Grand Theft Auto 2

Written by Thomas Harding  on March 03, 2001

Review: Stealing cars ain't like it used to be...

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Many of you, I'm sure, have played Grand Theft Auto (GTA) or at least heard of it. Well for those of you not in the know, in GTA you play as a lowly car thief who steals cars and completes assignments from gangs. Upon completing these assignments you are rewarded with money and respect, but in turn you lose respect from the gang's rival gang. It may sound confusing now, but trust me; it is much easier to understand in the game.

The visuals in GTA2 may be quite deceiving. At first glance most of you probably see less than par graphics and a low frame rate automatically making the graphics "sucky". Well, if you ever sat down and played it, you'd know that you are for the most part, wrong. The graphics are a mixed bag. The cities are fully rendered in complete 3D, but the camera angle makes that hard to see for some. The cities are definitely the best looking part of the game. The cars (for the most part) are very good looking; as are the weapons.. The character that you control is where it starts to get ugly. You have to scrutinize him to make out which side of his body is the front or back. And when you get a close up (usually by using the rocket launcher near a wall) its even harder! The special effects are, however, top notch and the game runs at a smooth 30 FPS.

Now, the audio in GTA2 is definitely one of the highlights of the game. The music is average for a game like this, but the sound effects will blow you away. From the different engine sounds from each car, to the rocket launcher and moltov cocktails, the sound effects are awesome.

GTA2's gameplay is quite unique, but familiar at the same time. You move your character/car ala Resident Evil (up always moves you forward, regardless of your direction). Each car (over 100 of them) has its own unique feel. Some are slow and loose others are fast and tight and everything in between. There aren't many game modes to play considering there is only one. Even though gameplay is greatly limited, it can still be much fun.

GTA2 doesn't feature much, but what it does feature is pretty darn good. As I already stated, GTA2 includes over 100 vehicles ranging from sports limousines to buses to high performance sport cars. Also, there are 3 different "levels" or "city backdrops" that are opened when a certain goal is reached in each.

The replay value of GTA2 is average. It will keep you playing for a week to a month. But, even after you have completed it, you will find yourself coming back to it occasionally.