Forum > Gaming Discussion > Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars (DS) The thread, previews, pics and more
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars (DS) The thread, previews, pics and more
<< prevnext >>
avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:57:42
Okay a dozen sites later...

If I'm interpreting things right, there is a very good chance of at least a Deathmatch mode online via friend code. You can also IM friends while in your own game via WiFi, trade stuff with them, etc. There are about 5 other multiplayer modes, including co-ops, these might only be local though.

avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:06:16
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

avatar
Country: US
Comments: 17548
News Posts: 761
Joined: 2009-02-25
 
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:12:11

Yarcofin said:
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

I think that's one reason the later GTA games never really clicked with me.  I always felt guilty about killing innocent people.

avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 18952
News Posts: 8979
Joined: 2008-08-18
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:56:49
robio said:

Yarcofin said:
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

I think that's one reason the later GTA games never really clicked with me.  I always felt guilty about killing innocent people.

I've played through GTA's without killing innocent people. true.  I even park correctly when I have to.  The only people I kill are thouse who are required by the mission (which are involved in illegal actions by will).  Police officers are on the clock, they shoot at me, for stealing a material asset then that;s their choice -- morally it is self-defense.

avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 16204
News Posts: 1043
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:46:42
Wow, so you people do exist.

I'd heard people say that there were those that played through GTA without killing people (well as few as possible, and trying to justify the ones that they didNyaa) but I thought they were a myth.

avatar
Country: EU
Comments: 9423
News Posts: 9625
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:04:29

robio said:

Yarcofin said:
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

I think that's one reason the later GTA games never really clicked with me.  I always felt guilty about killing innocent people.

 Yet you have no problems with MadWorld. Why is that?

The VG Press
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 17548
News Posts: 761
Joined: 2009-02-25
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:27:49

Iga_Bobovic said:

robio said:

Yarcofin said:
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

I think that's one reason the later GTA games never really clicked with me.  I always felt guilty about killing innocent people.

Yet you have no problems with MadWorld. Why is that?

There's no one innocent in MadWorld.  Far, far less realistic too (in terms of art style and setting) so it's all much more comical.

It is interesting though isn't it?  I love MadWorld and I loved No More Heroes. . . guess I'm just a little screwed up in the head

avatar
Country: EU
Comments: 9423
News Posts: 9625
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:32:23

robio said:

Iga_Bobovic said:

robio said:

Yarcofin said:
Hmm, I've got a weird urge to play this game as ethically as possible. I know most of the missions will probably involve killing people so it's inevitable unless I can skip them all, but I would be interested to see how far I can go in the game without stealing a car, skipping through a toll bridge, killing someone. Basically only do "victimless crimes" like selling drugs XD.

I think that's one reason the later GTA games never really clicked with me.  I always felt guilty about killing innocent people.

Yet you have no problems with MadWorld. Why is that?

There's no one innocent in MadWorld.  Far, far less realistic too (in terms of art style and setting) so it's all much more comical.

It is interesting though isn't it?  I love MadWorld and I loved No More Heroes. . . guess I'm just a little screwed up in the head

But they are forced to fight for their own survival. It is not like they have a choice. The worst game in killing innocent creature is Mario. The Goomba is just minding his own business and is killed for no apparent reason.

The VG Press
avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:11:08

Iga_Bobovic said:

But they are forced to fight for their own survival. It is not like they have a choice. The worst game in killing innocent creature is Mario. The Goomba is just minding his own business and is killed for no apparent reason.


 He knew the risks when he took the job. Goombas are militant foot soldiers, they are like the suicide bombers of the mushroom kingdom.
Are you with us, or are you with the terrorists?



Edited: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:11:52

avatar
Country: GB
Comments: 47942
News Posts: 59772
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:59:45

Gameinformer-review

9.25 clearshim.gif
CONCEPT:
Rockstar has crammed an entire GTA experience onto the DS cart. Gunplay and storytelling come up short, but new gameplay avenues keep you glued to this crime caper
GRAPHICS:
Liberty City hasn’t lost any of its life. Stylish still-frame cutscenes effectively convey the story
SOUND:
The ambient sounds of the city establish the setting well. The radio stations also pump out catchy synth-heavy licks
PLAYABILITY:
Gunplay is a messy affair, but the driving, drug trade, and new touch screen functionality are handled without fault
ENTERTAINMENT:
Hardly any concessions were made in bringing GTA to the DS. This is a full-on GTA experience
REPLAY:
Moderately High

avatar
Country: GB
Comments: 47942
News Posts: 59772
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:03:44

Gameinformer review extracts:

Liberty City is a thriving three-dimensional world. Citizens open umbrellas when it rains, run for cover when you let your guns do the talking, and become fruitful money-giving red stains when you “accidentally” park a fire truck on top of them. While it’s nearly impossible to differentiate the look of the citizens, the city itself is gorgeously rendered with familiar locales and the smallest of details. You can see chunks missing from concrete walls, years of wear and tear on store signs, colorful graffiti in dark alleys, and beautiful landmarks like a dragon statue on a Chinese restaurant

Most of the touch screen functionality is brilliantly interlaced into GTA’s seedy world, offering big laughs, outstanding controls, and challenges that you wouldn’t mind doing 10 to 20 times – like throwing away your money on scratch cards, or giving your gang members awful tattoos. The touch screen is also used effectively for selecting weapons and lobbing ­grenades.

Despite what you may think, the limited visibility from the overhead camera doesn’t affect driving. Even at the highest speeds, you can roar around corners and thread the needle through tightly packed traffic. From garbage trucks to motorcycles, you can ride how you want to, and store your favorites in a garage. The concept behind police chases has changed, now pushing players to wreck police vehicles to lower the star count. In a way, the prey becomes the hunter. Knocking the fuzz into oncoming traffic and buildings is an adrenaline-filled riot that should be explored in the next console entry.

Chinatown Wars stumbles occasionally, but it also pushes the series forward in numerous other ways. Don’t let the diminutive size or nostalgic look fool you, this is just as complete of a Grand Theft Auto experience as any of the console iterations.

9.25

avatar
Country: GB
Comments: 47942
News Posts: 59772
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:10:40

Gamesradar-review Extracts

Furthermore, there’s also something a little faster, just a little slicker, about GTA on the Nintendo DS. Whereas both PSP Stories titles were acceptable facsimiles of their console counterparts, Chinatown Wars has been streamlined exclusively with portable gamers in mind. Plentiful auto saves, copious safe houses, and one button mission restarts are all part of the optimization.

Even though the voice acting is truly missed, the game is incredibly well written, featuring an Asian Clint Eastwood playing numerous factions of warring gangs and corrupt cops against one another while trying to regain family honor in the wake of his father’s death. And the loss of voices and cinematics may have been beneficial in a sense - the reduced focus on theatricality resulted in some of the most creative missions and hilarious situations in the series’ history.

Damn near every fault we could find in the game is either ignorable, or has an adjustable setting in the options menu. On a system currently overpopulated by cake sims and puppy adoption, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the experience every hardcore handheld gamer has been waiting for. Even if you could call it a downgrade, the portable transition holds its own as a stunningly unique entry in the Liberty City canon, all the while harnessing its platform for everything it's worth.

Shameless developers trotting out shallow minigame anthologies and SNES era RPGs should stand in embarrassment at just how much potential Rockstar Leeds managed to wring from a console this late in its lifespan. Gentlemen, it’s time to beg your girlfriend for that DS back. Perhaps you could trade in your PS3 - it’s not like that’s getting more GTA anytime soon. Oh Snap!

You'll love

  • Hours upon hours of superb gaming
  • Streamlined for portable play
  • Drug dealing and Rampages!

You'll hate

  • Omnipresent cops
  • Vehicles are quick to explode
  • No fart button

10/10

avatar
Country: GB
Comments: 47942
News Posts: 59772
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:24:00

IGN-AU-review

Closing Comments
Outside of the story, the tone of the action in the game is noticeably lighter and more enjoyable than Grand Theft Auto IV. While IV strove for realism and authenticity as much as style, Chinatown actually returns to its roots, raising eyebrows and broadening smiles with chain guns, rocket launchers, tasers, flashbangs and dozens of other tools of mischief and chaos. There are some quirky incidental characters to stumble upon, a little bit of eye candy, a whole lot of nose candy and that magical something –production values, perhaps – that cement this iteration as one of the DS' best.

As always, there's a lot more to a Grand Theft Auto game than a review can really convey. Players who are well-versed in the formula that underpins the series are in for a few cool twists, but largely the process remains unchanged – and the tone actually improved and lightened. For Nintendo-only gamers out there – and these days, there are more of you than ever – this is an authentic Grand Theft Auto experience. It isn't watered down; it's as fun and foul-mouthed as any series-proper instalment. While not perfect, it'll suck you in and keep you up at night like a chronic addiction. Hook it to our veins.

9.3

TVG Review:

Perhaps Chinatown Wars biggest quality, however, is the design and nature of the missions themselves.  Packed with variety, the bite-sized length ensures Chinatown Wars is played at a fast pace which you'll find impossible to put down - one mission, turns into one more, and before you know it it's some ungodly hour of the morning.

  • Graphics: 92%
  • Sound: 87%
  • Gameplay: 93%
  • Originality: 92%
  • Longevity: 94%
Final Score 9/10

It's everything we've come to expect from GTA, and quite a bit more as well.  The faster pace, variety, and use of the touchscreen makes for a less real, yet more entertaining GTA experience perfectly suited for the popular handheld. "


avatar
Country: EU
Comments: 9423
News Posts: 9625
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:34:55

Funny how critics are suddenly talking about GTA4 repetitive mission structure. Chinatown Wars looked good from the beginning, but I do take these reviews all too seriously. I do not trust reviewers, especially with GTA. 

So people buying it, impressions please!

The VG Press
avatar
Country: US
Comments: 17548
News Posts: 761
Joined: 2009-02-25
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:38:38
Should we take bets on where Gamespot will rank this?  7.5 anyone?
avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:53:08
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars features an online component that allows you to instant message your friends and trade information and items. You can send and receive map waypoints for hidden items and special locations to your friends, and trade weapons, money or street product to enhance each other’s single player experience.

Head-to-Head and Co-op multiplayer is available locally via Wi-Fi and features 6 different modes to play. See below for details on three of them, with more information coming soon.


Damn you Rockstar, damn you to hell.
If my internetz can handle Mario Kart DS, then it can surely handle GTA.


Edited: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:59:01

avatar
Country: GB
Comments: 47942
News Posts: 59772
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:01:19

Yarcofin said:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars features an online component that allows you to instant message your friends and trade information and items. You can send and receive map waypoints for hidden items and special locations to your friends, and trade weapons, money or street product to enhance each other’s single player experience.

Head-to-Head and Co-op multiplayer is available locally via Wi-Fi and features 6 different modes to play. See below for details on three of them, with more information coming soon.


Damn you Rockstar, damn you to hell.



That's weird, I read that it had online deathmatching. Do people play their DS's online? Hoi?

IM is cool, but why not use voice chat like Advance wars days of ruin?

avatar
Country: CA
Comments: 654
News Posts: 6
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:18:46
No one that makes DS games can seem to understand the difference between a LAN direct system link and playing online, until it's too late and there is a bunch of hype about a game being online already. There is no such thing as "locally via wifi" since you don't even use the internet to connect locally, unless you count that some games let you choose regional/worldwide while playing online. They purposefully threw in the word wifi to be misleading.

Rockstar also said something about online tournaments, but now people are starting to realize it was probably just a ploy to boost sales. It will probably be something like just an online stat leaderboard.


Oh by the way, you are limited to having 8 friend codes on your Friend List. WTFBBQ
Edited: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:29:44

avatar
Country: CY
Comments: 7370
News Posts: 30
Joined: 2008-06-24
 
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:31:31

robio said:
Should we take bets on where Gamespot will rank this?  7.5 anyone?

gamespot is obviously in a real tightspot.  love gta ... hate the ds.  

i say 8.5 Nyaa

___

Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu

The VG Press

avatar
Country: UN
Comments: 16204
News Posts: 1043
Joined: 2008-06-21
 
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:15:47

Yarcofin said:
No one that makes DS games can seem to understand the difference between a LAN direct system link and playing online, until it's too late and there is a bunch of hype about a game being online already. There is no such thing as "locally via wifi" since you don't even use the internet to connect locally, unless you count that some games let you choose regional/worldwide while playing online. They purposefully threw in the word wifi to be misleading.

Rockstar also said something about online tournaments, but now people are starting to realize it was probably just a ploy to boost sales. It will probably be something like just an online stat leaderboard.


Oh by the way, you are limited to having 8 friend codes on your Friend List. WTFBBQ

Thankfully only like 8 people use the site. Nyaa

<< prevnext >>
Log in or Register for free to comment
Recently Spotted:
SupremeAC (8m)
Login @ The VG Press
Username:
Password:
Remember me?