It's here, at last!

To say that I loved the original GTA would be putting it mildly. When I think about the number of hours spent playing single player and multiplayer at LANs, running down my buddies and cooking them with flame-throwers, it brings back nothing but pleasant memories. The sheer.... Naughtiness of the whole thing was just so compelling. I've been looking forward to the new game, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. It's just as deliciously evil as it's predecessors, but with way WAY more sweet action and graphics. The premise behind the games is pretty simple. You're a kind of evil office gopher. Rather than fetching everyone their coffee, you're running drugs, assassinating thugs, carjacking little old ladies, outrunning the cops and generally doing things that your mom always warned you not to do. In fact, if my mother ever saw this game she'd he horrified. (Heh. Try picking up a hooker and parking in a dark alley if you REALLY want to see why.)

Excellent.

Backstory

During a bank robbery your bitch of a girlfriend turns on you and leaves you for dead... But you don't die, you just wind up getting your sorry ass arrested. During a daring prison transfer van hijacking you end up getting loose and back on the streets to continue your life as the underworld's UPS delivery boy. As you continue through the game you'll learn all about the different characters, and what they're all about.

Gameplay/Missions

The game plays like a third person shooter with cars. Sort of. As you continue through the game you'll be making contacts with the various underworld characters who make Liberty City the worse place in America. Mafia Dons, street thugs, pimps and other not so nice people will give you missions to complete. Hear a phone ringing? Answer it. More missions. People who will give you missions are marked on your map/compass as well as your hideout. While on a mission, the objectives are marked on your maps. Most excellent, I hate wandering around trying to figure out what to do next. You will have to remember certain spots in the game, such as Ammu-nation (All your killing needs!) and yea old paintshop, just in case you need to ditch the cops. There's a handy dandy map with the game (Which looks great up on the wall) as well as a smaller map in the manual. Check the alleyways, as you'll find powerups and special items scattered throughout the maps. There are also special vehicles hidden around. Find them, it's worth it!

Missions vary from mundane "go here, pick up someone, bring them here" to assassinations, deliveries, bomb plantings, body guard duty and various other nefarious deeds. The game is extremely open ended. Want to do the missions? Great. Just want to run around and do whatever? Do that. I have quite a few friends who spend most of their time trying to pull off sweet jumps and other tricks for money. (heh. Insane stunt bonuses rock!) They also seem to enjoy just trying to outrun the cops. :) If you wish to go to the other parts of the city (There are three: Portland: the industrial section, (Where you start the game) Staunton Island: The corporate island and Shoreside Vale, where all the crooks and hoods go home at night) you will have to follow the plot to unlock them.

If you're in the mood for it, steal a cab, cop car or ambulance for additional missions to earn a little money. Personally I like the cop car. Vigilante missions rocks. Some friends do seem to enjoy the other ones. Personally I find that all my taxi clients end up fleeing in terror. As a sidenote, I found it pretty amusing that all the taxi drivers are East Indian. That's going to offend someone out there. :) As a highly entertaining note, carjack a taxi driver, then hit CAPS-LOCK for a mission. The guy you just threw out of his car will always need a ride. LOL! :):)

Trying to get around the city quickly? No problems, there's lots of ways to get around. The primary mode of transportation in LC seems to be carjacking. See a car you like? Just yank the driver out and take off. Be careful though. Some drivers aren't going to be amused at your liberties with their properties and will pull you out and beat you. Also, never try to carjack a cop. That always ends poorly. As an alternative to the FUN and preferred mode of getting wheels you can always be boring and catch the subway or the overhead train, and apparently take a boat and plane as well. (Haven't gotten that far in the game yet, too busy running people down.) The train is also a great way to ditch the cops. Just hop on and ride around for a bit and they seem to loose track of you. Sweet.

I love the fact that it's easier to shake the cops and harder to piss them off than it was in the first games. This allows you to get away with more stuff. Again. Excellent. That's the great part of the game anyway.

If the cops do manage to busy you, you'll wind up failing your current mission, loosing all your weapons and respawning back at the copshop. Get wasted and you'll have the same consequences, but respawn at your local hospital, and be ready to continue your life of crime. Love it. Just love it. :) No "The end" you just go on your merry way. :)

Graphics

Oh yeah baby! We're talking some sweet sweet eye candy here! The city is big, dark and realistic feeling. You can see quite a distance, and everything is detailed and excellent looking, even to the newspapers blowing across the streets. Raindrops splash on your car windshield. Car headlights light up the dark and reflect on the pavement. The sky looks absolutely amazing. Models look good, weapon models and effects are great... And of course... The explosions just rock. :) There's some really nice little touches such as planes in the sky and moving cranes in the shipyards.