GENRE
	Third-Person Action
	DEVELOPER
	Rockstar Leeds
	PUBLISHER
	Rockstar Games
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	MICROPHONE
	Yes
	BUY NOW AT

Left for dead. Locked away in a car. And slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Not the best way to start, but luckily, the trusty stylus becomes a lifesaver, which can shatter the automobile’s windshield.

Just like that, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars successfully breaks out onto the DS scene. Packing heat, smuggling drugs, stealing and all the vulgarities any fan of the series would expect: this is no scaled-back game. Instead, developer Rockstar Leeds embraces the DS hardware and crafts an experience that actually pushes the series a step further. The stylus becomes an invaluable tool that adds a new dimension of interactivity with lead character Huang Lee, and the dual-screen setup fits perfectly for a PDA on the lower screen. There are still minuscule flaws -- some inherent with the GTA name -- but make no mistake, Chinatown Wars raises the bar for DS software.

visuals

Arguably, the city is as important as the lead character in any GTA game. Chinatown Wars surprisingly reconstructs GTA 4’s Liberty City with more than 900,000 lines of code in a cel-shaded, fully 3D graphic style. The camera displays the awe-inspiring municipality in a top-down, yet slightly tilted view that showcases the beauty of the crafted land -- filled with skyscrapers, boats, bridges, construction yards and even cemeteries – and displays an advantageous line of sight for driving. The aesthetics and point of view blend together well, and the amount of land to explore is massive. As such, texture tearing in roads and graphical pop-ups occur more often than not; though the sheer scope of the project makes one more forgiving of such flaws.

Even more impressive, a physics system runs behind the scenes, as cars -- more than 100 -- authentically react to crashes. For example, a top-heavy semi destroys all that stands in its path, but it's prone to tipping over during steep turns. If such an accident transpires, ambulances will react accordingly. But that’s not all. Helicopters soar overhead as vehicles roam the streets and NPCs venture onward with their everyday lives, possibly shouting in your way.

audio

The aforementioned bits are more or less the only spoken dialogue contained within Chinatown Wars though. Similar to the visuals, Rockstar Leeds successfully modifies the aural presentation with instrumental beats and story dialogue relegated to white written text. The licensed tunes are missed from other GTA games, but the quality beats, available over a multi-station radio, are more than serviceable. The high point, for the ears, relates to the sound effects. Shotguns blast with an emphasized thud, and fires crackle and pop over burning boxes and humans alike.

gameplay

The game truly shines in regards to the diversity of bite-sized missions, thoughtfully integrated stylus controls, and populated open-world gameplay. Each operation has an identity of its own, with objectives ranging from using a defibrillator to keep a man alive while driving an ambulance, to chucking Molotov cocktails off a helicopter. Tasks immediately feel pleasurable and rewarding, with a fast-paced nature that begs users for just one more go-around. It also doesn’t hurt that a single button press immediately restarts any failed attempt, which is extremely conducive to on-the-go gaming.

A new police evasion system also adds to the intensity of the story’s missions. Hiding will no longer erase wanted levels of two or more stars. Instead, Huang will have to interact with the force, ramming and destroying vehicles to lower his star status. It’s no longer hide-and-seek, but instead an enjoyable rampage through the city streets.

For those that would rather cause havoc with weaponry, Rockstar Leeds has that base covered as well. Flamethrowers, rocket launchers, and even chainsaws and swords slowly become available as the story progresses. Shoot-outs transform into an almost straightforward arcade-like experience thanks to the top-down viewpoint. This definitely fits the pacing of the overall game, but may dumb down the mechanic too much for a few.

On top of it all, the stylus is cleverly utilized. The handy stick accesses everything smoothly on the PDA -- a GPS map, menus, Ammunation store, Huang’s apartments and even mini-games. But these aren’t your kid-oriented side tasks. Instead, the touch screen allows for sniper rifles to be assembled from a briefcase, cars to be jacked with a screwdriver and bombs to be diffused through wire cutters. Thus, the touch screen transforms into the user’s PDA, not Huang’s, or becomes an extension of one’s own hands, breaking a virtual barrier that’s not possible with traditional controllers.

To capitalize on the stellar foundation, a fully living world lies beneath Huang’s feet. First, an economy focused on drug dealing opens up an addictive management game. Drug dealers litter the city’s streets, offering deals on marijuana, heroin and coke. Each substance demands a price, with sellers and users sending e-mails to proffer new deals almost every day. This allows for more patient people to stack up on the goods at a low price, waiting for the perfect time to pounce on people fixing for their goods.

Finally, side missions, rampages, races, stunt jumps and collectible elements -- like destroying 100 security cameras – add polish and depth to an already deep title. An intriguing feature, too, is that blue character icons will pop up on the map in some areas, allowing for entertaining character side quests. All in all, there’s plenty to do, and hitting the 100 percent mark would easily take 20-plus hours to complete, if not 30.

multiplayer

For those that do complete everything, several multiplayer features are ready to fill in more hours. With two DS systems and two copies of Chinatown Wars, users can embark on co-op “Defend the Base” missions, compete in heated races and more. The options are plentiful, although the cost for entry is high, since single-copy play is unavailable.

On the other hand, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is utilized for players to upload their statistics to Rockstar’s social club. A chat feature and in-game trading also fill out the feature set, with the big bonus relating to new unlockable missions in the coming months.

overall

The few flaws aside, the GTA franchise thrives on the system, with missions becoming more focused and a second screen allowing for easy PDA, or menu access. Informative e-mails about tasks and front door delivery of weapons also keep everything up to date and accessible. Possibly most importantly, the stylus serves as a valuable tool throughout the title, becoming an essential element for the player and in-game character, Huang. It also doesn’t hurt that a gorgeous, cel-shaded Liberty City serves as a backdrop to all the action. Thus, Chinatown Wars not only lives up to its series’ namesake, it pushes the boundaries of what’s possible on Nintendo’s handheld system.

9.5/10