District 187: Sin Streets preview - Free-to-play gang warfare

At first glance, District 187: Sin Streets looks just like any other FPS out on the market. Urban warfare between police SWAT teams and various gangs has broken out, and it's up to you to choose a side, jump into various team based multiplayer matches, and try to turn your opponents into Swiss cheese. But when we heard what the developers at CJ Game Lab are planning in terms of game modes and clan functionality, they had us intrigued.

In District 187, clans are a huge focus, so the game modes reflect heavily on team-based gameplay, and there is a persistent clan progression system. Along with standard game types like team deathmatch, bomb mode, and capture-the-flag, the game features modes that will drop you in the middle of a cops-and-robbers-style bank heist or assign you to assassinate an NPC boss. In the Bank Heist game mode, SWAT players must to protect an open bank vault while gang faction players try to push through the defenses, grab the bank's loot, and bring it back to their safe zone. We didn't get too many details on the boss mode, but from what we've gathered, it sounds like an escort mission -- one team protects a VIP, while the opposition tries to kill the target.

Once you develop a strong team and decide to create a clan, your clan has the option to participate in Street Fight events that occur four times a week. If your team wins enough matches, you can claim territory in parts of the city, which will earn everyone in your clan specific bonuses - depending on which district you own. Street Fight seems like it could create an interesting dynamic between clans, as player groups develop rivalries over contested territories. In addition, weekend events will allow clans and individual players to participate in community requested competitions, like tournaments.

District 187 plays much like many keyboard-and-mouse FPS games do. You have the option to wield various rifles, shotguns, secondary pistols, and grenades, all of which can be swapped out and upgraded on the character customization screen. The map we played was full of narrow passages and confined rooms, which caters to faster-paced combat. Scoring kills earns both experience points and gold, which you can use to upgrade your character. Experience points makes advanced weapons and equipment available for purchase, which you then have to buy with gold. Once you have a weapon, you can also purchase additional attachments, like scopes and silencers to fit your play style.

District 187 has some interesting elements that might set it apart from most FPS titles, and at the price of "free," it will definitely be worth at try when it releases this October.

Want to get in on the action early? District 187 is having a closed beta starting September 18. Sign up at the official District 187 website.