Xboxist

'Ballad' is the Game GTA IV Should Have Been

More than a year after the original release of Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar is about to release a downloadable content pack that will be the game many fans were waiting for. Some will argue that The Ballad of Gay Tony arrives too late to make much of a difference for those who felt betrayed by the original GTA IV. The first game had tons of narrative punch, but lacked many of the little details that made San Andreas so fun: there wans't much to do outside of the main storyline, and customizing the main character was out of the question. But now, with The Ballad of Gay Tony, Rockstar seems to finally be re-introducing some of the ingredients that fans have been asking for

In the single-player story mode, players take on the role of Luis Lopez. As right-hand man to Tony Prince, Lopez has many responsibilities in the two most profitable clubs in Liberty City: Maisonette9 and Hercules. As part of his daily routine, Luis must make the rounds to ensure everything is running smoothly. If any shady activity is going down it's his job to sweep it under the rug. This means kicking out drug dealers, perverts, and
other degenerates from the premises. Occasionally Luis must play the concierge for his celebrity clientele, including picking up obscure takeaways for models; helping stars avoid the paparazzi; or making sure the on-stage talent is sufficiently "medicated" before their performance. Clearly, there are going to be a lot of varied mission types in Ballad. For Luis, a huge payday awaits if he can meet the demanding needs of Liberty City's most wealthy. On the other hand, he runs with some pretty shady characters, and danger is right around every corner.

The Ballad of Gay Tony DLC adds tons of new minigames and activities. During Luis's downtime, he can take to the dance floor at Maisonette 9 or Hercules, where he can dance solo or in a group with a familiar-feeling dance mini-game. If the moment takes them, the whole club can join in a "bus stop" and dance in unison. Keep in mind that this is still an 'M' rated game: If he impresses a girl enough, she'll lead him off the dance floor for some hot action in the club bathroom. If the mood should strike him, Luis can get her number for a second, third, or fourth round.

Drinking was one of the ways we drowned our sorrows in the original GTA IV, and it has been enhanced this time around. To quench his thirst, Luis can head to Maisonette9 or Hercules for a shot at the bar. Each one will get him incrementally more drunk, too many and he'll black out, only to awake and find himself somewhere unexpected. Luis can also partake in a champagne drinking contest in the VIP section of Maisonette9. If he's not careful and drinks too quickly, he'll throw up. Too many bottles may cause drunkenness and blackouts. Sounds like a typical day around the GameFlavor offices...

Multiplayer has also been overhauled and improved in The Ballad of Gay Tony. The new episode takes the classic fan-favorite modes from the mayhem of Grand Theft Auto IV multiplayer and overhauls every aspect for an action packed, over-the-top experience. New weapons for greater diversity and impact. New, tighter Deathmatch arenas for more fierce matches. And the addition of new gameplay features including parachutes, kill streaks and assisted kills.

The featured modes are: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, GTA Race, Race and Free Mode In Deathmatch, with up to 16 players online, your objective is to have the most kills within the set time. Players are awarded contract money for each kill, and can also loot casualties for their dropped cash. The player with the most cash when the game ends wins. In Team Deathmatch, players work as a team to rub out other teams for money - and the crew with the most cash at the end of the round wins. Deathmatch locations are contained areas, making for an even more intense experience. New locations include: CC Plaza, Meadow Hills, Firefly Island, Alderney Building Site, Varsity Heights, Factory, Construction, Acter Power Station, Pier 45, Castle Gardens Park, Boat House, Easton Subway, Warehouse, Hospital, Waste, Trespass, Museum and more.

The Ballad of Gay Tony also includes a raft of new weapons to spice up multiplayer showdowns. These are the Pistol .44, Explosive Shotgun, Assault SMG, Gold SMG, Advanced MG, Advanced Sniper, Sticky Bombs and Parachute.

All of this sounds mighty enticing, and we hope it is enough to bring some old fans back to the multiplayer servers for some collective parachute and tank mayhem. We only have two more weeks to wait for this DLC, which launches on October 29. The Ballad of Gay Tony will be available on Xbox LIVE for $19.99 USD (1600 points) or as part of the Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City bundle for $39.99 USD.

See a list of Ballad of Gay Tony Achievements here.