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Grand Theft Auto IV — bad enough to tick off Mayor Bloomberg
By Scott Gardner
Grand Theft Auto IV
PS3, Xbox 360
“Life is complicated; I killed people, smuggled people, sold people. Perhaps here, things will be different,” rumbles Niko Bellic in a thick Eastern European accent. But since he’s starring in Grand Theft Auto IV, it ain’t likely.
Niko’s cousin Roman has lured him to Liberty City — a thinly veiled New York — with tales of champagne, supermodels and luxury SUVs. Instead, Roman’s driving a beat-up cab and in debt to some bad people. Niko, however, is also bad people, with thuggish skills to match his stubbly, beetle-browed mug.
And since a good bad guy is always in demand, Niko soon rises through the local underworld.
One of the most anticipated games of 2008, GTA4 continues the open-ended gameplay of 2004’s 20-million-selling GTA: San Andreas with a mix of driving, fighting, shooting, roleplay and adventure, all rendered with the supercharged animation and detail you’d expect from the series’ first next-gen title.
As well as action, GTA games are also beloved for their realistically dysfunctional urban settings, humour and killer soundtracks. This time the tunes play over 18 in-game radio stations — complete with DJs — including one specializing in, gulp, Russian hip-hop.
And since the behaviour that makes you a successful crime lord doesn’t exactly get you nominated for Citizen of the Year, expect more controversy thanks to GTA’s trademark violence and adult nature. In fact, NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg has expressed displeasure about the game sullying his fair city’s reputation because, of course, there’s never been a violent book, TV show or movie set in the Big Apple.
Release date: April 29
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
PS3
Sony’s Gran Turismo series has kept gearheads drooling for 10 years. Finally arriving on PS3 with 60 obsessively detailed cars, the fans are gonna need bigger buckets. Available as a Blu-ray Disc or PlayStation Network download, “how’d they do that?” features include custom dashboards, reflecting rear and side mirrors and 16-car races.
Release date: April 17
NBA Ballers: Chosen One
PS3, X360
If you find regular roundball a little square, try some one-on-one or two-on-two streetball as an NBA superstar, battling for bling and bragging rights on outrageous luxury courts while Public Enemy’s Chuck D provides the play-by-play. And just how skilled are these guys? Baller’s custom movement system is actually based on fighting games.
Release date: April 29