Kingpin: Life of Crime
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| Developer(s) | Xatrix Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Interplay Entertainment |
| Engine | id Tech 2 |
| Platform(s) | Linux, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Aggregate score | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 74% |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| CGW |   |
| Edge | 8/10 |
| GamePro | |
| Game Revolution | B− |
| GameSpot | 7.3/10 |
| IGN | 8.3/10 |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 90% |
| PC Gamer (US) | 53% |
| PC Zone | 92% |
| Entertainment Weekly | (Adults) B (Kids) F |
Kingpin: Life of Crime is a first-person shooter developed by Xatrix Entertainment and published by Interplay Entertainment in June 1999. The game begins with the player character wounded and beaten up by Blanco's henchmen, and the story follows his thirst for revenge. Released shortly after the Columbine High School massacre, the game attracted controversy which led it to be dropped from various retailers, despite receiving moderate critical acclaim. The game was ported to Linux.
Set in a quasi-retro time period, Kingpin features a mix of 1930s art deco crossed with modern technology and ideas. Many inventions are conveyed through an art deco style design, like helicopters and monorail networks. The setting is described by the game manual as a "past that never happened".
Set in a city, the world of Kingpin revolves around crime and criminals. The game begins in the most desolate and deprived area of the city, Skidrow, a dystopia where the population consists entirely of criminal elements, prostitutes, and transients. It is here that the player character has been left, after being beaten up by some thugs under the employ of Nikki Blanco, one of the Kingpin's lieutenants. For some reason not explained within the game, Nikki Blanco wants the player out of his territory for good, and the beating is a warning that should he ever return, he can expect much worse.
Kingpin is a game about revenge. Picking up a piece of lead piping as a makeshift weapon, the player plots against Nikki and the Kingpin himself. The player's rise to prominence, and his lust for revenge will take him through various areas of the city: from chemical plants through to steel mills and train yards, and eventually onto Radio City, home of the Kingpin's headquarters.
The game was influenced by the films Pulp Fiction and The Big Lebowski which features many lines of dialogue and characters lifted from both films. A few primary examples would be the main antagonist "The Kingpin" being heavily inspired by the Marsellus Wallace character from Pulp Fiction. The boss you encounter known as "The Jesus" shares the same name and personality as the Bowling champ from the film The Big Lebowski. Also, much of the NPC dialogue is lifted from movie characters. Many generics NPCs will say "Forget about it huh", which is another direct line from the film The Big Lebowski and many female NPCs will quote Jules from Pulp Fiction's "That's cool and the gang!" phrase.
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