If you wish to e-mail about anything, even just a chat, my address is k8ep@hotmail.co.uk
If you wish to e-mail about anything, even just a chat, my address is k8ep@hotmail.co.uk
Member since:14.05.2007
Reviews:12
In summary, the game offers lots of depth.
Does any more need to be said?
You have freedom, you have challenge, you have missions (if you wish to complete them), you basically have choices.
Throughout the game, you can decide which action you take.
Please bare in mind I am only about 1/2 way through, but so far:
Graphics, very good - my Mum has slowly seen the GTA's adapt to the modern world, and she was gob-smacked at the quality and graphical details. Including bits of rubbish floating around the street, to hitting a letter box and multi colour and sizes of envelopes flying everywhere.
Story, detailed, in depth, you understand and relate to the characters well and the characters vary from cousin to someone who's just got out of jail. People respond differently depending on the environment of the game you are in at the time.
Flexibility: Do missions? or Freeplay? Missions - at moments, you can decide whether to go with your head or your heart, you normally choose how to get their, and the final excecution parts is usually up to you.
Freeplay... Wow, freeplay. You really are free. So many possibilities. You can:
Socialise - with people you meet you can go to races, go to shows, go bowling, play darts, get drunk at bars, meet ladies, (and strip clubs of course), meet males (if that's Nikos preference - there is a joke mission about
this of course), you develop girlfriends/boyfriends etc, you can go for helicopter rides, restaurants, fast food... ... you get the picture on freedom in the social side.
Interaction - with environment. I've not tried it yet, but review magazines advise you to shoot a vehicle in several places - the different effects are apparently the most diverse ever seen in GTA.
Interaction - with pedestrials. Okay, you cannot shoot off their heads - but the movement is realistic. Yes, I may sound disgusting, but my favourite activity is running people over. It is very fun and entertaining.
Yes, my sick side is revealed, but you can't buy a game like this and not appreciate the possibilities! There is a driving range on the second large island (which becomes unlocked during the game) - this is the place to go for this activity as you usually outrun the police and the thudding noises, people's exclamations, splash of blood, realisitic movements... afterwards your vehicle will look evil! It will be smashed in with sharp edges and blood spray mainly on those edges.
The police - they don't tell you to stop so they can continue shooting, like on older games, they tell you to stop so they can arrest you. If you stop in front of them, after a while they will stop shooting and Niko will put his hands up. You can run away from this if you like. You can now escape 6 stars as well.
If you die or get arrested, it costs you around 2,000.00 (dollars?) to come back. So this is costly. Difference is, if you die you don't get your weapons confiscated, if you get arrested then you loose all your weapons.
When you open the second Island, there is a little island that opens with it - this is called 'Happiness Island' - yes you can go there and even get the T-Shirt! There is a statue, that is very interesting... well, quite strange actually. Some have said there is an easter egg, some have said there is a giant pumping heart inside... get a helicopter... (steal from helitours or cheat) get to the island. Around the statue there is a ledge... the only way to get on is to jump out the heli. Niko jumps out the left - don't go too much higher than the ledge, or he will die on ground impact - there is a door labelled 'no hidden content here'... in there is a ladder...
...
So Anyway... Oh yeah, I picked off about 3-4 pigeons (or "Flying Rats") in there! You can't see them, so it helps you have fire flare thingies... walls etc are too close for Rocket launcher so that isn't advised! 200 rats in total, and after getting rid of some of them you get rewards.
Speedboat on water... yes, amazing. Sun sparkling on the sea, the sea feels like it goes on forever - I have even left the visual map area on the pause screen!!
Experiences of freedom:
I went in a bar, Star Bar, second island - a prompt came up asking me to give money, so I did. For some reason no one collected it, so I was able to pick it up. Not able to add it back onto my money total, I decided to 'lend it to people'. I remember throwing this wad of cash at people - and them running of screaming. I was only trying to help their financial difficulties!
My Dad, he was involved in a nasty bike accident. He crashed through fencing, there were some nasty looking rocks up ahead, and smash. Niko cracked his head and died instantly. Blob of blood on the impacted rock.
I took cousin for a drink at a bar, both sloshed, we went into a car. I started driving forward, and sure enough - sirens. The police wanted to do me for drink driving! The vision was blurry, and I had no control etc. I got out and decided to take me and cousin for a swim - across the sea... I saw him get in, but soon realised he was no longer with me. I realised reading the message on the bottom of the screen that he had drowned. The next day I got a call from him asking if I would pick him up from hospital.
I sent a text message to my Mum (real life) one night saying "I went to a comedy club four times, got involved in a street race, and missed big brother" - she believed me and said "tell me all about it when you come home this weekend!" ... ... okay Big Brother is real, but the comedy club and street race was me socialising with people from GTA.
See what stories you can develop, I tell you, you have your life, then you have GTA. From watching television shows to picking up random objects and throwing them at people, to more extreme activities, GTA is a life where obeying the law and real life do not go hand-in-hand.
Hope you enjoyed my review. Yes, GTA is amazing in a diverse, imaginative way.
Thank you
Katie
Caution: People like my Dad who enjoy gangster movies, try not to get too addicted... My Dad starts playing and he can't stop.
*Rocket Lauchers on buildings, snipering from the rooftops, cheat code boat appears on busy road* Whats the next news headline?
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Bellic fresh off the boat from Europe, ... more
it is the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportun...
Advantages: Superb graphics, mass multiplayer modes, pure freedom, and excellent music/sound Disadvantages: Weak storyline, sometimes too realistic, and nothing to do when game is completed
Advantages: Arguably the best selection of games of any current console. Great HD graphics. Disadvantages: Hardware may still be somewhat unreliable. Lacks innovations specific to the Wii and PS3.
Phantom_Wombat 07.04.2009 (06.04.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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