment is a Finnish computer game developer founded in 1995 and based in Espoo, Finland. The company is best known for its Max Payne and Alan Wake series of video games.-History:...
's Max Payne
Max Payne
Max Payne is a BAFTA Award–winning third-person shooter video game developed by Finnish developers Remedy Entertainment and published by Gathering of Developers in July 2001 for Microsoft Windows. Ports created later in the year for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and the GameBoy Advance were published by...
franchise, which was influenced by Woo, a more accurate account of both games' creative provenances traces the games to Woo's lengthy, balletic shootouts.
Gameplay
During play, jumping in any direction or interacting with any object while aiming at an opponent (or pressing a certain button) will slow time, creating a short window during which Tequila can shoot at targets. This technique— called Tequila Time —generates a cinematic effect that mimics Woo's. Tequila Time is managed through a meter which drains with use and regenerates with time. Tequila can also make use of his environment, moving up and down railings, swinging from chandeliers, and sliding across tabletops and riding on carts while shooting at enemies.Another form of gameplay comes from the style and grace associated with Woo's balletic firefights. By taking out enemies the player earns stars. The more stylish the kills performed, the more stars received. Taking out enemies in quick succession, or interacting with the environment when taking down opponents, will earn the player the optimum amount of stars. As an incentive to interact with the environment, Tequila receives a bonus to his attack power and defense during interactions.
Tequila also employs several iconic techniques from Woo's movies, referred to as Tequila Bombs. Tequila Bombs require energy to perform. The player gains energy by defeating enemies (equal to the Stars obtained) and by collecting paper cranes hidden about each level.
Development
Stranglehold uses a heavily modified version of the Unreal Engine 3. Among these modifications is Massive Destruction (also known as Massive D), a set of physics technologies that allows players to destroy nearly every object in a given level. Stranglehold also incorporates a body swapping technique that randomizes parts of enemy character models, producing varied characters rather than repetitious clones.Stranglehold incorporates location-based damage. The AI responds differently to various hit locations, varying enemy reactions with damage-mapped impact points. This feature is integrated throughout the game, but especially apparent during the second of four Tequila Bombs: Precision Aim. Also, while targets take time to recover from flesh wounds, they will eventually revive (even if unable to stand) and continue to fire until passing out from simulated blood loss.
Stranglehold contains dynamic in-game advertising
In-game advertising
In-game advertising refers to advertising in computer and video games. IGA differs from advergaming, which refers to a game specifically made to advertise a product.The IGA industry is large and growing...
, such as posters and billboards for real world products appearing during gameplay.
A trailer for Stranglehold was present as an extra feature in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is the seventh game in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The PlayStation 2 version was released in stores on October 11, 2006 while the Xbox version was released on the October 16, with a Wii version released on May 29, 2007 in North America.The game was not released...
.
Collector's Edition
Midway released a Collector's Edition for next-gen console versions of the game.The PlayStation 3 Collector's Edition includes Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
fully remastered in high-definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
and on the same Blu-ray disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
with all the additional game extras and features. The Xbox 360 Collector's Edition includes the same extras and featurettes but on a separate disc without Hard Boiled.
The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 editions were both packed in a tin case with a holographic cover motif.
Updates and downloadable content
On December 6, 2007 MidwayMidway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
released a downloadable map pack for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game systems. The map pack features 10 additional multiplayer maps, as well as 21 all-new multiplayer character skins. The Xbox 360 version also includes 10 new achievements worth 250 points.
Film adaptation
According to The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
, Lion Rock Entertainment is making the sequel to John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
's Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled
Hard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
. The film will be based on the plot of Stranglehold. In a interview with Twitchfilm Terence Chang
Terence Chang
Terence Chang Chia-Chen is a Hong Kong and American film producer.-Career:Chang is one of John Woo's long time friends and favoured producers...
announced that the film will be a prequel to Hard Boiled with a much younger Tequila. Hong Kong actor-director Stephen Fung
Stephen Fung
Stephen Fung Tak-Lun is a Hong Kong based actor, singer, model, writer and film director.-Biography:Fung's mother, Julie Sek Yin, was a famous Shaw Brothers actress...
will direct the film in Singapore and the U.S. with a $20 million dollar budget.
Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Xbox 360 | |
| Game Informer Game Informer Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations... |
7.25/10 |
| IGN IGN IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment... |
8.1/10 |
| Empire Online Empire Online Livermore Investment Group is an investment company established by Arnon Katz and Noam Lanir traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol . Formerly known as Empire Online, the company was created in 2002... |
4/5 |
| GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which... |
7.0/10 |
| GameTrailers GameTrailers GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create... |
7.7/10 |
| Official Xbox Magazine Official Xbox Magazine Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and... |
7.0/10 |
Stranglehold has a generally positive score of 79% at Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. IGN gave it a rating of 8.1 out of 10 for its cinematic flair and melodrama in the storyline true to the style of John Woo, enjoyable battles, and slick presentation. However, they said that the visuals were lacking, the game was too short, and inauthentic because the characters do not speak Cantonese. Empire Online gave it a 4 out of 5, also praising its "dynamic action", as well its "bombastic soundtrack" and "slick visuals". GamerNode gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, calling it the "ultimate guy's game." GameSpot gave Stranglehold a 7.0 out of 10, stating that although the game is solid in every department, it is repetitive, due to a short seven-hour single-player game and weak multiplayer. Electronic Gaming Monthly stated that Stranglehold was "a game whose movie influences are more than skin deep."