The Shield review

Vic Mackey doesn't answer to you. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not even on Cinco de Mayo. Pardon the grizzled cop-speak, but if you're not already wincing at dialogue oozing with that type of machismo, then The Shield may be right up your dark and drug-infested alley. For those unfamiliar with FX's show, Mackey is an officer who "plays by his own set of rules," but what cop doesn't nowadays? No, our bald protagonist goes it a step further into the gray void of morality by stealing and planting evidence, pummeling suspects in custody and actively ripping off the crooks he should be putting behind bars.

Above: "Didn't mean to interrupt your game of butt darts." - actual game dialogue

Therein lies the game's most interesting feature, Vic's Heat meter. Getting the job done using more *cough* unorthodox methods will cause your Heat meter to rise, possibly resulting in the failure of your mission. To keep the scrutiny down, you can lower the heat meter by arresting perps "by the book" or turning in evidence instead of stashing it into your team's "retirement fund."

Fans will love seeing all the show's gritty details - and then some - intact within the game. The characters are here, and so are the true-to-detail Farmington precinct and the herky-jerky camera. Also, going beyond the show, say hello to the F-word.