If you go all misty eyed when someone mentions Streets of Rage or Double Dragon, then you've either a) got cataracts or b) got a squishy place in your heart for retro side-scrolling beat-'em-ups.
If it's the latter (and we hope it is), then you're going to be over the rose-tinted moon when you see that Rockstar has included Armies of the Night - a playable homage to those classic games of yore - in its upcoming PSP gang banger, The Warriors.
Above: More than a token distraction, Armies of the Night rocks the retrotheque
Dressed in glorious 16-bit-o-vision, Armies of the Night is a brilliant not-really-that-mini minigame, bundling in all the satisfying violence of the main game (minus the super-angry Rage attacks, though) and pitching one or two players (courtesy of WiFi co-op) against all the rival gangs and their bosses as you battle to rescue somegirl from the undoubtedly despicable clutches of someguy or other.
Although it was originally included in the console version of The Warriors, Armies of the Night was only available after completing the game. This time, however, it's ready to play right from the start and, after sampling it during our recent hands-on, it's inclusion from the get-go is real good news, boppers.
January 24, 2007
