This product is like new. At NexWave Games, like new means:
Additionally, all discs at NexWave Games are carefully inspected and assessed for quality. When discs arrive, we do not accept any that are so badly damaged that they are unlikely to work. We only accept discs with light scratches at most. Discs with scratches are then treated in our professional disc repair machine. By warming the disc and polishing it with soft brushes, these machines can remove a very thin layer from the disc. This removes the layer containing surface scratches and improves the disc’s readability. This ensures the disc works properly, even on consoles with ageing lasers that have difficulty reading games! Great news for the player.
Dead to Rights for PlayStation 2
Dead to Rights for PlayStation 2 is an action game about police officer Jack Slate and his dog Shadow. A call in Grant City draws Jack into a network of crime and corruption. Before long, he has to flee the police himself and find out who framed him. You follow his journey through separate chapters featuring gunfights, unarmed combat and short tasks that interrupt the pursuit. The camera usually stays behind Jack, letting you see his movements and the enemies around him.
During gunfights, you can lock onto targets, aim manually and fire in slow motion while diving. If an enemy comes close, you can take their weapon or use them as a human shield. Empty-handed, Jack has punches, kicks and defensive moves. Shadow helps by attacking an opponent and bringing back a weapon. You therefore keep choosing whether to spend ammunition, risk closing the distance or send in the dog to create space.
You play the campaign alone with a standard PS2 controller. Shadow is not a character for a second player; at certain points, the game gives you direct control of the dog yourself. Other passages involve tasks such as opening locks or a short test of strength. These interludes briefly change what the controls require of you. Between such scenes, Jack's movement, cover and bullet supply remain decisive. No Multitap or additional controller is needed for this story.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 2 games are PAL editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
Dead to Rights for PlayStation 2 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of Dead to Rights
Namco Hometek developed Dead to Rights as an original crime story with a strong emphasis on cinematic action. The game first appeared on Xbox in 2002 and reached PlayStation 2 in North America that same year. The European PS2 release followed in 2003. Jack Slate and Shadow thus began a series that would later involve other developers and consoles. This edition is the first story, not Dead to Rights II or the much later reimagining Dead to Rights: Retribution.
The premise uses familiar elements of crime films: a betrayed police officer, a corrupt city and a protagonist fighting his way through increasingly desperate situations. The influence of Hong Kong action is particularly visible in the dives, dual-wielded guns and transitions to close combat. Disarming makes that transition practically important. Jack can turn a dangerous gunman into a source of fresh ammunition, with the player taking the risk of moving close.
Shadow gives that familiar cinematic image a game mechanic of its own. The dog is not merely present in the story, but also helps with attacks, retrieving weapons and several separate tasks. At the same time, minigames divide the campaign into distinct episodes rather than providing a city to drive around freely. In the PS2 version, that variety forms the core of Jack's journey. The emphasis remains on one controlled hero with a canine partner; a co-operatively playable campaign is not part of this original game.
Similar games for PlayStation 2
Max Payne on PS2 likewise combines an embattled police officer, a crime story and shooting dives in slow motion. His adventure places more emphasis on aiming and the narrative surrounding his personal loss. Dead to Rights adds a more extensive system for disarming, fistfights and assistance from Shadow. An encounter with a gunman can therefore take a different turn here: you steal their weapon or let the dog create an opening.
The Punisher shares third-person gunfights and the use of enemies as human shields. Frank Castle interrogates criminals and earns points to improve himself and his equipment. Jack Slate additionally has Shadow and greater variety from short minigames. Both PS2 games follow a set campaign, but Dead to Rights places its own emphasis on working with the dog and disarming enemies during the action.
Like Dead to Rights, Oni lets you take weapons and switch to fighting with fists and feet in the middle of a gunfight. Konoko's science-fiction adventure builds a larger repertoire of throws and movement combinations, while Jack also uses human shields, slow-motion dives and his dog. The same choice between closing in and keeping your distance therefore takes on a different character. In Oni, your physical movement matters most; here, when you deploy Shadow matters too.
The Getaway also uses a crime story with a protagonist pursued by violent organisations. There, driving through London forms a large part of progression, alongside gunfights and seeking cover. Dead to Rights divides Grant City into focused action chapters and offers no comparable city map to travel around freely. Variety here comes from types of combat, Shadow and minigames, rather than driving yourself through traffic to an assignment.
True Crime: Streets of LA likewise lets a police officer shoot and fight on PS2 while investigating organised crime. Nick Kang also drives through Los Angeles and can deal with street crimes along the way. Dead to Rights keeps Jack Slate on a set route through chapters. You therefore do not get comparable freedom to choose city activities here; the focus is on surviving the next confrontation and using Shadow.
