N'Gai Croal
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Jun 16, 2008 09:00 AM
Grand Theft Auto IV, developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games
Whoever said that you can't improve perfection never met the staffs of Level Up and Multiplayer. For the newest installment of Vs. Mode,
in which we spar over Grand Theft Auto IV, we're doing something
different. Because as much as we enjoy the clack-clack of our own deep
thoughts being typed out for your edification, we like mixing it up in
the comments with you, our Dear Readers, even more. So to help make Vs.
Mode less dueling monologues and more of an open dialogue, here's how
we're tweaking the formula.
Rather than just throw you into the
deep end of mine and Stephen's opening exchange, we're kicking off this
series with today's brief introductory post to both preview our debate
of Grand Theft Auto IV and solicit some comments and questions from
you. Then, on the final day of our debate, Stephen and I will not only
engage each other, but we'll also tackle any statements or questions
that you've posted on our respective blogs. Today's topic is "Who Moved
My Sandbox?" in which we discuss whether GTA IV has gotten too far away
from the series' sandbox roots. Some excerpts of what you'll see in
full on Tuesday:
Stephen Totilo: This new
GTA was made to be more sophisticated, more grown up, I think. It
introduces moral choice. It skips rainbow afros and giant sex-toy
weapons for a story that, initially, is a barely violent exploration of
the eyes-just-shut start of the American dream. It's a more mature GTA.
Yet there's a guy at work here at MTV who is inconsolable over the
exclusion of planes and tanks in GTA IV. He wants to wreak mayhem. He
sees a GTA as the sandbox it was once hyped to be. He wants unhinged
GTA.
N'Gai Croal: I want Rockstar
to take the possibility space that is Liberty City and keep building on
it. They can experiment with tone: one expansion pack could be
primarily comic; another tragic; another brutal; another frothy. They
can set one in the 1970s; another in 2020. I said that Rockstar is
showing its maturity by realizing that it doesn't have to be all things
to all gamers, but let me revise that statement: it doesn't have to be
all things to all gamers at all times.
Based on
these excerpts, who do you agree with? Does GTA IV need a wilder,
richer sandbox, or did Rockstar North get the balance right? Let us
know what you think in the comments below. And check back tomorrow for
Round 1 of this month's Vs. Mode: Grand Theft Auto IV.
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