| Name | Reviewer | Quote | Score |
| The Adrenaline Vault (PlayStation 2) | Mike Laidlaw | It's tempting to both laud praise and fling invective in the general direction of State of Emergency, since it inspires strong emotions in those who play it. | 3.5 out of 5 |
| VideoGameNews.net (PlayStation 2) | Michael Palisano | This is an intense game and the action is loads of fun but State of Emergency’s violence means that it’s definitely not recommended for children. | Thumbs Up |
| TechTV.com (PlayStation 2) | Matthew Keil | "State of Emergency" is a mediocre game aware of its own shortcomings. It uses its controversial theme to ride a wave of politically correct outrage into the game-buying public's consciousness. | 2.0 out of 5 |
| GamerWeb.com (PlayStation 2) | John Nieves | Overall, State of Emergency is a fun beat 'em up that is only fun for a few hours. The more you play, the more you come to realize that you have already peaked as far as game progress goes with it. | 7.0 out of 10 |
| PSXNation.com (PlayStation 2) | Brian Shroom Gray | Despite its limited depth, State Of Emergency is a lengthy beat-em up that truly shines in short bursts. Play this in short intervals of ten minutes or so a day and you’ll find it lasting you weeks. | 7.0 out of 10 |
| PlanetPS2.com (PlayStation 2) | Scott Osborne | State of Emergency thrusts you into an orgy of mindless death and destruction, one that you get to cause. If you stick to the arcade-style Kaos mode, it can be solid fun. If only the rest of the game were as strong, and if only the thrills lasted longer. | 70 out of 100 |
| MaximOnline.com (PlayStation 2) | Alex Porter | Such virtual destruction may once have seemed innocent, but these days the whole thing hits a little close to home. | 3.0 out of 5 |
| The-Laser.com | Michael Palisano | While some will undoubtedly be offended by the violence and use this to condemn it, that doesn’t mean it’s totally without merit. The solid gameplay make it much more than a cheap exercise in shock value because State of Emergency is a highly entertaining title. | A- |
| IGN.com (PlayStation 2) | Douglass C. Perry | It's fun as hell for a while, and you may put in down after only an hour. But it's the kind of game that you put down, and three days later, its sheer accessibility makes it instantly fresh again. | 8.3 out of 10 |
| Gaming-Age.com (PlayStation 2) | Calvin Smith | Wasted potential. Those two words sum up State of Emergency pretty nicely. | D+ |
| GameZone.com (PlayStation 2) | Kevin Krause | State of Emergency is a game that's thoroughly addicting and sickly entertaining, both of which make it a great addition to Rockstar's impressive lineup. | 8.3 out of 10 |
| GameSpot.com (PlayStation 2) | Jeff Gerstmann | The best part about State of Emergency is the way every facet of the game comes together to form a perfect feeling of panic. | 8.5 out of 10 |
| GameShark.com (PlayStation 2) | Nick | While State Of Emergency does have quite a few side games for your amusement, the main objective throughout is simply to beat your own score. | 5.1 out of 10 |
| GamesDomain.com (PlayStation 2) | Jayne Bowen | State of Emergency is simple, engaging and spot-on in terms of presenting controversial material in a humorous and tongue-in-cheek manner. | 4.0 out of 5 |
| GamersHell.com (PlayStation 2) | Chris Bagel | The presentation of this game is where it really fell short. The menus were really boring and hard to understand at times. | 6.0 out of 10 |
| GamePro.com (PlayStation 2) | Major Mike | Despite its quickly worn welcome State of Emergency’s worth a play if you’re in the mood to inflict some serious virtual mass destruction. | N/A |
| Game-Revolution.com (PlayStation 2) | Ben Silverman | For a game that's supposed to simulate the chaotic nature of a full-blown riot, the strictly linear flow and claustrophobic design slams a few nails in the coffin. | C- |
| FHM.com (PlayStation 2) | David Moynihan | Good looking, ridiculously fun and hopelessly addictive, Rockstar games – home to Grand Theft Auto – have gone and created another knock-out game. | 4.0 out of 5 |
| The Electric Playground (PlayStation 2) | Staff | The game is a technical gem for the sheer crowd-sized freak-out it can deliver, but there are a few problems. | 8.5 out of 10 |
| ArmchairEmpire.com (PlayStation 2) | Doug Flowe | The good features were buried underneath shallow game play, an underdeveloped story and pathetic character development. | 5.0 out of 10 |
| AllPS2.com (PlayStation 2) | James Bottorff | If you take State of Emergency for what it is, an arcade-style fighting simulation, you'll find a lot to like. | 3.5 out of 5 |
| AllOutGames.com (PlayStation 2) | Eddie Skrzyniarz | This is a very fun game, but it is not for everyone. If you liked Streets of Rage or Final Fight, you will love this game. If you despised those games, State of Emergency won't change your opinion. | 84% |