Grand Theft Thoughts

I had just stolen a police cruiser by pulling out the officer and shooting him in the face. I drove down the street and parked my new ride and looked up the name of a real bad guy (I guess I'm just a good bad guy) on the police computer. After finding out where he was, I drove the car to his apartment where he jumped out the back window into his car and fled. This led me into a high speed pursuit in my new cop car firing a semi-automatic weapon out the window trying to blow out one of his tires. When he turned into JFK airport, I knew I had him. I quickly caught up to him and sprayed his car full of bullet holes. He lost control of the car into a bunch of people entering one of the terminals. As he climbed out of his destroyed vehicle I was ready. I aimed closely and pulled the trigger and this drug dealer fell over in a bloody mess, and I earned a cool $2000 for my trouble.

This is just one of a hundred standard missions in the new game Grand Theft Auto 4.

This game has been debated hotly over the past couple of weeks. One side says that this game is the prime example of what's wrong with the video game industry and will corrupt the youth of America and will lead to the downfall of society. The other side says that this game is pure perfection and is simply the greatest game ever made will never be topped. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.

Obviously, this game is not for the kiddies. With the adult content of murder, drugs, sex, and everything else your 8 year-old son can wait a few years before hitting the streets of Liberty City. But this game is also not for the "casual gamer". If you are new to video games and just picked up your Nintendo Wii and love Wii Bowling, you can also pass on this. Because to do what I described in the story above you need to basically use each one of your fingers precisely and with purpose. I actually think I had to break my pinkie finger on my left hand so I could turn the annoying police siren off. And, if you forget just for a second what the B button does, then the drug dealer gets away and you have to start the mission all over again.

Now I have never been a big fan of the earlier titles in this series. I always found them very repetitive. Steal a car, drive here, pick something up, drive back. That is basically the game over and over again. But this game is different. It truly is a blast just to roll through the streets and have a great time. The detail in the game is incredible. The game takes place in the fictitious Liberty City. But Liberty City is just a mock up of New York City and rolling through Times Square in a thunder storm in a Hummer with Smashing Pumpkins playing is just a very memorable experience. Or stealing a helicopter and taking a flyby of the Statue of Liberty (er. The Statue of Happiness), is just a freaking great time.

Is this game the downfall of our society? I don't know, was Goodfellas? Because I would put the content in this game right up there with the content of that movie. Both were very graphic, but only one is based on a true story. Look, I'm not going to tell you whether your 14 year old should be playing this game or not. But I think that this is a great opportunity for people to do some real good parenting. Play the game with your kids and talk to them about it. Talk about how this game shouldn't be taken so seriously and should be taken for what it actually is....a game.

For the rest of us though, the ones who don't have to worry about such heavy social issues and are just looking for a good time, a good escape, and a good story, is this game fun? Absolutely! It's the most fun I've had on my Xbox 360 since Halo 3. My roommate and I argue over who gets to play next. You don't see that happening with games like Army of Two.

So is the game for everyone? No, not by a long shot. Is it the greatest game ever made? No even close. If everyone can't play the game, then it can't be perfect. But it is very very good, and is well worth a purchase.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to hijack a helicopter and fly it underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.

Until next time,

- The 30 Year Old Gamer