GTA IV: The Lost and Damned Hands-On

US, January 22, 2009 - Downloadable content is about to get a major kick in the ass. The release of GTA IV: The Lost and Damned on February 17 is going to change the way people think about DLC. The standard for a DLC expansion pack is some new locations and a few new missions either shoved into a story already told or tacked on to its ending. But Rockstar has a unique vision for Liberty City. What if Liberty City--as fully detailed and realized a city as you'll find in a videogame--were a platform itself? What if the LC were a template where new games could be inserted? While The Lost & Damned features the same gameplay mechanics and storytelling style of GTA IV, it is as close to a full new game as I've seen for "add-on content."

Depending on skill level and amount of time you spend messing around, Rockstar expects The Lost and Damned to take anywhere from 12-20 hours to complete. And that's just the single-player story. For $20 (1,600 MSP), L&D offers a full-fledged campaign, new locations, new mini-games (arm wrestling!), refined gameplay mechanics, new vehicles, new weapons, a hefty new soundtrack, new DJs, new TV shows, new Internet sites, and new multiplayer. One thing's for certain: Rockstar isn't dicking around with horse armor.

To access The Lost & Damned, boot up a copy of GTA IV and start a new game. You can now choose between GTA IV and L&D. Though both take place in Liberty City, the two are separate stories and separate game worlds, meaning you don't gain access to the new interiors in L&D if you're playing GTA IV. You can't take Niko into The Lost clubhouse to kill a bunch of bikers, sorry. Aside from the initial download, you won't need an Xbox Live connection to play L&D. Unlike some downloadable content, there's no online verification required. So if the 'net goes down, you can still take L&D for a spin.



Click to check out more images for the GTA DLC.L&D stars Johnny Klebitz (aka Johnny the Jew), Vice President of a motorcycle gang, The Lost. Since Billy, the president of the gang, has been in rehab, Johnny's been running things. However, when Billy returns, a power struggle ensues. Billy enjoys random acts of violence and selling dope; Johnny thinks there are better ways for the gang to be successful. It seems that, inevitably, these two are going to clash. However, in the three missions I played, the two were still struggling to stay friendly.

The thought of playing a dozen hours of GTA IV with a focus on bikes had me a little worried before picking up the controller. However, Rockstar made a number of fixes for L&D that should dissipate any frustrations. You really have to work hard to get knocked off your bike. In fact, it took me plowing head-first into a fence to finally get thrown. Bikes are easier to control overall, but even if you bump cars, nudge walls, or slam against the occasional light post, you will most likely stay on your seat.

With bikes as a focus on L&D, you'll see more on the streets as you're driving around. A few new vehicles have been added to GTA IV's roster, none more important than Johnny's customized ride. This special bike is Johnny's and Johnny's alone. You won't find others riding it on the street. Don't worry about riding safely to avoid nicking the paint; you can call Clay for a replacement anytime you destroy or lose your ride.

While the gameplay in L&D sees no drastic changes, there is a different feel to Johnny's story. Niko was a lonely guy, fresh off the boat, trying to get his bearings in the big city. Johnny's been in Liberty City a long time. He has friends, established hang-outs. He doesn't have a funny accent or any of Niko's naiveté. In the three missions I played, I was never alone. There was always at least one other biker along with me for the ride. This is a gang, after all.

Though there is conflict between Johnny and Billy, there's also a war raging between The Lost and the Angels of Death. In "Action/Reaction" Billy demands retribution for an earlier transgression by the Angels of Death. He leads the gang, with Johnny in tow, to one of the AoD's hangouts. As with GTA IV, you're going to have to drive yourself to the objective. However, Rockstar is attempting to spice this up a bit. At various times throughout the ride, you'll see the Lost & Damned logo appear on the ground. If you position Johnny inside the logo for a few seconds, the gang rides in perfect formation, with your reward being some additional dialogue.

Action/Reaction plays out like a typical GTA IV mission. You show up, kill some folks, and then run from the cops. But you do get to try out some of the new weapons in the game. When you reach the AoD hangout, you'll need to toss a pipe bomb through one of the windows. As the AoD storm out of the building, meet them with a shot from the new grenade launcher. This is one weapon you are certain to love. Though it has a little less explosive power than an RPG, it fires more quickly and is far less cumbersome. It also seems much easier to aim grenades through car windows with this baby. And thanks to its arching trajectory, with some practice, you can get shots to land just over barricades.

For a personal touch, you can switch to the sawed-off shotgun. This powerful and easily concealed weapon is a real beauty and certain to quickly become a favorite. It can also be fired while on your bike and certainly makes taking out a cop's tires a bit easier than with a pistol.

Things got a lot more interesting when I gave "Buyer's Market" a run. Johnny's story runs parallel to Niko's and, as this mission shows, the two intersect at times. Remember the mission "Blow Your Cover" where Elizabeta sent Niko and Playboy to make a pick-up with some other dude you didn't know and it turned out the dealers were undercover cops and the whole deal went to hell? That dude you didn't know was Johnny, the character you play in The Lost and Damned. Now you get to experience that mission from a different perspective.

As Johnny, Elizabeta hooks you up with Playboy and Niko for this very mission. You pick up the heroin, then meet with Niko and his buddy to complete the deal with the buyer's. When things go to hell, Niko and Playboy split from Johnny, who must make his way downstairs through a group of the LCPD's finest.



Click to check out more images for the GTA DLC.The scripts for GTA IV and L&D were written at the same time and Rockstar had this crossover in mind from the very beginning. Instead of just tacking on a few elements from the GTA IV story, Rockstar has been able to fully integrate characters into both. Niko isn't the only character you'll recognize on your journey and subplots barely touched on in GTA IV will be more fully explored.

Though my brief encounter with Niko was enjoyable, I have to say that the best mission of the three I played was "Shifting Weight." This on-rails mission puts Johnny on the back of a bike, with someone else driving. The cops are in heavy pursuit in the lengthy chase. But don't worry, you're armed with an assault shotgun. This aptly named weapon is a terror. With decent aim, it's easy to tear through the cop cars and helicopters giving pursuit. It doesn't hurt to have unlimited ammo.

Being free of the burden of driving allows you to do something rare in GTA IV -- focus on shooting. And it allows Rockstar to offer some cinematic moments, since it can't disrupt your driving. This is one of those missions that feels like a reward. It's not about story, it has no tedious elements, and it's unique from anything else in GTA IV. It's just pure shooting glory.

And it adds something many gamers have been begging for from GTA IV -- mid-mission checkpoints. About halfway through Shifting Weight, you'll pass a car dealership. Die after this point and you have the option to start from this moment. Hooray.

GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned is looking like one of the best deals around. You're essentially getting a full game for just 20 bucks. While we haven't been given any details on the multiplayer, we're told it's as robust an offering as the single-player. Oh, and if you've noticed L&D listed for sale at a retail outlet such as GameStop, know that this is not a disc. It's just a card with a code you can enter on Xbox Live to download the DLC.

THANKS IGN FOR THE HEADS UP