View source for 25 to Life

{{Short description|2006 video game}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = 25 to Life
| image = 25 To Life Coverart.png
|caption= North American PlayStation 2 box art
|developer = [[Avalanche Software]]<br>[[Ritual Entertainment]]
|publisher = [[Eidos Interactive]]
|designer =
|engine = 
|released = {{vgrelease|NA|January 18, 2006<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2005 |title=''25 to Life'' to be paroled in January |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/25-to-life-to-be-paroled-in-january/1100-6137140/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=[[GameSpot]] |language=en-US}}</ref>|EU|June 1, 2007 <small>(PS2)</small>|AUS|June 7, 2007 <small>(PS2)</small>}}
|genre = [[Third-person shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
|platforms = [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
}}

'''''25 to Life''''' is a [[third-person shooter]] [[video game]] developed by [[Avalanche Software]] and [[Ritual Entertainment]] and published by [[Eidos Interactive]] for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[PlayStation 2]], and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] and released in 2006.

Set in a modern environment, the game allows the player to play as both a [[Police|cop]] and a [[gangster]], at different times, in a "cops and robbers" style game.  The game can be played online with up to 16 players using the [[PlayStation 2 Expansion Bay#Network Adaptor|network adaptor]] for the PS2 and through [[Xbox Live]] for [[Microsoft]] Xbox, and there is online play for the Windows version as well. While Xbox Live for the original Xbox was shut down in 2010, ''25 to Life'' is now playable online using replacement online servers for the original Xbox called [[Insignia (Xbox)|Insignia]]. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Insignia - 25 to Life |url=https://insignia.live/games/45530018 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=insignia.live |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Xbox |first=Pure |date=2022-12-21 |title=Xbox Live 1.0 Replacement Adds More Supported Titles, 40 Games Now Playable |url=https://www.purexbox.com/news/2022/12/xbox-live-1-0-replacement-adds-more-supported-titles-40-games-now-playable |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Pure Xbox |language=en-GB}}</ref> On purchasing the Windows version, customers would also obtain a free "Street Warriors" playing card, which included a featured character from the game itself.

==Plot==
The game is about a man named Freeze, his friend Shaun Calderon, and police officer Lester Williams in the fictional city of Las Ruinas. Freeze commits crimes with Shaun to get money, which he spends for his family, while Williams is trying to stop the organized crime and across the city.

One night upon returning home, his wife confronts him about these actions. Saying they are a bad influence to their son Darnell, she wants him to stop. After an argument, he agrees. The next day, he tells Shaun he wants out of the game. Shaun levels a gun on Freeze, informing him that he must do one last job, a narcotics trade.

At the deal, Freeze finds the Colombian drug dealers dead and corrupt police officer Maria Mendoza waiting for him. Freeze flees with the police in pursuit and loses them, but loses his money in the process. It is then revealed that Mendoza has been working with Shaun.

The 2nd Street D-Boys realize Freeze wants out of the gang and he has to avoid both his former gang and the police. Shaun also kidnaps Freeze's wife and son for ransom for the money lost in the botched deal. To pay this ransom, he robs a bank. After a gun fight against police, he reaches his getaway car, only to be arrested by Maria.

Meanwhile, Mendoza informs Williams of Shaun. They look for Shaun in his house, but get caught in a gun fight. Williams finds evidence and goes to a club to find Shaun, chasing him to the subway. The chase ends with Williams arresting Shaun, but Mendoza kills him and tells Shaun to leave for Mexico.

Shaun goes to Tijuana and fights his way to a local club called "The Curtains Club". He robs a casino, fights security, and goes to a wealthy man named Saragosa in his penthouse, whom he kills.

Freeze breaks out of jail and gets new clothes at the mall while being chased by the police. He kills Mendoza in the mall and hunts down Shaun, now a wealthy drug kingpin. After engaging Shaun in a shootout with Freeze winning, he kills Shaun by stepping on his neck until he suffocates. Now reunited with his son, though his wife is still missing, the final scene shows Freeze telling Darnell, "From now on, it's just you and me against the world. Now let's do this", as a large number of police officers arrive, with Freeze picking up a gun and pointing it at the police.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| PC = true
| PS2 = true
| XBOX = true
| na = true
| 1UP_PS2 = D−<ref name=1UP>{{cite web |last=Pfister |first=Andrew |date=January 18, 2006 |url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/25-to-life_4 |title=25 to Life (PS2, Xbox) |website=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305142014/http://www.1up.com/reviews/25-to-life_4 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
| 1UP_XBOX = D−<ref name=1UP/>
| Edge_PC = 2/10<ref name=Edge>{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |title=25 to Life |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |issue=160 |date=March 2006 |page=89}}</ref>
| Edge_PS2 = 2/10<ref name=Edge/>
| Edge_XBOX = 2/10<ref name=Edge/>
| GI_PS2 = 5.75/10<ref name=GI/>
| GI_XBOX = 5.75/10<ref name=GI>{{cite magazine |last=Helgeson |first=Matt |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/8A0EC024-B706-473C-9385-1321564F30BF.htm |title=25 to Life (PS2, Xbox) |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |issue=155 |date=March 2006 |page=100 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814045824/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/8A0EC024-B706-473C-9385-1321564F30BF.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 2, 2015}}</ref>
| GSpot_PC = 5.6/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |date=January 19, 2006 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/25-to-life-review/1900-6142710/ |title=25 to Life Review (PC) |website=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-date=May 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516201606/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/25-to-life-review/1900-6142710/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpot_PS2 = 5.7/10<ref name=GSpot>{{cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |date=January 19, 2006 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/25-to-life-review/1900-6142699/ |title=25 to Life Review (PS2, Xbox) |website=GameSpot |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-date=February 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214142111/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/25-to-life-review/1900-6142699/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpot_XBOX = 5.7/10<ref name=GSpot/>
| GSpy_PS2 = {{Rating|1.5|5}}<ref name=GSpy>{{cite web |last=Vasconcellos |first=Eduardo |date=February 14, 2006 |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/25-to-life/688639p1.html |title=GameSpy: 25 to Life (PS2, Xbox) |website=[[GameSpy]] |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105702/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/25-to-life/688639p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpy_XBOX = {{Rating|1.5|5}}<ref name=GSpy/>
| GameZone_PC = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Giacobbi |first=Kevin "BIFF" |date=February 12, 2006 |url=http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/25_to_life_pc_review |title=25 to Life - PC - Review |website=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229195155/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r24037.htm |archivedate=December 29, 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=September 2, 2015}}</ref>
| IGN_PC = 3.3/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Onyett |first=Charles |date=January 17, 2006 |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/681/681676p1.html |title=25 to Life (PC) |website=[[IGN]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070110051346/http://pc.ign.com/articles/681/681676p1.html |archivedate=January 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |accessdate=September 2, 2015}}</ref>
| IGN_PS2 = 3/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Onyett |first=Charles |date=January 17, 2006 |url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/681/681668p1.html |title=25 to Life (PS2) |website=IGN |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231111423/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/681/681668p1.html |archivedate=December 31, 2006 |url-status=dead |accessdate=September 2, 2015}}</ref>
| IGN_XBOX = 3.1/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Onyett |first=Charles |date=January 17, 2006 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/18/25-to-life |title=25 to Life (Xbox) |website=IGN |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-date=May 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528035939/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/18/25-to-life |url-status=live }}</ref>
| OPM_PS2 = {{Rating|1|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=25 to Life |magazine=[[Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine]] |date=April 2006 |page=82}}</ref>
| OXM_XBOX = 2/10<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ryan|last=McCaffrey|url=https://archive.org/details/OXM_2006_03-web/page/n27/mode/2up/|title=25 to Life |magazine=[[Official Xbox Magazine]] |date=March 2006 |page=82|issue=55}}</ref>
| PCGUS_PC = 30%<ref>{{cite journal |title=25 to Life |journal=[[PC Gamer]] |date=April 2006 |page=51}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[Detroit Free Press]]''
| rev1_PS2 = {{Rating|1|4}}<ref name=Detroit>{{cite news|last=Rucker |first=Rashaun |date=February 19, 2006 |url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060219/ENT06/602190324/1044 |title='25 to Life' (PS2) |newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060905220946/http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060219%2FENT06%2F602190324%2F1044 |archivedate=September 5, 2006 |url-status=dead |accessdate=September 2, 2015 }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[USA Today]]''
| rev2_PC = {{Rating|4|10}}<ref name=USAToday>{{cite news |last=Molina |first=Brett |date=February 6, 2006 |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-02-06-25tolife_x.htm |title='25 to Life' isn't punishment enough for awful shooter |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |accessdate=September 2, 2015 |archive-date=November 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110044510/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-02-06-25tolife_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev2_PS2 = {{Rating|4|10}}<ref name=USAToday/>
| rev2_XBOX = {{Rating|4|10}}<ref name=USAToday/>
| MC_PC = 39/100<ref name=MCPC>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/25-to-life/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=25 to Life for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=September 1, 2015 |archive-date=October 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024121013/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/25-to-life |url-status=live }}</ref>
| MC_PS2 = 39/100<ref name=MCPS2>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/25-to-life/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=25 to Life for PlayStation 2 Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=September 1, 2015 |archive-date=November 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151111065541/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/25-to-life |url-status=live }}</ref>
| MC_XBOX = 41/100<ref name=MCXB>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/25-to-life/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=25 to Life for Xbox Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=September 1, 2015 |archive-date=September 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906063728/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/25-to-life |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
''25 to Life'' received "unfavorable" reviews on all platforms according to video game [[review aggregator]] [[Metacritic]].<ref name=MCPC/><ref name=MCXB/><ref name=MCPS2/>

''[[Hyper (magazine)|Hyper]]'''s Maurice Branscombe commented that the game's soundtrack was okay only "if you like rap." However, he criticised the game as "absolutely unadulterated bullshit."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Branscombe |first=Maurice |title=25 to Life |journal=[[Hyper (magazine)|Hyper]] |publisher=[[Next Media]] |issue=167 |date=September 2007 |page=66 |issn=1320-7458}}</ref>

''[[USA Today]]'' gave the game a score of four stars out of ten and stated that its only strong quality "is a decent multiplayer mode. Most of the action is team-based, allowing you to choose between police or thugs. Players can choose to rob a location and return the stash to their home turf, raid a criminal hangout, or engage in an all-out deathmatch. Freeze's goal at the start of this story was to get out of the "game." Five minutes slogging through this shooter will have players wanting the same."<ref name=USAToday/> 

''[[The A.V. Club]]'' gave it a D+ and called it "a half-baked copy of someone's urban nightmare."<ref>{{cite news |last=Dahlen |first=Chris |date=February 15, 2006 |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/25-to-life-9343 |title=25 To Life |newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217062317/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/45471 |archivedate=February 17, 2006 |url-status=live |accessdate=September 2, 2015}}</ref>

''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' gave the PS2 version one star out of four and stated that it "lacks everything that would make it new, innovative or just plain fun. The graphics are really muddy and sub-par. The controls seem to be a bit confusing."<ref name="Detroit" />

{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060129092950/http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/175835.html GamePolitics: Thompson Urges Injunction, Police Seizures of ''25 To Life'']
* [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/23/sbt.01.html CNN's Showbiz Tonight Reports on ''25 To Life'']
*{{moby game|id=/25-to-life}}

{{Avalanche Software}}

[[Category:2006 video games]]
[[Category:Avalanche Software games]]
[[Category:Eidos Interactive games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Organized crime video games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2 games]]
[[Category:Ritual Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Video games about police officers]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games featuring black protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games set in New York City]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xbox games]]