Released: 19991022 Publisher: Rockstar Games Developer: DMA Design Genre: Action

Review by: MajorTom

Last year Take Two games and DMA released Grand Theft Auto to the world despite several protests from morality groups and the like. The protests were due to the violent and graphic portrayal of crime and criminals in the game. In fact, the protests became so heated that the game was banned from sale in several countries. Despite these protests, or possibly because of them, the game sold like hotcakes. Building on that success, Take Two has teamed up with Rockstar Games to produce a sequel and they've hit a homerun. GTA2 is a shining example of how to make a sequel.



As in the original, the premise in GTA2 is that you play a criminal who starts out as a common street thug and must rise in the ranks of the criminal elite to move on to the next level. This ascension is achieved by performing jobs for any of the three gangs in each section. The gang feature is what makes GTA2 such an impressive game. In each area there are three gangs. Each of these is at odds with one or both of the other gangs. When you initially arrive in an area, the gangs treat you with disinterest. To obtain the ability to take on jobs for a gang, you must kill off members of it's rival gang. Once you have a measure of respect, that gang will begin to give you assignments. But be careful, gaining respect with one gang will inevitably result in a loss of respect with another. A gang that has been on the receiving end of some of your jobs may begin to take offense and shoot at you on sight. However, a gang that respects you will help you out by taking on members of a rival gang or even the police. And yes, the police are just as important a force as the rival gangs. This gang system is one of the greatest features of the game. It allows for a less linear type of play allowing you to work for whichever gang you wish which gives the game a more dynamic feel.



There are three important meters in the game. Your Respect-O-Meter will show you your current standings in each of the three gangs. The Police Meter will show you how intent the cops are on catching you. The higher that meter, the more resources the cops will put into your capture. Finally, you have the Health Meter, which will show you how much damage you can take before a trip to the hospital is in order. Each area is divided into four smaller areas. Each gang has a territory of it's own and there is a neutral area as well. Keeping an eye on your Respect meter will help you determine which gang's territory to avoid. The jobs you will pull off are similar in some ways to the original game; however, with the gang system, the missions have a much different feel. For example, one job requires that you drive a bomb-laden car into a drug-lab owned by a rival gang. As soon as you enter the rival's territory they begin shooting you. The gang system makes GTA2 a perfect sequel. It retains the original feel of the first game, but there are enough enhancements that you don't feel as if you are playing an extension of the original. Additionally, the game stands well on it's own and does not rely on the fact that it's a sequel to stand out.



The gameplay itself is spectacular. There are a multitude of weapons such as the machine gun, bazooka, Molotov cocktails, and stun gun. And believe me, every weapon will be used if you want to experience all of the game. Some missions will even require the use of certain weapons. There are side-games within the missions as well. Within each area are a number of Kill Frenzies. When you hit a Kill Frenzy, you are given a weapon or car and must kill a certain number of people or vehicles in the allotted time. You have unlimited ammunition in these scenarios, and if you complete one successfully, you will gain a large amount of points and you Police meter will be wiped clean. Additionally, there are other items to collect such as the GTA2 symbol. Each has a meaning so you'll have to play through the entire game to figure out what.



The graphics in GTA2, while not initially awe-inspiring, are very well done. The game's graphics were first rendered in 3D and then transformed to the game's overhead view. The end result is a very impressive overhead shot where objects seem to reach up from the ground toward you. When there is an explosion, it doesn't appear that the flames blow straight out, but you actually get a sense that the fall of fire is coming up as well. This details also becomes apparent when cars or people also get blown in the air. The cars are all modeled after real-world autos but are not licensed or named as such. The wide variety of cars, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, is just one more example of how the game draws the player in.



Rockstar Games takes a lot of pride in the soundtrack of their games, and GTA2 is no exception. When in a car, you can listen to music coming through the car's radio. By pressing Up on the d-pad you can change the station, each of which plays different music. Additionally, the sound effects are well done. The explosions and cries from flattened pedestrians sound quite realistic, especially when played through a stereo system.



The control system within GTA2 is pretty much a clone of the original. The analog sticks are not used but force feedback is enabled.



Overall, GTA2 is an excellent sequel and even on it's own, stands out as an exceptional game. So far, there has been little media outcry over the violence or criminal nature of the game, which is a bit surprising since that's been a focus lately. Rockstar Games did an exceptional job with Grand Theft Auto 2, the game is full of surprises and criminal mischief. If you can handle a little bit of mindless violence, criminal behavior, and some kickass gameplay, this game is for you.

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