A good sequel but could have been better (Grand Theft Auto 2 (PC))

Member Name: Burning_Darkness

Product:	Grand Theft Auto 2 (PC)
Date:	09/08/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple fun gameplay, new maps, models, music and adversaries

Disadvantages: Not much to differentiate it from the first game, radio transmissions can be annoying

Released back in 1999, Grand Theft Auto 2 follows closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, with a top-down viewpoint, simple, arcade-style gameplay and controls and uncomplicated, cartoony graphics. As before, you must travel around the huge city maps gunning people down on foot and stealing cars, getting involved in long car-chases with the police and carrying out missions for local gangs in exchange for money. The graphics are a little more polished in the original, and the cityscapes more varied, with certain levels set at night this time around.

There are dozens of new vehicle models available, and there are now numerous different gangs for whom you can work, with the game introducing a new 'respect' system whereby different gangs become more friendly or hostile towards you depending upon the missions you choose to carry out and the way you behave in their territories. Should you act hostile towards one gang, they will open fire on you when you enter their area of influence, adding a little more depth to the levels. The police chase you in patrol cars as before, but now you also get pursued by SWAT teams, the FBI and finally the National Guard, depending on how much trouble you cause, which adds more variety and extra layers of difficulty to the game.

There are radio stations that you can switch between whilst out joyriding as before, but there is a lot of inane radio chit chat and fake adverts this time around, which is realistic but also gets annoying quite quickly, and had me longing for the non-stop music transmissions present in the first game. Despite all its little embellishments GTA2 somehow loses some of the magic present in the original game, and I found it more difficult to get into, with the original seeming like a more pure gaming experience with less distractions. Its still a great game in its own right however, but doesn't add much to the original GTA experience to be honest.

Summary: A decent if slighly disappointing sequel.