Grand Theft Auto 3 gave me the latter.

The Grand Theft Auto series got its start in gaming as a quirky title for PC that got ported around, wayy back in the days of the Playstation. It was a strange hybrid of Smash TV style overhead shooting and older, RC Pro-AM style racing (not seen frequently in gaming, especially with the advent of 3D). The goal of the game was to go around stealing cars for money, and achieving various mission objectives offered to you. While enjoyable, the series wasn't anything spectacular at all, and was generally ignored by anyone who wasn't desperately craving a little virtual car jacking. Well, this latest iteration keeps the criminal theme, but everything else is revamped, and turned up, several, several notches. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Rockstar games and DMA have crafted a title that's arguably a contender for game of the year here, and that's not praise I offer lightly.

One of the first things you notice about Grand Theft Auto 3, after the initial cinema, is the sense of scale. This game is huge. I'm not talking huge like the number polygons Tecmo poured into Kasumi's breasts to get them to jiggle just right, I'm talking about the fact that if you started out on the furthest end of one stage, and then proceeded to walk to the other end of the map, it could take possibly hours. While this could be said about several of games if you think about it, GTA3 presents it in a fashion that gives possibly the most genuine impression of being in a real city, with subways, an airport, a bay...the whole sclemiel. And while you may not be able to enter every building (as in Shenmue, the only game that compare in terms of scope), you're can pretty much walk as far as you can see, and drive where you can't. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful the feeling that GTA3's environment inspires is.

But there's more to creating an engaging game world than just making sure all the buildings are in place, and again, GTA3 comes through with smashing results, creating a city filled with NPCs who will not only refuse to phase in and out as they increase in number (Shenmue style), but also go about their business in a much more exciting fashion. At any given time, there will be muggings, gang wars, fights between prostitutes and their pimps, and all sorts of vile chicanery going on in Liberty City. The result is the feeling that, while a signifigant factor in this world (what with you carrying enough ammunition to start a war with China), you and what you do are not all there is to it. A big part of this is due to the excellent, yet simplistic A.I. While the people of liberty city are nowhere near as crafty (?) as the troops in Metal Gear Solid 2, they do a convincing job of acting out like real citizens. Cause a massive ruckus, and people will run towards the site of the wreckage and observe your gruesome handiwork. Almost run someone over and they'll run as far away from you as they can.

And cause a ruckus you will. Another theme of GTA3 is the fact that this city is a dirty one, and you, the player, are a dirty bastard fitting of it. To this end, the game offers a (reletively speaking) mature focus, playing out like an actual crime sim and not the faux "Undercover cop" act given in games such as Driver. The story starts off with a grim bang, as your character is shot by his girlfriend after a robbery, leaving him to rot in prison. But in a twist of fate, you are given the chance to escape when a gang boss for the Columbians is being transferred at the same time you are, and his escape provides you ample opportunity for yours. Thus begins a your illustrious career as the #1 go-to man for Liberty City's most powerful crooks. While GTA3 is not a cinematic game (at least, compared to some of the competition, which are more movie than game) it's slick and gritty stylings will be appreciated, almost as much as it's top grade voice acting. And while not as gratuitously "mature" as some titles like Mortal Kombat or Carmageddon, GTA3 manages to be just a bit more rugged than even it's most hardcore gaming brethern. And will remain as such until another game comes along that lets you raise your life by visiting a prostitute. Oh yeah baby, raise that health bar, work my HP, work it, YES!

But despite forging bold new (or sometimes just great) ground, GTA3 is still a very much a game of the current generation, and there is nothing about it's graphics that will make you want to lick your TV screen. GTA3's biggest graphical points are in it's consistancy; a sturdy frame rate that rarely drops, even with several characters (and cars) on screen at once. A lack of signifigant graphical glitching. But while these points get technical credit, they're not exactly flashy. And the only thing about GTA3 that is particularly visually striking are it's excellent atmospheric effects. Lighting is handled beautifully as night fades into day in Liberty City, fog appears and blurs the lights of passing cars into eerie streaks, and rain pounds down like you were stuck on a Marine Corp Tanker passing by the Washington Bridge. But all in all, not a visually stunning game; a passerby is far more likely to get attracted to the chaotic action on screen then how pretty it looks.

It almost goes without saying that, with all the praise I've given GTA3, it must have excellent control and gameplay. So much so that I almost want to skip these paragraphs. But being the quasi-professional I am, I feel a necessity to make with the comments anyway. There are two modes of control in GTA3; that of your character, and that of your car(s). The cars handle excellently; the physics are exaggerated enough that someone who hates racing sims with the passion of a thousand super novas such as myself can drive around and have fun, while still maintaing enough realism to keep the game's feet on the ground. Your character is another story however; while he doesn't control BADLY, there are a few issues present. Jumping, for example, is handled oddly; your character can jump, and it will occassionally be useful, but the height he can jump is very often in question. While he can generally jump onto the hood of most cars with no problem, hopping over a rail will often be an excercise in excruciating pain (as you're flattened by an oncoming police car after failing to hop a rail). The shooting portions are also strange---locking onto your enemy is simple enough, switching your targets can be disorienting, and as you'll usually have to do so while you're swarmed with rival gang members all packing heavy weapondry, it can be a very bad thing. Often I simply opt for the far more simple practice of chucking grenades around than the pain of trying to aim the assault rifle. On that note, most of the larger weapons (assault rifle, shotgun) cannot be fired while running around. While this is an understandable practice for keeping the game more realistic, it could've recieved a satisfying little action boost if you could run around and fire them. But these are quibbles, basically; the game controls more than well enough.

Gameplay itself consists of partaking various missions handed down by an assortment of Liberty City's criminal element. They range anywhere from deliveries, to assassination, to racing, to escorts, to diversionary sniper fire. This variety is highly appreciated, as it could've been real easy for Rockstar to simply make GTA3 into a hitman simulator. The learning curve on the missions is also well handled, with the occassional hiccup (The first sniping mission is a key mission in the game, and kind of challenging as you've never handled the sniper rifle before). And while the game is very non-linear in the sense that you can go anywhere you want, the actual mission progression is very linear; there are key jobs you have to take without progressing, and pretty much everything else is dressing. Not a big deal, but perhaps the game could've benefitted from a branching story?

A testament to GTA3's attention to detail is it's audio. There are a myriad of comments from NPCs in the game, which range from enticing (see my comments about hookers) to funny (the taunts barked by the police). Everything is voice acted with well enough to not cause intestinal pain, with the performances occasionally rising to Hollywood quality (Buscemi!). The music is also excellently handled; GTA3 has no music per se, but when you swipe a car there is a number of radio stations you can listen to, providing a diverse group of songs to appeal to everyone.

I can't praise this game enough. The fact that I'm normally a very Japan centric gamer should show that GTA3 is undoubtedly one of the most golden titles to be bred this side of the Pacific. The attention to detail, the scale, the control--everything is juicy. This game recaptures that beautiful element of fun that so many titles fail to create nowadays. And a huge surprise...alright, DMA, you got my attention. Let's see if you can keep me pleased :)

· · · Riisuke