GTA: Chinatown Wars had somewhat of a lackluster launch when it was released exclusively for the Nintendo DS on March 17th of this year. To make up for a poor performance Rockstar will turn to the PSP hoping that those who bought titles like GTA: Liberty City Stories will find Chinatown Wars a good experience.

However, the PSP version of Chinatown Wars won’t be a direct port as new story missions along with enhanced graphics will be featured.

There’s no telling when the Rockstar Leeds developed PSP version of GTA: Chinatown Wars will hit shelves but according to Yahoo! News it will be released in both a physical UMD form and over the PlayStation Network for PSP Go users.

But then I got it in, and I’ll tell you, I was pleasantly surprised.  Surprised is almost too weak a reaction, but is it really possible to be pleasantly shocked?

Anyway, you play a miner whose focus is in demolitions freshly landed on Mars a while after the earlier events of Red Faction.   The Earth Defense Force, which for some reason isn’t even ON Earth any more, is acting as an occupation force on Mars, backing up pretty much ever evil move that the Ultor Corporation (THQ just loves the name Ultor, I guess) makes.  This is doubly odd since, originally, the Earth Defense Force was a collection of GOOD guys who assisted Red Faction.  So much for that, huh?

So now you’re on planet, and the EDF just wiped out your brother for “crimes”.  No one really bothered to tell you what they were before they blasted him with what looked like a vulcan cannon, or before they came after you and discovered that you had explosives in your trailer (you’re a mining engineer with a demolitions specialty, remember?) so you, in response, joined Red Faction out of necessity and the desire to get payback for your dead brother.

The game itself plays a lot like some other titles, especially Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto, Just Cause and Mercenaries, and offers many of the same elements.  You can steal cars, which look a lot more like moon rovers and have apparently enhanced suspension to handle the rocky terrain better.  You’ll roam around a map with multiple zones, blowing things up, knocking things down, and shooting holy hell out of the EDF in an effort to wrest control of Mars away from them and put it back in the hands of the people.

There is a truly incredible variety of things to do in this game, make no mistake about that.  Within my first few minutes I had blown up several abandoned buildings, collected scrap from said buildings to upgrade my weaponry and hardware, and shot about thirty five stormtroopers—err…EDF troops.  I do enjoy a game that’s about more than walk from point A to point B and shoot whatever wanders in front of you.  As a result, this may actually be my favorite Red Faction game just by the sheer fact that it actually includes something different to do.

Granted, it’s not that much different from a first person shooter—its biggest difference may well be just a matter of perspective (no pun intended), but with the addition of driving and setting explosives and collecting items, it does elevate the game slightly above its predecessors.  It’s a good rental, no mistake there, but whether or not it’ll be a good buy depends on just how much you like shooter games with some solid action.

Beginning today through May 14, there are two ways to enter to win the Chinatown boss prize package. Your first chance is by participating in the text-to-win program. When boss wannabes buy the new Grand Theft Auto game from GameStop stores, they will receive a code to text in to be entered in the sweepstakes.

Boss status includes:

• A 3 day/2 night trip to New York City for you and 3 friends
• Private limo
• Deluxe hotel accommodations
• An entourage of models and a bodyguard for a night out
• Nightclub VIP room
• $5,000 cold hard cash

Additional runner-up prizes will be given in the amount of $250 GameStop gift cards.

(Source) Press

It seems that I Heart Cool Stuff has recently gotten a glimsp of a previously unannounced GTA: Chinatown Wars Nintendo DS.

This thing was on display at the NYC Nintendo Store for the game’s launch party and, apparently, the first 25 people in line at the launch part got the chance to get their hands on one of these consoles.

Sure, the Nintendo DS is cool but what really makes the bundle neat are the chop-stick styluses. Too cool.

And now that it’s about to get a major new expansion pack, The Lost and the Damned, I figured now would be a good time to go back and talk about the original.  I, however, will NOT be using a lot of flowery language.

First, a recap of the plot for those few of you who haven’t yet tried it–you play as Niko Bellic, a recent transplant from an Eastern European country fresh off the boat in Liberty City.  He, like a lot of other immigrants, has come in search of that great American Dream: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, a fresh start, and all the gusto you can grab.  Yes, it’s the kind of thing that makes you believe in America again…at least until things start going south for Niko right away.  He’s come for his cousin, Roman, whom he believes has made good already in the land of hope and dreams.  But Roman’s tales of wealth and success were gravely exaggerated–Roman’s up to his eyes in debt, and he’s desperate for an edge: an edge shaped suspiciously like his cousin Niko.  Thus, Niko will be working as his cousin’s protector and enforcer as the two of them try to make their fortunes in Liberty City.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear from the get go.  A lot of the flowery language this game got is well deserved.  The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is spectacularly fluid and intuitive, and that plot is straight out of some of the best of literature.  Anton Chekhov himself might well have written something like this if he’d been alive to see it.  Perhaps best–and yet, perhaps worst, more on that later–is the incredible variety of missions and options you’ve got to work with in this huge monster of a game.

This may be the biggest problem of Grand Theft Auto 4: sheer option overload.  Of course, you’ll have the full array of missions–kill this guy, kill that guy, kill all THESE guys, get this guy here, run protection, run the rackets, and so on and so forth.  A veritable criminal encyclopedia is available in this game, and you’ll get to try it all.  When you’re not out engaging in the criminal lifestyle, you’ll have a panoply of options to try out in Liberty City proper–strip clubs, comedy clubs, bowling alleys, bars, or just drive around.  Going to a strip club and getting a lap dance isn’t just a cheesy exercise in pointless graphic titillation anymore, kids–lap dances will now cause your controller’s vibration function to work in sync with the dancer.

Oh, and you’ll have a series of radio stations to pick from while you’re in the car, and you’ll also have a wide array of cars to get your hands on.  And then there’s your cell phone, which lets you make calls, receive missions, take pictures, and, get this, download songs from Amazon.  Maybe after all this you’ve just decided to crawl under the bed and never leave your house again.  That’s actually a possibility in this game, as you’ll have access to a fake Internet and a series of TV shows.  You can actually sit around the house in Grand Theft Auto 4, checking out a Craigslist-esque dating site and watching Republican Space Rangers.

At this point, the chronically indecisive among my readership have just wet themselves and are curled up in the fetal position whimpering for their mothers.

Of course, with all these options, you can expect plenty of conflict.  Your cousin Roman will call you on your cell incessantly, asking if you want to go out and do things.  Numerous webcomics have already made fun of this.  You will now be able to get a call on your cell phone, from your girlfriend, during a gunfight.  Movies have been made around less, and it’s just one teeny tiny part of Grand Theft Auto 4.

This may be the biggest problem, and yet, the biggest joy about Grand Theft Auto 4.  If you can handle the sheer option overload, you’ll absolutely love this game.  For the indecisive…well…this one’s not for you.

If you had any doubts in Rockstar’s ability to develop for the Nintendo DS console, you can now lay them to rest.

In the words of our big friend Fat Joe, GTA: Chinatown Wars is going to be a mad ill, dope game.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is currently under development by Rockstar Leeds and is looking at a March 17th release date for the Nintendo DS.

Read (GamerLimit)

Contrary to speculations that Grant Theft Auto may be jumping to the Nintendo DS side, Sony has made it clear that is has no plans to remove the popular franchise from their sleek portable unit.

According to what SCEA head of PSP marketing John Koller told MTV Multiplayer, GTA is “a tremendous franchise for PlayStation in general,” which means PSP owners will once again see a handheld installment on the PSP in the near future.

“No one should sleep on that franchise. That’s a tremendous franchise for PlayStation in general. We’ve had two that are the top two sellers on PSP right now. So, there’s definitely continued conversations with ['GTA' development studio] Rockstar on all their brands. That’s nothing that’s left the PlayStation family.”

All of these rumors started to come about when Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars was ready to go for the Nintendo DS. But then again, it only makes sense to bring one of the most popular video game franchises in history to as many different platforms as humanly possible, and of course, that does include the PlayStation brand.

(Source) PSXtreme

To celebrate the release of the first expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV, Microsoft has announced that all Xbox Live members will be able to enjoy GTA4 online multiplayer from 9am PST on February 17 to 11.59pm PST on February 22. This applies to ALL members – even silver ones.

Traditionally free Xbox Live accounts aren’t allowed to join multiplayer festivities, which are restricted to those with paid subscriptions.

Microsoft noted that the promotion applies only to those playing GTA4 or the Lost and Damned expansion, which requires the game’s disc to play.

The Lost and Damned – the first of two Xbox 360-exclusive expansions – is set for release on February 17 for $20.

Now before you go and boycott Grand Theft Auto’s debut on a Nintendo console, please take note that the game will in fact feature multiplayer. That multiplayer, however, will not be playabale over Nintendo’s Wi-Fi connection only via local player, this includes cooperative mode as well.

Bummer, yeah, but then what does the Wi-Fi connection do for the game? Well, you’ll be able to chat with other players ingame, share your favorite spots, and upload your stats to Rockstar’s Social Club. Oh boy!

Read (Joystiq)

“We’re not talking about new DLC or a collection of previously available DLC, we’re talking about a full retail game,” wrote Game Informer in its “Loose Talk” column, as noted by PSU. “We expect this title to follow the suit of previous GTAs and use a subtitle such as GTA: San Andreas, etc. Tokyo might be a possible setting for the game, but details are non-existent at this time.”

It can be pointed out that the publication is pulling it out of its behind, but the speed of the release would not be unprecedented – Vice City was released roughly a year after GTA 3. However, it can also be mentioned that Rockstar plans on releasing two significant downloadable content packs for the Xbox 360 version of the game this year, both of which would be overshadowed in case of a full blown sequel.

If you’ve been dying for a peek at the Nintendo DS entrance of Grand Theft Auto, now’s your chance. NintendoEverything has gotten their hands on several screenshots of the upcoming game that you will not want to miss.

While the graphics are crude, it is to be expected given the DS’ power, so don’t expect this to be a damper of the playability of the game.

More screenshots like the above can be found here.

I remember when it was first announced that the PSP would be getting GTA titles it was such a big deal, bringing such a mammoth of a game as GTA to a handheld. Well, Rockstar is looking to make Vice/Liberty City Stories obsolete with GTA: Chinatown Wars.

Rockstar exec Gordon Hall was recently have quoted to say, “We are very proud of all of the PSP games we have made, especially the two GTA games, but this game is far bigger”. Quite a bold statement considering the scale of the 2 PSP games.

GTA: Chinatown Wars is currently on schedule to hit store shelves for the Nintendo DS on March 17th of next year so it will be a while until we have the ability to put Gordon Hall’s words to the test.

Interested in what Grand Theft Auto IV won? Here’s the winners list:

Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Studio of the Year: Media Molecule
Best Shooter: Gears of War 2
Best RPG: Fallout 3
Best Individual Sports Game: Shaun White Snowboarding
Best Handheld Game: Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Best Graphics: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show: LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
Best Music Game: Rock Band 2
Best Driving Game: Burnout Paradise
Best Action Game: Grand Theft Auto IV
Best Soundtrack: Rock Band 2
Best Xbox 360 Game: Gears of War 2
Best Wii Game: Boom Blox
Best PS3 Game: Little Big Planet
Best PC Game: Left 4 Dead
Best Original Score: Rock Band 2
Best Multiplayer Game: Left 4 Dead
Best Independent game:World of Goo
Best Fighting Game: Soul Calibur IV
Best Male Voice: Michael Hollick as Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV
Best Female Voice: Debi Mae West as Meryl Silverburgh in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Big Name in the Game Male: Kiefer Sutherland in Call of Duty: World at War
Big Name in the Game Female: Jenny McCarthy in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

What do you think? Ready for Grand Theft Auto IV?

Continuing, Rockstar notes that “roughly around one percent” are having issues with the game. The statement is ironic seeing as how everyone is reporting problems of some sort or another.

“Going through certification with Microsoft and our external QA process, we didn’t run into the amount of problems that the boards seemed to be saying there are,” said development VP Jeronimo Barrera.

“We’re seeing some of the things that people are complaining about but they’re so peripheral of the target audience,” Barrera continued. “We do recognize that people are having problems with this but it’s not the disaster that people have it hyped up to be.”

Expect the patch to drop in a couple of days.

All this comes from Gamespot, who notes that the game has not been edited in any way and that content will be similar to the one in international versions. It isn’t known whether Rockstar actually cut any offensive content before applying for classification.

Grand Theft Auto IV comes out tomorrow on PC.

If recent listings on their official website are to be believed, GameStop will be carrying Xbox Live Marketplace token cards good for one purchase of Grand Theft Auto IV: Lost & Damned.

GameStop makes it pretty clear in their listing that the package will not include a disc, instead stating that this product is stricly downloadable content.

However, for the $19.99 that you pay for the expansion, you’ll also be getting a 2 sided poster, yippee!

Making the PC version that much more enticing, Rockstar has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 4 on the computer will allow 32 players to play online together, doubling the 16-player limit on consoles.

This doubling is the promised “newly expanded multiplayer” that was offered when the game was announced for PC. Due out this December, the PC version will feature all the multiplayer modes of the console release.

Additionally, the PC version will feature enhanced graphics and a nifty video editor functionality that will allow creative people like you to create your own machinima. It is set for release on December 2.

This comes after Take-Two sued CTA for breach of contract over the incident before the game’s release earlier this year. The ads will now appear on Chicago buses for the next six weeks after which the CTA will not run any ads for M-rated games under a new ordinance passed by the company’s board last week.

It can be noted that the GTA ads do not feature any violent or overtly sexual themes that normall prohibit advertisements from running on city buses, among other things.

The game will implement stylus controls, with aiming being controlled with the controlled pad. Players can switch to auto aim with th R bumper. The User interface will be handled through a PDA. Players can veiw their contacts, emails, stats, map, GPS, and the music player, through the PDA.

In addition to the game details, you can view the first screenshots after the jump.

It’s unlikely that this will have a major impact on Take-Two Interactive’s sales of the flagship title, as many gamers have already pre-ordered the game, and many are planning to purchase it. Everyone is hyped for the game’s release and many are patiently waiting for the official release.

Read (Yahoo! News)