Doesnt live up to the hype but is a pretty good game

User Rating: 8.5 | Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars PSP
Grand Theft Auto is a series which everyone has definitey heard of, if not played it, Rockstars long running criminal franchise has been a favorite among critics and gamers. The series has progressed from 2D to 3D and changed it styles of yet, but not here. GTA Chinatown Wars goes back to the Franchises roots by giving the gamers an oppurtunity to re-experience the classic in the latest generation.Before being released it was wondered whether the game would be good seeing that everyone now are used to the 3rd person view gameplay. Chinatown Wars although not being an awe inspiring game, does enough to silence the previous doubters but the extra hype, which the game is now being surrounded by, shouldnt be believed.

The Game has the traditional GTA Story of a criminal in the lower ranks rises gradually while the plot matures slowly. Players will play as Huang Lee, a rich and arrogant thug whose father has just been killed and now has to carry on the family work. Huang has to do the usual GTA errands given by multiple crime bosses, although the concept of the story is the same, this has to be the worst storyline of the series so far. The Characters are all very uninteresting with the same attitude basically always taunting Huang for no real reason. There are just 2 types of attitude in them, either some characters are very angry and bossy all the time while the others are cocky, pervish and
cowardly. The story is one of the lower points of the game and so its better of not to have many expectations as it will get uninteresting after some time.

Chinatown Wars utilizes the top down rather than the standard third person view gameplay, it may have some getting used to at first, for instance knowing when to turn around the car, or going through the city without any mishaps. There are the usual weapons in the game, to view and choose them the Select Button has to tapped which then displays the inventory. Missions are almost always out in the environment and only on occasion do they take place inside a building. There is an easier way to go aroung the city by calling a taxi which drops Huang off to the desired location. To make some money, drug dealings play an essential role by buying and selling them regularly to make profits consistently. Huang is summoned to his missions by recieving emails from his bosses, while latest drug dealing alerts are also recieved this way. Fending off Police and the Wanted level has been enhanced now, to reduce the wanting level police cars have to smashed which crosses of the stars but the more stars attained the more cars have to be crashed.Cars cant be hijacked automatically, to do so minigames have to be played which display hotwiring the car, other minigames use much of the same format where the analog has to be pointed the way it is required or numbers have to be dialled in.

Seeing that the game is in 2D format, people dont talk in cutscenes, only the subtitles are displayed but the in game sound is great. The radio songs are good as well as the normal things like shooting, driving cars or killing people. It isnt your average GTA Game if there wasnt messing aroung in the city, so there are a lot of minigames to played. Huang can do some work for random people on the street like taking a girl on a date or planting a bug on a cheating wifes car, buying lottery tickets to get rewards or drawing tattoes to earn extra money.

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars gives a 2D presentation of GTA IV but is very good game in its own right. Rockstar has produced another worthy title in the GTA series although it may not bring in fresh fans it is sure to please its long loyal fans and is a must have for all PSP owners, old and new alike but a tip for all, dont believe the whole hype or this good game just might end up being a dissapointment.