What does it say that the moment I wrote that title above, I immediately heard the iconic “Dumm-Dumm” from Law & Order? Really, if there was any game franchise to follow the path of Dick Wolf’s seminal cop / legal series, it is Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto games. With each game release you wonder just how the hell they can squeeze anything fun and original from this felonious stone? After delving into the world of The Lost and the Damned as well as The Ballad of Gay Tony, I’d say, freakin’ plenty!
It should be noted this review is based on the stand-alone Xbox 360 disc, released on October 29, and not the downloadable versions of the game. And, while I’m spewing total honesty, I should also come clean with something. I haven’t sat down and actively played any Grand Theft Auto game since San Andreas. Not that I had anything against the series, it just didn’t seem to offer me anything new. After playing Episodes From Liberty City, I may need to go back and contemplate my previous belief.
The Lost and the Damned – You are the Vice-President of the notorious biker gang “The Lost”, the hard-riding Jonathan “Johnny” Klebitz. You been running the show while your older brother, and true leader of The Lost, Billy gets released from rehab. You did a pretty good job running the crew, but the rival bastards in Angels of Death see the potential for biker gang supremacy. As such, the moment you give the reigns back to your bro, all frakking hell brakes loose in Liberty City. At first, I was horrified at the idea of a GTA game based on motorcycle play. As many a gamer knows, bikes ain’t the most reliable form of transportation in the game. Hell, bumping your bike onto the curb while attempting to park often generates the same result as a Chevy Corsair crashing into a Kenworth in a Michael Bay movie. Rockstar clearly understands that issue and did some serious tweaking with motorcycle control. A good thing when you consider some of the best moments in The Lost and the Damned involve drop down bad ass shoot out battles on your hog!
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While still a sandbox box, The Lost and the Damned is decidedly more linear that GTA 4. In a way, I prefer this story format. The previous Grand Theft Auto games almost felt too big, too open. Many times I found myself wondering just what the hell I was doing. I mean, I like jacking’ old ladies cars and smacking around bar owners as much as the next guy. Still, I need me some direction. Vying for top dog status, The Lost and the Damned allows for total turf warfare battles between The Lost and those bastards, The Angels of Death. Another great addition to both games is the inclusion of “mid-mission” checkpoints. No longer do you need worry about getting to the final 10% of a mission, take a wrong turn, and have to start all over again. Note to Rockstar, please keep this addition in any and all follow-up games. Please. For all that is holy, keep the mid-mission checkpoints.
Unlike the original Grand Theft Auto 4, The Lost and the Damned doesn’t offer too much in the replay department. No, the optional bike racing events don’t count, they get boring rather fast. Still, with 23 ultra violent and action packed missions, The Lost and the Damned is good for a solid 15-20 hours of game play.
The Ballad of Gay Tony – Rockstar really should have named this one Liberty City – Lord of Studio 54! The house music is bumpin’ and thumpin’. Bands paid in blow and hookers. The cash ain’t flowing’ like it used to, so ‘ol Gay Tony gotta’ deal with the less than glamorous elements of Liberty City. But, that don’t mean you ain’t gonna’ have a fabulous time. Taking the part of Luis Lopez, Gay Tony’s top bouncer and confidant, you’re there to make sure the boss stays neck high in boys and booze. The Ballad of Gay Tony, while no great leaps in game play, feels like a completely different world. Gone is all the grim and grit of Grand Theft Auto 4; and we are leaps and bounds away from the ugly (but awesome) world of The Lost and the Damned.
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Sticking with the time-tested format of “mission – accept – perform – cash” of all the previous GTA games, The Ballad of Gay Tony adds new and optional side missions to break the monotony. Nothing better than parachuting from a helicopter into your bosses’ dope ass club and laying down the law! Between cage fights, bouncin’ fake playas from the club, and making sure your boss stays atop the night life in Liberty City; the Ballad of Gay Tony is a damn fine way to spend your gaming days. With one of the strongest narratives and voice acting than any of the GTA, The Ballad of Gay Tony is worth the purchase price alone.
While the graphics engine is starting to show it’s age, you’ll still be hard pressed to find a prettier sandbox game on the Xbox 360. If you never bought Grand Theft Auto 4, or owned the game but avoided both games as downloadable content, you should pick Episodes From Liberty City. For a mere $39.99, Episodes From Liberty City provides solid game play and entertainment bang for your bucks.
Pop in the disc, turn down the lights, crank up the sound, and enjoy one more trip to Liberty City. You’ll may never want to leave.