Coming from an avid Grand Theft Auto player and fan, and as a prequel to the release of the highly anticipated and sure-to-be controversial Grand Theft Auto IV, here are 10 reasons why Grand Theft Auto is great.
You can commit crime, and pretty much any type of crime, and not actually get arrested for it. From things like, jacking a car, to punching an unsuspecting citizen for their cash, to running down a bunch of gangsters of your choice, it all adds up to great fun and it's not real!
The environment and surroundings in the games are just stunning (from GTA III onwards anyway). From the trendy streets of 80s Miami (Vice City), to the gang filled projects of Los Angeles and the lights of Las Vegas (San Andreas), you will be mesmerised at how the surroundings make you feel like you are actually there. New York City (Liberty City) is tipped to be another step up.
The radio stations are fantastic! From the first time you bust into some poor beggars car or jump on some dudes motorbike, you hear Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, or Guns and Roses' Welcome to the Jungle, not to mention some hilariously entertaining talkback, it captures you. You just want to steal more cars and listen to more tunes. I wonder what GTA IV has in store for us.
The ability to roam pretty much wherever you please whilst not actually being on a specific mission. This may well be the one feature that sets GTA apart from any other game. From GTA III onwards, the games give you an increasingly real feeling that you can do what you want, when you want, wherever you want, while not actually having to do anything in particular. You can go for a swim or base jump of a mountain if you care to do so.
The random passers by you encounter in the streets. From Elvis impersonators, to bums and hobos, to gangsters, to working ladies, to businessmen, to beachgoers, to immigrant taxi drivers. They all have some to say and just listening to them is entertaining.
All the extra side missions you can complete just because you want to. Go and play some cards at the casino in Las Venturas, eat a meal at the local Cluck "n" Bell, be a taxi driver, sell things from your ice cream van, and even help the cops. There are endless side missions that may of may not be completed. For the most part, it doesn't matter if you complete them or not.
Some of the famous cast members the games have employed making GTA even more tempting for game and movie enthusiasts. Samuel L Jackson - the head cop in San Andreas (his name eludes me), Ray Liotta - Tommy Vercetti in Vice City are just a couple of examples. Who have they employed in the next version?
The array of vehicles you can acquire by numerous means. Bikes, motorbikes, scooters, sports cars, family wagons, trucks, helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, jetpacks, and more. (I have heard that in the upcoming version, you will not be able to fly any fixed wing machines).
The array of weapons at your disposal. Need I say more?
Finally, the greatest feature of the Grand Theft Auto Series; the intriguing and gripping storylines that you follow and are a part of. The games make you feel like you are watching a good film at times with storylines that follow and, for the most part, closely resemble some of the great films and television shows of all time including Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Sopranos, Boyz in the Hood, just to name a few.
So team, bring on the next instalment of GTA and prove to us that all the hype is worth it. I'm sure it won't disappoint.
Make sure to leave you comments people and remind me of the things that I have missed and love so much about the series.
I'll be sure to write a review of GTA IV when the time comes. Peace.
