Sunday, January 04, 2009

Grand Theft Auto DLC: Who Gives a Shit?

Rockstar has announced that they will be releasing their upcoming Grand Theft Auto DLC, entitled "The Lost and the Damned" on February 17, 2009. This raises the question in me: who really cares? Yes, I know there are lots of fan boys out there who just love the latest iteration of the award winning series, but I think I speak for a lot of people in saying that I honestly do not care. I didn't even finish the stupid game. The game was just too boring and didn't play well enough (faulty controls and terrible frame rates) for me to even bother to finish it. Then what privilege do I have to even say anything about the game, right? I played the game enough to see what was wrong with it. I got to the big central Island, so I did get to see content. I was underwhelmed, to say the least. The stupid NPC system where you have to take them bowling or play darts is retarded. I don't wanting to be playing another game in the game. I turned on my Xbox 360 to play Grand Theft Auto 4 and dammit I want to run over some stupid hookers. I don't need or want to be playing darts.

Anyway, this DLC is centered around a gang of motorcycle riders and is suppose to intersect with Niko's storyline in some way. But my problem with the whole thing is that it entails going back to an annoying game. If someone hits you repeatedly over the head after giving you chocolate, you don't suddenly go back after he starts offering white chocolate. Unless they fix a lot of things in the game, I don't see myself shelling out ten or twenty dollars to drive around Liberty City on a motorcycle. Rockstar has not announced the pricing plan for the game, but knowing Microsoft, they will attempt to milk it for all its worth.

My main concern about this is if Rockstar is losing touch with its consumer base. Grand Theft Auto 4 took approximately $100 million to develop and although it grossed $500 million, it was still the most expensive game in history. The video gaming media went insane over this game, most publications giving it 10/10s or A+s or thumbs up or nods of agreement. One of the only publications to not wet its pants in excitement was Official Xbox Magazine, giving it only a 9.5. And there is of course Zero Punctuation's Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, who said Saint's Row was better than GTA. But after the initial excitement people looked into the game and realized "wow, this is boring". The Multiplayer is fun, I do admit, but the story and single player was dull. And now that's what Rockstar is releasing. I loved San Andreas and I'm worried that it might be Rockstar's last good game. The consumer market will be much less forgiving this next time around, maybe not giving Rockstar the benefit of the doubt. I know I'm not going to blindly buy the next game, simply assuming its going to be a winner.

Also, trees are not stronger than light poles.

3 comments:

marchhare14 said...

Yeah, GTA IV was so overrated to begin with, it's not even funny.

Anonymous said...

So, I'm gonna say that you're being waay too harsh. I admit that the game was overrated, but that doesn't automatically make it terrible. There are deffinatly some problems that I will probably write about soon, but overall I really liked the game. I was frustrated sometimes, but never bored. and if you don't like taking people bowling, then don't. the game never really forces you to, that's just there as an option. So in conclusion, I will say that I am excited for the DLC. suck it.

Anonymous said...

Also, I loved the gameworld. Very Interesting and Detailed.