Episodes From Liberty City Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 November, 2009

Happy choppers.

Version tested: Xbox 360

It's nothing if not strange to be reviewing the same thing for the second time in a fortnight, but then Rockstar has sent us down strange roads before. The Ballad of Gay Tony is the same now as it was last week, but the fact that it is also available on a disc it shares with The Lost and Damned, and which doesn't require the original Grand Theft Auto IV to play, asks different questions of a review.

It's possible, for example, that you're considering whether to buy this having never bought or played GTAIV - in which case your impressions may be mixed. The Liberty City of the current generation is a vast, colourful and varied environment, brimming with the series' trademark satirical humour and eccentricity, but whereas 18 months ago it seemed a technical marvel, 18 months on it's merely at the handsome end of competent, and drops frames more noticeably than an epileptic optometrist. And the core of GTA is very much still going to icons on the mini-map to receive a briefing and then driving somewhere to do some shooting, or similar.

Mechanics are solid but unspectacular, and lack the finesse intervening games have standardised. The cover-based third-person gunplay, for example, is sticky, and awkward in close quarters, and you never feel as comfortable as you do in comparable action games when you're moving around on foot. Sometimes, as when jumping or navigating buildings, it's as though the programmers spent so long making the world around you operate properly that they struggled to accommodate your need to touch it. The driving physics have also proven divisive. With that said, modern GTA is less frustrating than it was on PS2 and Xbox in many respects; you can even restart missions without having to go off and buy your guns again. Progress!

'Episodes From Liberty City' Screenshot 1

The Lost and Damned's motorcycles are perhaps its strongest characters. When I first lost Johnny Klebitz's Hexer in the river I was grumpy for several minutes.

One thing that hasn't changed throughout GTA's 3D history is Rockstar's approach to the framework of the game and its systems. Everything you can do is introduced as if by a serious man with thick eyebrows: the camera points at something, and a box of text appears to explain how it works. Learn. Not for Rockstar, then, the in-line tutorials that blur the lines between fiction and mechanics in other, more self-conscious action adventures. Given the sometimes-negative press the GTA games attract, perhaps someone somewhere decided very early on to make the line between reality and the game world as whopping as possible.

But let's face it, you probably have played GTAIV, so you know all this. Whatever your situation, the two discrete episodes included in this bundle complement one another very well. The Lost and Damned, first released in February, tells the story of a violent power struggle within the Alderney chapter of The Lost Motorcycle Club, and the perils of trying to live by an ageing creed - that, in the words of one character, "Life is pain, and through this life of brotherhood we can give pain the finger." The Ballad of Gay Tony, meanwhile, focuses on how wicked it is to jump out of helicopters wearing a parachute.

The Lost and Damned is moody, atmospheric and at times nostalgic and thought-provoking (not to mention very well written in places - chapter leader Billy Grey is never short of poetic justification for his actions, including a rather good one about the unifying, "centrifugal inertia" of the biker lifestyle). The Ballad doesn't care so much for character development; it's sillier and less predictable, a game more interested in what might happen if you shoved half of Bolivia up the nostrils of a Middle-Eastern playboy than whether said playboy has a past or a future and how they contribute to his behaviour.

The contrast is significant, and this proves to be a strength of Episodes From Liberty City. While it sometimes felt a bit weird in Grand Theft Auto IV to sit through a downbeat cut-scene about broken promises, sacrifice and revenge and then go off and sit in a comedy club or blow up police cars, Episodes has no such trouble: come this way for grainy fonts, leather, driving motorcycles in formation and pain; come this way for explosive shotgun shells, rainbows and golden helicopters.

One thing the two games - a fair description given that each lasts as long as the average blockbuster FPS campaign - have in common is a range of common deathmatch multiplayer modes, although there are some other, episode-specific ones. The Ballad probably does best out of these, simply by giving parachutes to players in the free-play mode. One of the main game's side-mission types is base-jumping - the practice of leaping off a skyscraper or out of a chopper and then deploying a parachute - and online you and some well-drilled friends can race together to complete several of these in sequence and post a score derived from the time this took and the precision of each landing.

'Episodes From Liberty City' Screenshot 2

The Ballad rates you for each mission, distributing more gamerpoints to people who tick more boxes and letting you replay missions later to achieve this.

Between the two episodes, you shouldn't expect much change from 15 hours of gameplay, assuming you decide to stick around for some of the many diversions beyond the main story missions. The Lost and Damned invites you to take part in motorcycle races and gang wars, while The Ballad lets you dabble in club management and, er, gang wars, as well as jumping off things. There are other things to do if you look hard enough, and an impressively deep and tailored soundtrack for each lifestyle, along with a lot of TV and radio content (including three extra radio stations for Gay Tony in this disc version), all of which is quite admirable considering the episodes' origins as downloadable content.

But then, Rockstar seems to have built The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony with their eventual unification in mind, so perhaps that's not surprising. It's also not surprising that while the two are heavyweights in the world of downloads, they are pretty much the sum of their parts in the big-hitting world of games-on-disc at the tail end of 2009, and priced accordingly. But the distinct personality of each component means that while this is still a nearly-two-year-old game in many respects, it's also a game of many more flavours than its contemporary opposition, and it's hard to imagine a Grand Theft Auto fan finding the experience disappointing.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (51) Latest comment 6 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • HarryPalmer #1 2 years ago

    Seriously annoyed this isn't on PS3 - actually feel cheated!

  • wayn3h #2 2 years ago

    Why do you feel cheated?

  • charming_fox #3 2 years ago

    Probably because he wants to play it but can't

  • Mercatoria #4 2 years ago

    lol@ charming fox

  • Fab4 #5 2 years ago

    Since when did 6 months away become close to a full year?

  • kingmong #6 2 years ago

    both of these are great! johnny k in TLAD was a great lead char. loved all the piss-taking between him and the others

  • HarryPalmer #7 2 years ago

    @ charming_fox: Exactly!

  • Zomoniac #8 2 years ago

    Cheated? It was widely reported public knowledge long before GTA IV originally came out last April that both bits of DLC would only ever make it to 360. You can't say you weren't warned.

  • rogueJT #9 2 years ago

    The Ballad of Gay Tony is the best fun I've had in a GTA game since Vice City.

    Is Johnny Brucie's brother by the way?

    Brucie in TBOGT looks very similar to Johnny, and they have the same(or a very similar) surname.

    @ HarryPalmer: how do you feel cheated how exactly?
    Did Sony take your money promising in return you'd have the epsiodes from LC on your PS3?
    No?

    Then kindly shut your beak.
    Edited by 2 at 04/11/09 @ 11:26

  • insincere_dave #10 2 years ago

    Just about finished TLAD... I can officially never go back to not having checkpoints in GTA now. Rockstar take heed!

  • bad09 #11 2 years ago

    It is a shame PC and PS3 guys don't get these but I'm sure the episodes will hit the other platforms eventually, ironic Sony now gets the treatment they dished out to other platforms with the GTA games last gen :)

    I'm tempted to go for the disc version as I have no space for Gay Tony and it would free up space loosing TLAD off there. Anyone know if disc TLAD works with the DLC version game save? I've not finished it yet!

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #12 2 years ago

    8 for one, 8 for the other, 8 for both, eh?

    who would have thought.

  • toa_boa #13 2 years ago

    Good job Tom! You remain one of the best reviewers employed by Eurogamer!

  • YoshiMcTaggis #14 2 years ago

    "Anyone know if disc TLAD works with the DLC version game save? I've not finished it yet!"

    It does, I used my download version save with the disc.

  • Skurmedel #15 2 years ago

    I would love to get these on the PC, but we all know one can't :(. I have it on 360 but can't play it there for the moment. I think the recording facilities on the PC makes it a wee bit more interesting as well.

  • cianchristopher #16 2 years ago

    Imagine a GTA with the smoothness of Uncharted 2 while on foot, Forza 3 in vehicle, with a smart checkpointing system!

    All at 60fps and better-than-Crysis graphics at full 1080p!

    That's what I want from the next generation!
    Edited by 1 at 04/11/09 @ 11:50

  • mkreku #17 2 years ago

    I didn't know these weren't coming to the PC! Whyyy

  • HarryPalmer #18 2 years ago

    @ Zomoniac + rogueJT: Hang on, I'm not looking to start an argument! I chose to get a PS3, and yes I knew the DLC would only appear on the 360, but didn't honestly think it would consist of essentially 2 extra GTA games that I really want to play. Sorry if that wasn't clear enough.

  • Eraysor #19 2 years ago

    One of the best things about TLAD was the number of additions to the rock radio station's playlist.

  • AliRay #20 2 years ago

    The cover system is fine, imo. If anything, it made the game way too easy, compared to the older GTAs.

  • Roland_D11 #21 2 years ago

    @rogueJT

    No, Mori from the Ballad is Brucie's brother, their surname ist Kibbutz, Johnny's is Klebitz.

    What I don't like about this are the added radio stations in the Ballad that are only on the disc and not in the downloadable package. That means I get less because I bought TLAD at release and bought the Ballad via Xbox Live...

  • Ringot #22 2 years ago

    @EarlBassett to be fair Bramwell/Mugwum is a gta fanboi so its refreshing to see a more balanced review for once. But EG just generally needs to get its head out of its own arse anyway. I only come here for the comments and rare euro-specific dealings.

  • bad09 #23 2 years ago

    Cheers for the info YoshiMcTaggis!

  • GamesConnoisseur #24 2 years ago

    HarryPalmer: Dont worry, you are a rare breeze of an honest PS3 owner who admits he would want the episode and is feeling cheated at how is not going to be able to play them.... Anytime soon.

    Same way as X360 owners would secretly feels cheated at being left out of Rockstar's next big project The Agent.

    I m just glad to be able to go multi platform.. As good games are too important to be ignored ... just cos on rival platform!

  • Cherub007 #25 2 years ago

    @Ringot

    You only come here for the comments? Admittedly this little bunch don't seem bad but most commenters on this site sound like ten-year-old speed freaks who have just learned how to masturbate.

  • iago71 #26 2 years ago

    I really wish I had passion for the GTA games. I always want to like em as much as other people seem to but just feel really luke warm when I play them. I appreciate their greatness but just dont seem to get into them. Oh well. :(

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #27 2 years ago

    Nerdy question I know, but how are the achievements worked out for this? GTAIV now has 1500 points worth, including the two DLC packs. So is this release a whole new set of cheevos, meaning it'd be impossible to max out GTAIV unless you bought them twice (not that I stand any chance of doing that, natch)? Or does it just add them to the GTA list?

  • lavalant #28 2 years ago

    Love TLAD and Gay Tony far more than the vanilla GTA4, the new parachuting abilities are just the cherry on the cake, takes me back to pilot wings, 9/10 for me. I'd give it a 10/10 if it weren't for the poor cover system and combat mechanics and those damn cops with shotguns taking me out with one shot, I find it pretty difficult to get 6 stars, easier with the tank now though.

    Vice City radio is my number 1 station just now, those that have the downloaded versions, keep an eye out on torrent sites as you can download the full station and play it as a custom soundtrack.

  • udat #29 2 years ago

    I wish I'd know TLAD would come out on a disc with the next episode back when I bought it. Especially as the disc has more content, is no more expensive, and can be re-sold. I'd have not bothered and bought it now.

    I was neutral about DLC for a long time, only buying TLAD for GTA4, A couple of Fallout 3 expansions and the Crackdown thing. Now I'm starting to dislike it quite seriously.

  • Zebula77 #30 2 years ago

    Waiting for the GOTY of version of this for PS3 (like Fallout 3). It's gonna happen, yes? YES?!?

  • asphaltcowboy #31 2 years ago

    So if we haven't bought either of the DLC packs yet, we should get the disc version?

  • lavalant #32 2 years ago

    @asphaltcowboy yes, the disc version is £20 if you look around and has the exclusive Vice City radio station that doesn't come with the DLC, also has a better menu or take up over 4 gig on your HDD.

  • asphaltcowboy #33 2 years ago

    Cheers! I had planned to wait for the disc release, so that's good to know!

  • Sunyavadin #34 2 years ago

    I bought the disc version so I could have both on a disc, even though I already owned TLAD DLC.

    I paid 20 for the disc and it was worth that for Gay Tony alone.
    One thing though - The music on the DLC version of TLAD is FAR better than on the version that comes with Gay Tony. LRR and LCHC have a better selection in the DLC version, more suited to the theme of the episode. Also, Gay Tony RUINS Electro-choc across BOTH games (The DLC TLAD uses the original GTAIV version), turning it from a selection of great, harsh electronic stuff to a mess of chart-style noise pollution...

    I'm going to stick with playing the DLC version of TLAD and the disc version of Gay Tony. But as I said, I feel it was worth what I paid anyway, so no complaints there.

    *edit*
    Oh, and come on, Rockstar - would it KILL you to have added support for cross-version multiplayer? I had to download an update when I logged on to GTAIV for the first time in 6 months anyway, how hard would a new update that either added support for TLAD and TBOGT avatars in Free Mode and Deathmatch so owners of both games could play together, or just add a default skin for them to appear as to users of the other game? Not to mention that people with the disc version can't play with people who downloaded THE SAME GAME. This is a bit lazy, not what we expect from R*.
    Edited by 2 at 04/11/09 @ 13:21

  • funkateer #35 2 years ago

    "Cheated? It was widely reported public knowledge long before GTA IV originally came out last April that both bits of DLC would only ever make it to 360. You can't say you weren't warned."

    Not everyone follows the games media as closely as the average gaming nerd, you know...

    IMHO, I think bought exclusivity like this is bad for gaming in general. MS wins a bit of exclusivity, R* gets a bit of fast cash, millions of R*'s fanbase that bought GTA4 on PS3 lose. It's not that 360 owners won (this DLC would have been there on 360 without exclusivity anyway), it's just that PS3 owners lost. That can't be good for R* on long term.

    R* should have shown some guts and give MS the finger.

  • Ringot #36 2 years ago

    @Cherub007 yeah I know its funny

  • Boomerang #37 2 years ago

    "drops frames more noticeably than an epileptic optometrist"

    Very good Tom :)

  • Skurmedel #38 2 years ago

    How was it an excellent decision for anyone but Microsoft? I don't follow this reasoning. It doesn't matter one bit to you, does it, in the end? I mean if you are on a 360 you would get it anyhow, the only thing it does is lock some people out from playing stuff they want.

    I'm just happy I can have all the platforms mentioned, but I would really like to see less exclusivity for multiplatform titles.

  • local_celebrity #39 2 years ago

    donnie080208.

    I never read your posts, because they're always a long piss stream of consciousness.

    Use some paragraph breaks, mate. They make the text so much more inviting.

  • Xerx3s #40 2 years ago

    "Seriously annoyed this isn't on PS3 - actually feel cheated! "

    It was well known in advance that this would be exclusive. You don't see people moaning that something like uncharted isn't on another platform, right? Either buy the platform or buy another game to your liking.

  • Xerx3s #41 2 years ago

    "IMHO, I think bought exclusivity like this is bad for gaming in general."

    All exclusivity is bought, I don't know but exclusives are usually the best games.

  • Skurmedel #42 2 years ago

    Xerc3s: There's a flaw in your argument, Uncharted is a wholly exclusive game. GTA 4 is on the PC and the PS3. The only thing exclusive is the DLC. I think people have any right to moan about it. I can easily get the DLC for the 360, but not everybody can do that.

    Frankly, I don't see a problem with some people wishing other games were available on their platform, only fanboys wish the opposite.

  • FladgeMangle #43 2 years ago

    @Donnie080208

    Do you know why your posts are always marked down? The whole "xbots" and "PS3LOL" mentality is getting very old and most forum posters these days just want to talk about games. You have an xbox360 and you like it. WE KNOW. My god, we know.

    Most of us know the differences between a 360 and the PS3, most of us have made a choice to not give a shit. Please, could you also try to give less of a shit?

    (Apologies to Armstrong and Miller, original C4 series.)

  • jimbo118 #44 2 years ago

    3 extra radio-stations? All I know of is ViceFm.

    Also can you still visit clothes stores in the episodes? Can't seem to find Perseus(I wish the map would inlcude everything you could interact with, not just internet, pay'n'spray etc)

  • Sunyavadin #45 2 years ago

    You know what'd be REALLY nice?
    Having the teams who handle platform localisation of cross-platform games spend a bit of time unifying the networking.
    Cross-platform multiplayer is good for business, as it can help to keep a game going long after the population of players on both platforms would have dwindled below the threshold to make more paid DLC worth investing in developing.


    Plus the XBot/3Tard crowd could resolve their arguments about which is best - with guns.

  • Badassbab #46 2 years ago

    I actually bought an Elite for BOGT. I ran out of spce on my 1st gen loud 20gb 360 so bought a brand spanking new 120gb Elite with 4 free games from Sainsbury's (so much quieter!), transfered the data across, sold the four free games and 20gig xbox on eBay to recoup most of the costs and downloaded BOGT.

  • wonton #47 2 years ago

    fantastic that the episodes disc doesnt require the original game.

    Ive got IV for the ps3 but i can play this on my x360 without shelling out for another copy of IV.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #48 2 years ago

    @Killa

    When I was playing TLAD (downloaded), I found I got less stuttering and invisible world geometry problems when I just played it off the disc rather than installing it.

    I think MS really need to add a proper disk defragmentation utility, since clearing my caches never had any effect.

  • Skorms-Boss #49 2 years ago

    I really didn’t enjoy GTA IV, the lead character was a bore (except when he was drunk and falling out of a bar, cause that was just funny!) the lack of save points drove me mad and the over hype got to me, and though the graphic may not be as snazzy I prefer Saint’s Row 2 (it’s loud, brash and funny as hell to play!)

    So why, why do I feel the need to purchase this?
    I know I’m going to be hurt again, I know I’ll be trading it in at a loss in a weeks time, why am I doing this!

  • kongzi #50 2 years ago

    @mentalist:
    same here man, altough clearing the cache does seem to fix the problem where there's little or no traffic on the streets for me. It also seems some of the better draw distance and graphical tweaks for The Ballad also carry over in TLAD on disc, I haven't made any real comparisons but it sortof looks a little better and sharper.

    I'm still having a lot of fun with this game, don't know why so many people are dissapointed with IV. Oh well.. people that hate GTA seem to like SR2, so we all happy. I just love the driving in GTA... one of the funnest driving models I have ever experienced in a game.
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/09 @ 18:55

  • cheekyxboxgamer #51 6 months ago

    Ive got this on the 360 and although i love my 360 i did think it was wromg for these 2 episodes to be just on the 360 due to the fact they are really good and to do with the main story. I dont have a ps3 but was happy to hear its out on ps3 now becouse wether you are a 360 or ps3 fanboy we are all gamers no matter what platform u prefer so we should all get the same content of a game thats on both systems