Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
radio stations, check out some genuinely funny shows (including some big-
name acts) at cabaret and comedy clubs, and use a computer to surf the
in-game internet.” 41 The in-game version of the internet included a variety
of dif erent spoof emails and websites that mock out of game scams, from
ads for male enhancement to princes requesting money. The depth of play
in the game led one reviewer to contend,
Though these unsavory activities [killing, the ability to drive drunk]
are somewhat commonplace in the game, it is an unfair simplifi cation
of the overall package. It's like calling a nuanced and well-scripted
Scorsese fi lm “a movie about guns.” Sure, there's violence and deprav-
ity abound but there's also movie-quality cutscenes, the best voice act-
ing in the industry, intrigue, betrayal, mysteries, dark secrets from the
past, character interaction and development. This is not just a game
about murder. This is an experience. 42
As best seen in GTA IV , gamers fi nd something in play that is beyond the
common critiques of the game. GTA games develop a funny, fully designed
world in which players are actors in a gripping drama. Certainly, the games
should not be played by children, but the ability to do almost anything is part
of what makes these games entertaining. Wordplay shows how the small, yet
powerful contributions found in play are what make the game resound.
In addition to increasing the depth of a player's immersion into the game
through the details and humor, GTA IV distinguishes itself from previous
versions of the series by developing a compelling protagonist in the design
of Niko Bellic. GTA games are increasingly focused on character develop-
ment, which complements the appeal of the game. The earliest version of
GTA games featured a bland, nameless protagonist. The main character
does not speak until Grand Theft Auto: Vice City . In GTA IV , the addi-
tional character development leads to the recognition that “criminals are
an ugly, cowardly lot more worthy of pity and disdain than admiration.
This is what you'll learn playing through the single-player campaign in
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV . The series cheered (and criticized) for
glorifying violence has taken an unprecedented turn: it's gone legit.” 43 The
rich character development allows GTA IV to complicate notions of good
and evil through a number of interesting characters. Niko Bellic is a recent
Serbian immigrant seeking retribution against someone who betrayed his
company of soldiers, causing the death of all but three members of the
group. Although Niko routinely commits crimes, he also saves women from
abusive relationships, denies of ers to partake in drugs and alcohol, and
confronts his own homophobia when he learns that one of his two fellow
survivors is in a homosexual relationship with the mayor of Liberty City. 44
After playing as Niko for hours, it is hard not to like him, similar to the
way one can develop an ai nity for characters like Omar in The Wire or a
member of the Corleone family in The Godfather movies.
 
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