Previously said to be an Xbox exclusive, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City has now magically, through the power of “lots of money to be made”, finally popped up on a PlayStation near you.
Comprising, as the title suggests, of two separate ‘episodes’ – each available separately for download through the PlayStation Store, or together on a single disc – Episodes From Liberty City is essentially the first and last spin-offs from GTA IV (much in the way Vice City, San Andreas, Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories were spun off GTA III), a last gasp for an old favourite, as it were.
It has taken a long time for the Episodes to move across from the Microsoft machine, so has it been worth the wait for those who have clung loyally to their PS3s?
Yeah, of course it has.
Admittedly The Lost and Damned adds little to the GTA IV experience – the bikes handle better, mid-mission check points make life less frustrating – and repetition does set in after a while, making it a bit of a drudge to finish. Only a bit, mind. It’s still a GTA game after all, meaning if you get bored then just forget the mission and go blow something up…
But it is The Ballad Of Gay Tony that is the real gold in this two-pack. With its brighter, sparklier colours and generally more upbeat and anarchic tone, Gay Tony almost takes us back to the days of San Andreas at its jet pack-flying, Area 51-invading silliest.
Sky-diving, cage fights, dancing, base jumping, helicopter combat and a wonderfully over the top supporting cast of dysfunctional characters make The Ballad Of Gay Tony worth the price of admission alone.
There is no point going into the gameplay, because aside from a few control tweaks, it plays exactly the same as Grand Theft Auto IV. In other words, absolutely brilliantly.
Rated: R18
Reviewed on: PS3
Also Available on: Xbox, PC
Rating: 5/5
It’s a GTA game, did you really expect it to be crap?
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