In a dystopian world that combines a dark underworld and elements of the fantastic, the player will be required to infiltrate the gangs of Paradise City on behalf of a powerful government agency that, despite its influence, has been unable to introduce even a glimmer of law and order to this horribly corrupt city. In an intertwining chapter-driven story, the player takes turns controlling one of three gritty characters that, for their own reason, have “volunteered” to get to the bottom of the mystery behind the controlling crime syndicate’s power.

The player's characters will become more powerful as they claw their way up the echelons of the underworld and as their individual stories begin to overlap. As the player’s influence on the city grows, the businesses, the payoffs and the number of confrontations with rival gangs will enable the player to gain experience and become powerful enough to take control of the city piece by piece. After becoming a underworld force to be reckoned with, the player will discover that the gang wars have been masterminded by a secret society, at the head of which are a coterie of terrifyingly dangerous and powerful figures that, it seems, no bullet will stop.

Nicholas “Nick” Porter

Nick Porter didn’t stay alive in his line of work by getting up close and dirty. He prefers rifles and submachine guns, making him an expert in ranged combat. He knows how to place shots carefully where they will do the most damage and, if all else fails, is handy with a less precise
fragmentation grenade.

Porter is a retired thief, a slick individual who on numerous occasions has evaded the authorities by doing something unorthodox and surprising. Porter steals, not as much out of greed (he has little need for the money) but for the challenge. The more difficult the project, the more excited he gets about it. He’s quite the ladies’ man and retired recently to Florida, living there under an assumed name and enjoying the fruits of his ill-gotten gains.

One day the Agency caught up with Porter on his yacht and he was given a simple choice: face serious jail time for his past crimes or do “a small job” for the Agency. Porter knew he didn't really have a choice, so he grabbed a cup of coffee on the way to Paradise City.

Angel Vargas

Angel Vargas is one tough gal. She settles arguments with her fists (and knives, bats, or whatever melee tool of the trade is available) and is a formidable force in close combat, often hitting her opponents before they know what struck them. Knock down punches, slices of the Achilles heel, and critical stabs to arteries and other vitals make her someone best avoided up close in an argument.

Born the oldest in a family of seven children, Angel Vargas had to survive on the streets since she was a kid. Toughened by her hard life, Angel learned how to protect herself and her family and grew up to become an accomplished street fighter. Angel began using her fighting skills on the illegal underground fighting circuit. Her fights took her all over the East Coast. Fearing for her family, still etching out a miserable living in Paradise City,

Angel returned when she was contacted by a mysterious agent, offering her a way to protect her loved ones. Unfortunately, there’s always a catch when being offered a too good to be true deals from enigmatic government agents.

Boris Chekov

Boris Chekov didn’t survive Star Trek jokes in junior high school by being nice about it. The intimidating wheeler and dealer not only knows how to talk smoothly to confuse his opponents, he is also quite able with pistols and knows how to place a triple tap to the forehead at relatively close range with scary efficiency.

The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Boris Chekov joined the LAPD in his early years. Boris quickly realized the entrepreneurial opportunities a gun and badge could provide and began cultivating a network of hustlers, prostitutes and informers. Boris was often tapped by law enforcement as an expert consultant on street crime, without any of his superiors apparently knowing that he was up to his armpits in bribes, misplaced evidence, abuse of power – nor that he had earned his expertise through first hand trial and error.

When Kovacs and his agents showed up and “requested” Boris’ help in infiltrating the criminal underground that runs Paradise City, Boris knew the jig was up.

Escape from Paradise City is coming to North American shores in late summer 2007