Aaaah. I love the sound of sirens in the mornin'...
Written: Feb 09 '02 (Updated Feb 09 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Epinion's redesign sucks...
Cons: ...Because of Pro/Con boxes...
The Bottom Line: SCREW BOTTOM LINES! READ THE FRIGGIN' REVIEW!!
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| WWFRulz's Full Review: Grand Theft Auto:Director's Cut for PlayStation 1 |
Quite simply, not enough can be said about the exellent Grand Theft Auto series. While the Game Boy titles might have sucked dork*, the PlayStation and computer games are worth every penny. As far as I know, there are 4 Grand Theft Auto games, each one (except for 2) being revolutionary in their own way. Today, in this review, we are looking at Grand Theft Auto Directors Cut, a 2-CD set which includes the original GTA, and an "expansion" called GTA: London 1969.
Grand Theft Auto Director's Cut was released in
In the following review, I will more than likely go in-depth on both games, and talking (or writing) about all their great feature and their one flaw...
Grand Theft Auto
The original Grand Theft Auto was released in 1998, to both rave reviews and Senatorial criticism. Fortunately, it averted most controversy by arguing that it was not "realistic", and was thereby allowed to slip by with a Mature rating.
There is no doubt that GTA is the original game of decadence. It features a main character, clad in an unusual ensemble of a yellow shirt and beige pants. In the somewhat mission-based game, you run around and do various tasks for your employer, whoever that may be. Along the way, you can steal cars, pick up 4 weapons ranging from pistols to rocket lanuncher, kill people with the weapons, and avoid the cops. One of the coolest features is the ability to rig your car with explosives and set it off in a police station. Also, you can repaint your car, instantly throwing the cops off of your trail of filth.
One of the greatest features of Grand Theft Auto is the sheer size of the cities. While there are only 3 cities: Liberty, Vice and San Andreas; they are incredibly big and detailed. Each city has a different look and feel, as well as some different car colors, and in some cases, cars. For example, Liberty City feels mostly like New York, while San Andreas is a San Fransisco rip-off, complete with the Golden Gate Bridge. The only setback: if you don't have some sort of map with you , you will be lost within a matter of minutes. Luckilly, the map is included in the packaging. Each city has somewhere in the vicinity of 10 different locales, each with a different name and look. Trust me: trying to get from the lower corner of the city to the top is harder than hell, especially since each level has some sort of waterway to cross. It gets frustrating sometimes, though, when you're on an island and you can't seem to a bridge. Also, as you run (and drive), it is almost impossible not to be amazed at the almost lifelke presentation of the world around you. People will run away as you shoot at them (naturally), and they will scream at you through their car windows as you cut them off. Also, the more beat up your car gets, and the faster it will explode, true to life. There are somewhere about (warning: guess) 30= cars in this game, all with a different speed, strength and look. The cars range from an oil tanker to a school bus to a Lamborghini rip-off to a fire truck, and each one is fun to drive. Most of them have a different honk, too, with the municipal ones having sirens.
The sound is usually one of the worst points of any game. It is always one of the detracting points of any rating. But Grand Theft Auto manages to get away from this with some great sound. Naturally, there are a few flaws, but it does not hurt the overall sound. Each car has a radio station playing (most are different). I am guessing here, but I'm estimating somewhere around 20 stations, ranging from Country to Jazz. It is especially interesting to steal a police car and hear the various police dispatches over the radio. In any car, if you run someone over, you hear a police dispatcher stating the crime and location, allerting a certain amount of cops. Also, the music that blares from a convertible when you drive by is satisfying. It echoes off of buildings, and fades away as it drives off. In the same respect, the gunshot and explosion sounds are very good. But, one of the most satisfying sounds in the game are the various outbursts of the civilians and fellow drivers. If you fire into the crowd, people will scream phrases like "Oh my God!" and "He's got a Gun!". Pure Gold.
It is when you get to the graphics, however, when you get to the criticism. There is absolutely no distinction, other than color, between every and any civilian and policeman. In fact, there is no distinction between you and a civilian. As I mentioned before, the character is in a yellow shirt and brown pants. Also, the cars and the city itself is barely passable. Everything has a blocky look to it, and it makes you feel like you're playing an early SNES title. Honestly, the developers could have spent just a few months and made the graphics many times better. But, I am not one of the people who rate a game soley on the graphics. If that was true, I would never have given an N64 game more than a 3-Star rating.
The controls, however, could have been greatly, and I do mean greatly improved. While they are quickly learned, they are no less than annoying. Having to press X to make your character move, and moving the D-Pad to the left and Right to steer is more than annoying. If it was up to me, Up would make you go forward, left would make you go left, ect. Unless, of course, you where in a car, where X is usually the acceleration button. But, once you get used to them, you barely have time to notice how absolutely cr@ppy they are. In essence, though, the controls are but a minor annoyance, kind of like Senator Lieberman.
When you get down to it, though, it is the overall gameplay that draws you to this wonderful title. The gameplay is no less than unlimited, and you are free to go back and replay any mission you want. But when it gets down to it, the missions aren't even 20% of the gameplay. 80% of the fun is just running around and screwing with the cops' heads. There are also countless available side missions and "sprees", all with varying amounts of fun and mayhem. In short, the original Grand Theft Auto is most of the fun.
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is an "expansion" that was released in 1999. It is, in essence, the same game, but for some reason is more fun. I wonder...
I must admit that I spend 70% of the time playing London instead of GTA. I don't actually know why. It might be because of the "charming" accents of the people screaming at you, or it might be because of the realistic presentation of the city itself. At any rate, even though it has just one city, it is incredibly fun.
All in all, GTA: London is pretty much the exact same as GTA, save the few minor changes.
The graphics are the same, and just as unspectacular. For some odd reason, the developers decided not to change your character animations or colors. Hmmm. The main improvement on the graphics are the "cutscenes" at the end of a completed level. While these are in no way spectacular, they seem to amaze the player after hours of horrible graphics. The cutscenes are mostly one of your bosses talking. The entire scene is done in a cartoonish manner, and only the mouths and eyes move. Luckilly, the mouths move with the voice acting, enhancing the pleasure.
The sound is just as satisfying as in the original. The radio, however, has changed to 60s stations and such. The songs, in ways, reminds one of Austin Powers with a twist. The people still scream as you run them down, but their voices have changed to a cockney Enlish accent. It is almost funny to hear the police dispatcher, who is a British lady with a somewhat upper-class accent. All in all, it is the same.
Unlike the first one, London features just one town. If you can't figure it out, you're dumber than a government intern, and just as slutty. London is incredibly featured, with such landmarks as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. It also features real city locales, such as Soho and Hyde Park.
The library of cars has changed a bit, too. In essence, though, they're the same cars as in GTA with a different shell. They include cars ranging from a real British Mini to an authentic Double-Decker tourist bus. One of the coolest cars, however, is the Austin Powers "Shag-Mobile" (not the real name), a convertible with a British flag on the top. One of the most interesting things about this car is that one of the missions is based around it. I'll let you see for yourself.
I'll pretty much stop right there. I would go into detail, but it would pretty much be the same review as the one for GTA.
When you get down to it, GTA: Directors Cut is one of the must-have titles for the PlayStation. Also, go buy Grand Theft Auto 3. I do so hope that they come out with a London expansion for that, too....
*Dork=A Whale's Penis, Averaging 10 Feet In Length
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
WWFRulz
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Member: Andre Eian
Location: Salt Lake City
Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Watch for my upcoming review of America..
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