This IGN UK chat about the game is well worth reading.

One of the very few highlights of Nintendo's underwhelming E3 2008 conference, the announcement of Chinatown Wars for DS last July was a genuine surprise. The flurry of questions that followed have been hanging in the air for nigh-on six months now, with the famously tight-lipped Rockstar being more than typically reticent about its latest foray into Liberty City. So it was with some excitement that IGN UK's resident GTA experts Alex and Martin made the trip to Rockstar as the veil was finally lifted on Chinatown Wars...

Alex: You're a huge fan of GTA IV - what were your first impressions of Chinatown Wars?

Martin: Well, it's obviously quite far removed from the splendour of GTA IV, but one of the first things that struck me while playing it was how accurate a depiction of Liberty City it was - having spent countless hours playing IV, rolling around in Chinatown Wars felt pleasantly familiar, with the layout of the city instantly recognisable. The 2.5D view didn't feel like too much of a compromise either - Rockstar said that this was the culmination of 10 years of GTA, and it felt that way. It nicely straddles the gap from the top-down GTA of old with the new 3D iterations, with more than a few little touches of its own.

Alex: It instantly felt like a GTA game, which for me is hugely important. I don't just mean you can nick cars and shoot people, but that the city and the story and the people you meet are stuck firmly in the GTA universe. Chinatown Wars does a pretty good job of squeezing Liberty City into a DS cart, which in itself is a hugely impressive feat.

Martin: Rockstar told us something along the lines of there being more lines of code in Chinatown Wars than in San Andreas - impressive, but probably a breeze of guff to confound technically ignorant people like ourselves. But yeah, it did seem to squeeze a fair amount onto the cart - this Liberty City isn't quite as extensive or as detailed as its high-def stable-mate, but it comes closer than we had any right to expect.

Alex: Alderney is missing - there's no Triad presence there according to Rockstar so therefore no need to include it, although the more cynical among us might be inclined to think it's because of size restrictions - but personally I was impressed that the layout is pretty much the same. Not street for street, but most of the key landmarks are in there, and in roughly the right place. That Irish boozer, the Statue of Happiness, Middle Park... They're all in there.

Martin: The key locations were all present and correct, but one thing that hasn't fared too well from the transition is some of Rockstar's humour and the fine writing that marked out GTA IV. It might have been through the method of delivery - the lack of voice acting, though understandable, certainly makes a big impact - but some of the humour seemed sub-par, like the restaurant Yuan Lee - the lead - operates out that's called Sum Yung Guy. That's just some real low-grade stuff in my opinion.

Alex Simmons: And it's in Wayne's World, which is a rather odd reference point...

Martin: Whereas Niko's story in GTA IV was a surprisingly measured portrayal of an immigrant, this feels like lowest common denominator stuff - about a triad protecting an ancient sword, triads operating out of Chinese restaurants and so on. We only saw a little bit of the story, so I'm possibly being a little over-harsh, but it felt like a definite step back from the highs reached by GTA IV.

Alex: I know what you mean - it's almost as if the story has been put on the back-burner a bit, especially compared to GTA IV, and that the action itself is now the star of the show. Not that that's a particularly bad thing, considering how much effort has obviously gone into making Chinatown Wars make the most of the DS. I was really impressed with how the controls worked and how the minigames and DS functions all tied together. As a lefty it was a cinch to pick up and play, even though there were no specific left-handed controls.

Martin: Yeah, it plays exceptionally well. The mini-games in particular actually feel relevant to the action and their inclusion wasn't too jarring.

Alex: Totally. One of my main concerns was that they'd get in the way of the main event, but they pieced together very nicely. Even the opening scene, in which the lead character had to punch his way out of a sinking car by tapping the touch-screen to break the window, worked really well and added something to the gameplay. And that's just the tip of the iceberg - the sniper mission, where you had to build your rifle by screwing in the barrel, locking the scope onto the main rifle and so on, was awesome.

Martin: I could have assembled that sniper rifle all day - it felt so satisfying, slotting all the pieces into place. Jacking into cars - and there were different mini-games depending on which car you were jacking - also felt really good, be it jamming a screwdriver into the ignition or hotwiring a car.

Alex: I liked the way you were always up against a time limit - fail and the alarm goes off, causing the cops to close in on your tail. And on the subject of cops, what did you think of the reworked wanted system? Unlike GTA, which displayed police presence on your radar, here the number of cops on your tail depends on your star rating - so two cars for one star, four for two and so on. The police line of sight thing still works, so if you're spotted they keep chasing, but ultimately you have to shake them off by ramming them into cars and other obstacles. Simply driving as quickly as possible to get the heck out of there rarely worked because there were so many cops on the street, which weren't displayed on your HUD.

Martin: It's was a nice way of condensing the action down a little...

Alex: It felt a bit weird to begin with because I'm so used to using the radar to plan my escape route, whereas here you have to fight your way out.

Martin: But it's immensely satisfying, ramming a police car into the Humboldt river, and even more so when you're rewarded for doing so. It also makes for snappier chases overall, I think. The wanted system in GTA IV sometimes leads to uncomfortably epic chases and that wouldn't have translated well to a handheld. This way it's possible to have more bite-sized pursuits and it was an interesting solution that definitely worked - though you're right, it was jarring at first.

Alex: The cops were no slouches either and were very keen on pulling you out of your car the moment they boxed you in. Thankfully the combat system worked well. The auto lock-on meant it was easily to mow your way through dozens of enemies with ease, plus I liked the way they implemented the grenade throwing - using the stylus to determine the power and direction of a throw.

Martin: It definitely felt more akin to the GTA of old, the way the action played out on foot - but that's no criticism.

Alex: It feels much more arcadey compared to GTA IV and you're right, it felt a bit more like a throwback to Vice City et al.

Martin: I was even thinking way back to GTA I and II. The violence is a little more exaggerated - there's the lovely squelching sound when you run people over makes that helps get that across.

Alex: Ah man, the Molotov mission was awesome - lobbing Molotovs while hanging out of a helicopter, then waiting for the resulting chorus of screams as your enemies burned alive. Gloriously sadistic! Plus I liked the way had to make them, by going to the gas station and filling up bottles at the pump. Another example of a really well-integrated mini-game.

Martin: Right, though I'm sure if I went to my local Esso station and started filling empty Smirnoff bottles with petrol the attendant might want to have a word with me. You must be pleased that helicopters have made it over to the DS as well, right?

Alex: We'll have to wait and see - sure they're in there, but from what we've seen you can only ride them, not pilot them, although it's nice to see that a bunch of other vehicles made it in. Bikes, loads of cars, boats, jet-skis...

Martin: It's a fairly generous selection, plus the handling of each vehicle felt pretty distinctive as well. When Rockstar were discussing the assisted handling I was a little dubious as to how it would play, but it didn't feel like too much of a hindrance and was also optional.

Alex: I thought it made the whole process of negotiating narrow streets much more enjoyable, allowing you to focus on squeezing between cars rather than lining up your car to the road before flooring it. I'm definitely a fan of the auto-align. I'm also pleased additional stuff like the stunt jumps are in there, plus the toll boots (including another mini-game, where you need to flick coins into the basket) and the taxis. I also like the fact you can hail a taxi by whistling into the mic, although you'll probably just want to press a button if you're playing on the train.

Martin: The stunt jumps were a little different as well - if I remember rightly each one involved smashing through a billboard -which proved quite exciting if pulled off in the middle of a chase.

Alex: Yeah, and the tyre burn was a neat idea - revving up the engine before burning away to leave a trail of flames behind you. You could even burn victims of you timed it correctly!

Martin: Yeah, that's another example of the more light-hearted approach to Liberty City after the frequently sombre GTA IV. And burning people's a laugh. I wonder if the procession of Hare Krishna devotees return?

Alex: And the rampages? I don't know but I certainly hope so. They'd fit in perfectly with this realisation of Liberty City.

Martin: Definitely - it feels more like an out and out videogame than GTA IV. What was your take on the security camera system?

Alex: I think it's a good idea, although I hope it doesn't become overbearing. Certainly, I'll look to make cash by wisely flogging on whatever I happening to be carrying, but I cannot see myself spending hours working the market to maximise profits. I can see that people will - the whole finance system that underpins the game is pretty deep - but personally I'd rather go crazy with an Uzi than sell acid on a street corner.

Martin: I'm also more inclined to dish out some bullets than get into fiscal negotiations, but I'm pleased it's in there, as it adds some depth for those who think being able to shoot people isn't enough. The idiots.

Alex: It's also worth noting that the security cameras work a bit like hidden packages of old - there are a specific number dotted around the city. Take them all out and you'll get something sweet. What did you think about the missions we played?

Martin: Genuinely varied, which will be welcomed by those who found GTA IV a little repetitive. Like we said earlier, the integration of mini-games was always thoughtful - personal favourites were assembling the sniper rifle and cracking the safe. And there seems to be more scope than the typical drive from point A to point B, take out X and drive to point C.

Alex: That's one thing I didn't really get a feel for - how much there is to do outside of the main campaign. Obviously there's Clucking Bell, the security cameras and so on - but I wonder what other incidental stuff will feature

Martin: From what we saw of Yuan Lee's apartment - where it was possible to get on the internet, and where a whiteboard collated in-game information and allowed you to replay missions - there will be a fair amount. And of course there's the drug-running mini-game that's likely to consume many people.

Alex: So, as a fan of the series, how do you think it compared to, say, GTA IV? Personally I think it's exactly the kind of game I'd want on DS, in the same way that Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories worked really well on PSP.

Martin: The Rockstar rep was trying to tell us it's the best GTA yet - I wouldn't go that far, but I'd say it already looks like a better proposition than the PSP outings. I never felt those games sat happily on a handheld and felt shoehorned onto the PSP, whereas the bespoke nature of Chinatown Wars means it's got much more going for it.

Alex: I played through both PSP games and enjoyed them but this has certainly been made from the ground up with the DS in mind, which will definitely work in its favour. Also, amidst countless pet care and self-help games it's a joy to actually get stuck into something with a bit more of an edge. In that respect Chinatown Wars is definitely something the DS is in need off.

Martin: Yeah, the first 18 rated game on the DS - I can't wait

aspro73 said:

I've been more excited about this since I found out that use of the stylus is limited.  Not sold on the shooting yet, I'd have to see more how it works.  

Good to see you Aspro. Nice to see someone interested in this game here. I think Edgecrusher is but he sticks to GGWeekly, where we all hang out during the week mostly.

What exictes me about his game is the return to OTT ridiculous stuff like blood stains on the floor and mototovs from helicoptors. Just complete carnage. And that its a proper GTA game as long and as full as a home console version based on a solid engine. It really snuck up on me. I had played the Max Payne conversion on gba by the same devs so I knew that they were a team that could build handheld experiences that emulated console games very well.

I hear you are an Animal Crossing fan? We have a massive thread here, if you have City Folk we can exchange codes?

Me, travo and SteelAttack have the game.

Hey look:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22073

The launch of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on Nintendo DS will be key for Take-Two's future on the giant's market-leading Wii and DS, says Cowen Group analyst Doug Creutz.

Creutz, who says he came away from a management visit with Take-Two feeling "bullish" both about the market and the company itself, said in a note to investors that Chinatown Wars will be "an important test of Take-Two's ability to make inroads on Nintendo's wildly successful DS and Wii platforms."

And the analyst suggests Nintendo has something to gain, too: "Nintendo wants their platforms to appeal to all gamer segments(not just casual/family) and views Take-Two's IP as an important driver of core gamer interest," he says.

Creutz also observed that Take-Two's already begun an "increased focus on costs" at Rockstar following the recently-signed profit-sharing deal with the studio's key employees.

Finally, Creutz said Take-Two's management continues to be "frustrated" with used games sales trends spearheaded by retailer GameStop. Take-Two in particular frequently expresses concern at lost revenues due to resales.

Take-Two is "examining ways to ameliorate the problem,
which includes strategies around online play and downloadable content which extend the lifespan of AAA titles," Creutz concludes.  

I hope so, the thing is though, that because of the DS's limited visuals, it has bright, cel shaded graphics that would appeal more to a DS audience anyway and mitigate the violence rating, so I just don't see the need to limit themselves by saying F*** all the time.

It's not the smart thing to do. I hope that gamers don't just ignore this game as a cash in portable game.