Like Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III, State of Emergency offers the player virtually unlimited scope for mayhem, and huge, sprawling urban environments to explore through missions or nonlinear action. But this time the level of chaos has been upped considerably, as the game offers the potential for hundreds of rioters to be onscreen at once, each with his or her own AI, set of motivations, and loyalties. The environments are intricately interactive; almost any object (including body parts) can be picked up and used as a weapon.

There are two game modes: Revolution and Chaos. Chaos allows for freelance havoc-wreaking, while in Revolution you will be sent on hundreds of missions--ranging from firebombing to gang warfare--all with the ultimate purpose of toppling the tyrannical "corporation" that runs the city.

The violence in this game is cartoony but extreme, and is for the mature gamer only. In fact, children should not even be allowed in the same room when the game is being played. For the mature gamer, however, State of Emergency will forever change the concept of what a video game can be.