Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and The Damned

An addition to the GTA4 game that was immensely popular, it follows a biker gang called The Lost as they run riot over Liberty City after they leader is released from prison.

You play one of the higher ups in the gang, called Johnny Klebitz, who looked after the gang while its leader Billy was locked up. Now that The Lost has been reformed to its former glory, you take part in missions to win back territory, score points against rival gangs, and to earn cash and prestige for your clubhouse. All the while riding some awesome motorcycles.

Rockstar are behind this game, and, as with any of their games, it is brilliantly produced, with a plenty of cutting edge gaming and usability. The most impressive aspect of TLATD is the story and characters. From the outset, I was drawn into the plot surrounding the biker gang, and the tension between Johnny and Billy, and as the story unfolded, it become increasingly appealing. The characters which emerge throughout the game are vivid, interesting, and realistic, which is an important aspect for the game. Unlike GTA4, I took to the main character immediately, and was quickly enjoying seeing how his life was thrown into chaos.

The missions are typical sandbox/gangster/action missions, such as eliminating rivals or destroying shipments, but the use of motorbikes makes it seem fresh. Many of the additional missions (those not connected to the story) can be a lot of fun, such as the races which take place all over the city. While you are on these races, you have the ability to attack fellow racers with a baseball bat, in a throwback Road Rash style.

The game's failings are quite easy to pinpoint. Firstly, it is short. You can complete the story in one day without breaking a sweat. So do not expect to be given a well developed, engrossing tale that seems to go on forever, because this one is short and sweet. Also, one aspect of the game which can get annoying, is that you almost always have to be on a bike to do missions. This can be difficult, if, like me, you destroy your bike quite easily. You will have to then go and find a bike, or call up a buddy to deliver a bike to you, costing you important playing time.

Overall, it is a great addition to a great game, and one that offers some exciting new elements which will entertain you for a maximum of a month.