25 to Life gets time on the Web

The Web just got some more street cred. Eidos today announced the launch of the 25 to Life Web site. The title is an updated version of cops and robbers, letting gamers choose to enforce the law or break it. 25 to Life hits the streets on March 1, 2005, for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

The Web site captures the spirit of the game by immediately letting visitors choose one of two sides: cops or gangsters. Each side is themed appropriately, with the home page for the gangsters being called "the crib" and the home page for the police being called "the station." Although the site is still under construction, browsers can view screenshots, write in the forums, and listen to tracks from the game, which includes music from DMX and J-Live.

In the game, players will team up with their gangs to start a criminal empire or fellow officers to protect and serve the public. Each side has strengths and weaknesses, and Eidos has done its best to balance each side. The cops are restricted to certain weapons, but have greater accuracy with them. Gangsters, on the other hand, can use any weapon, but with less proficiency. Cops will have helicopter support to help them locate crooks, and gangsters have members of the neighborhood keeping on eye out for the police.

The title will feature both a single-player campaign and an online component. The online modes will include a capture the flag variant and deathmatch, and reward those who put some time into the game by allowing gamers to outfit their thug or officer's appearance based on their experience--certain pieces of apparel are available only to those who've earned their stripes or have gained respect in the hood.

We'll have more on 25 to Life soon. In the meantime, check out GameSpot's brand-new preview.