REVIEW: The Ballad of Gay Tony

I've decided to review The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned separately. Together, on the single Episodes from Liberty City disc at $40, I'd be hard pressed not to give the package a 5 out of 5, for any reason.

Still though, I can't help but consider TBOGT in the contest of having just played The Lost and Damned. Some differences are a matter of personal preference, Gay Tony being more geared to my liking in terms of fast cars, music styles, and lots and lots of explosions.

TBOGT is the story of Tony Prince and Luis Lopez, partners in the night club business who've fallen under the debt of some of Liberty City's underworld. Of course, that's how it always goes isn't it? Motivations in Grand Theft Auto gameplay is often a very short list, at the top of which is most often money. The general mission lay out can often be surmised as go here, fetch me this, kill these people, and TBOGT doesn't stray too far from that.

Early in, Tony is heavily established as your partner who's almost always gotten himself into a mess. As far as the stories and cutscenes are concerned, most missions involve Luis metaphorically running around with a pooper scooper and taking care of Tony's "business." Still, as nearly every character badmouths Tony while he's not around, Luis defends him. That defense is endearing and ties the player to Tony.

Still, there's the usual mission structure and the usual cast of assholes. Despite that, everything seems a lot more fresh, and every mission feels brisk. Whether you're blowing up a yacht, crawling the length of a train and dodging helicopters, or parachuting after a plummeting blogger, the elements seem endless. TBOGT also outdoes IV's cast of characters in their ego stroking, if you can imagine that.

The Ballad of Gay Tony is a long drink in the desert. It's wide mission variety never has you doing the same thing twice, even though some of the new vehicles and weapons will make you want to. Luckily, replaying missions is available after completing the campaign, and that replayability adds endless value to a campaign that only costs $20 (depending on how you look at it).

PLAY READ WRITE / REVIEW SCORE: 5 OUT OF 5

REVIEW: The Lost and Damned

I've decided to review The Ballad of Gay Tony and Lost and Damned separately. Together, on the single Episodes from Liberty City disc at $40, I'd be hard pressed not to give the package 5 out of 5.

But maybe The Lost and Damned suffers its counterpart, being the milder, better written tale of what it means to be responsible, even when you're a rough neck motorcyclist who manages to hold what semblance of a family a bike club makes.

In TLAD, you play as Johnny Klebitz, second in command of The Lost Motorcycle Club. When Johnny's captain, Billy, is released from rehab, Johnny sees much of the prosperity he's worked for go to shit.

I say TLAD is the milder, more mature story because of themes worked into the mission structure and the lack of ape shit weaponry and vehicular combat. Players will find themselves launching grenades into the windows of rival gang clubhouses, but they won't be doing any base jumping.

Johnny does a lot of complaining, but I'd be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn't complain when they're being endlessly shot at for a leader who's junkie habit has turned him into little more than a maniacal, selfish, jackass. Tensions immediately rise between Billy and Johnny, though that tension is necessarily felt by the player, so much as it is unnerving. If you can't guess what you'll be doing in the final mission by the second or third mission, then I'd have to say "Pay attention, soldier!"

From a writing stand point, I actually remember liking TLAD better than The Ballad of Gay Tony, but as far as quality gaming goes, TBOGT is the way to go. If you're only interested in downloading one episode from Liberty City, I'd have to suggest investing in Gay Tony and his clubs. Despite that, just buy the Episodes disc. It's a much better value.

PLAY READ WRITE / REVIEW SCORE: 4 OUT OF 5