Unlike other video game add-ons that unlock new islands, multiplayer maps or horse's armor, the Lost and Damned expansion uses the existing cityscape of Grand Theft Auto IV, but adds 10-15 hours worth of a new characters and story. Say goodbye to Niko and his bumbling cousin, say hello to equally conflicted Johnny "The Jew" Klebitz, his psychotic boss Billy and the rest of the members of The Lost motorcycle club.
GTA IV was arguably 2008's best game, so in one sense we're pleased that this new add-on experience doesn't stray far from the source material. At the same time, there is a certain been-there, done-that feeling, and Johnny's ongoing clashes with biker gang boss Billy are so telegraphed that they fall flat compared to the (by comparison) subtle nuances of Niko's story.
Like Grand Theft Auto IV, the story unfolds around a series of missions which generally involve lengthy shoot-em-ups at rival gangs' clubhouses and other locales – and running from the cops after the firefight's over. Instead of jacking cars, Johnny and his crew cruise town on supped up motorcycles, which have been thankfully overhauled from GTA IV to offer more stability while driving. There are also a handful of new high-powered weapons, like the grenade launcher and automatic shotgun.
Instead of running solo Niko-style, it's important to hang with your gang in Lost and Damned. Ride in formation with your bros for a health boost (indicated when the crew's logo lights up on the street, though it's harder to hit than it should be), and gang members will build up experience as they advance through missions. But if they get knocked off, they're replaced with green recruits, who aren't as good in a firefight. There are still plenty of missions Johnny will do solo, so you don't feel like you're always tied to the group.
A couple of the big annoyances from the original game have been fixed in this expansion -- if you fail a mission, you will go back to a checkpoint right before the action kicks off, instead of starting over from the very beginning of the mission. Also, the need to maintain friends by meeting up at strip clubs, pool joints, etc. has been graciously deemphasized, and it's great not to get nagging calls from your bros every five minutes to play darts or grab a bite at the Burger Shot.
The game, like GTA IV, still has sometimes long-winded exposition (which you can skip through if you're so inclined) but the action ramps up quickly. After all, someone who downloads this expansion has most likely already learned the ropes in the main portion of the game. We were disappointed that the game's sometimes awkward cover and fire system were not tinkered with this go-round -- attempting to crouch behind cover is sometime a hit or miss, and getting out from cover mode requires you to hit the duck command quickly, or you'll be standing straight up with a giant target painted on your forehead.
The game's soundtrack get two thumbs up for adding new DJs like Max Cavalera of Sepultura and Funkmaster Flex, and new biker-approved bands like Cannibal Corpse and Nazareth. We also stumbled across an extended rant by shock jock Martin Serious, a hilarious homage to Howard Stern (of Sirius radio, get it?).
A couple of new mini-games have been added – there's the amusing: arm wrestling (win by rocking the right stick back and forth wildly and take away $100) and the eye-rolling: a Hi--Lo card game (get one card, guess whether the next is higher or lower then sit and watch the rest of the crew guess until the game ends). Oh yeah, and, this go-round, perfect your aiming skills by shooting seagulls instead of pigeons.
To sweeten the deal, a few new multiplayer options have been thrown into the mix – Race: where you race on bikes but can off your opponents using a bat, 'Lone Wolf Biker' where you are 'it' until someone kills you, and they're 'it;' Own the City, where you take control of parts of the city, Chopper vs. Chopper, where you go head-to-head with another player, one on a bike and one on a helicopter. We won't be able to give these a full test until they go live, but we suspect, as with the original GTA IV multiplayer, it will be worth spending a few hours with, but it won't displace, say, Call of Duty 4 or Halo 3 multiplayer anytime soon.
The Lost and Damned will roll out tomorrow, February 17.
Totally Sweet: Motorcycles that are easier to drive, high-powered weapons, more rock 'n' roll songs and – thank god – save checkpoints during missions.
Totally Beat: Still has the same awkward cover and fire system, mission structure is still largely the same and character archetypes feel a little too familiar – Niko and Johnny are interchangeable protagonists to a degree.
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