Grand Theft Auto is the brightest star in the sky of gaming world. There are four main games in the series and several other spin-off games in the series. Starting from GTA or Grand Theft Auto latest game in the series was to be released was Grand theft Auto IV, one of the best. Shortened as GTA4 or GTA IV it is a sandbox style game with action adventure settings. GTA IV is developed by Rockstar Toronto and Rockstar North, both parts of Rockstar Games. Rockstar Games are considered as one of the best game makers in the world. Grand Theft Auto IV was published by Rockstar in the whole world except Japan where it was published by Capcom. The game was distributed on the retail by Take Two Interactive and online it was distributed by Steam. RAGE (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine) is the engine used in the game. The game was released for the platforms of Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3. Genres for the game selected for the game was Sandbox, third-person shooter, action-adventure. Single and the multiplayer mode are the two playing modes for the game. Grand Theft Auto was released on 29^th April 2008 on the platforms of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 worldwide and the Microsoft Windows version was released on 2^nd and 3^rd December 2008.

Protagonist of the game is a war veteran for the Bosnian War and an illegal immigrant and his name is Niko Bellic. Niko arrives in America from Eastern Europe in order to forget his criminal past and live a new life. Liberty City is used as the background city in the game. However, on his arrival he learns that his cousin Roman is working in illegal gangs. Niko helps Roman in the hope of figure out a new life for himself in the city. Later in the game, it is revealed that Niko arrived in Liberty City to search Florian Cravic. Niko blames Florian for the betrayal of his old army unit. Niko starts working for Mikhail Faustin one of the drug lord of Liberty City. Niko is ordered to kill Mikhail by Dimitri Rascalov, he is an associate with Mikhail and Rodislav Bulgarin. Only after killing Mikhail, Niko learns that Dimitri also ordered his men to kill Niko once he finishes job. Niko escapes with the help of Little Jacob an arms dealer he befriended earlier. Niko and his cousin Roman flees to some other part of the city. Niko desperate for money works for several other gangs, including Playboy X’s gang, McReary Irish Mob, Pegorino Crime Family. While working as a gangster Niko finally finds Florian only to discover that Florian is not the one who betrayed him. Darko Brevic is revealed to be the person who betrayed Niko in the Bosnian War. Niko earlier worked for an undercover agency and in return, they locates Darko in Bosnia and brings him to Liberty City as a Final reward to Niko. Niko finds that Darko has become a drug-addicted, guilt-ridden wreck. Now Niko is left with two choices either to kill Darko or leave him. Niko is called by a mob boss Jimmy Pegorino to obtain a shipment of drugs for him to be sold to a buyer: Dimitri Rascalov.

To give the game a twist and make the ending more classic players are left with two options Revenge or Deal. The game will end how the players want it to be. If the player choose revenge then Niko ambushed Dimitri on the tanker and after a long gunfight he kills Dimitri. Furious after the betrayal Jimmy Pegorino attacks Roman’s wedding and Niko’s girlfriend is killed. Niko tries to kill Pegorino but he escapes using a boat to the Happiness Island. Niko follows him in helicopter and finally kills Jimmy Pegorino. Now of the layer chooses to play the game in Deal then Niko makes the drug deal silently. But Dimitri disrupts his part of the deal Niko still retrieves money and drugs. Pegorino calls Niko to congratulate him and reveals that he is now befriended with Dimitri. A killer send by Dimitri to kill Niko unintentionally shoots and kills Roman during a struggle. Confounded Niko follows Pegorino and Dimitri and kills them both. Grand Theft is the best ever game in the history of gaming, both commercially and critically. It sold more than 3.6 million copies in single day making almost $310 million in revenue. GTA IV broke the pervious record, which was hold by Halo 3. Grand Theft Auto IV scored an awesome score of 10/10 on nearly every game ranking website and magazine.

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Crackdown is the one of the most successful game of the sandbox-style genre. It is one of the game under Microsoft’s strategy to promote Xbox 360 as it can be played only on the platform of Xbox 360. It was created by David Jones, the man behind Grand Theft Auto. It sold more then 1.5 million copies in first six moths of its release. A sequel for the game is under development, it will be named Crackdown 2. Just like the predecessor genre for the game will be sandbox-style third person shooter video game. Crackdown is under the development of Ruffian Games and will be published by Microsoft Game Studios. It will be released for Xbox 360. No release dates are announced by the developers. Designers for the game are Billy Thomson and Steve Iannetta. Crackdown 2 is modeled like the previous game of the series. It will be a third person shooter in open world gameplay. The player will be a super human simply known as “Agent”, working for city-funded Agency. Just like the predecessor Crackdown 2 will support a seamless so-operative play in the main game. Only difference will be the number of players is now increased to four from two in the previous. A new mode will feature in the game, known as competitive mode will support up to sixteen players. Overall gameplay of the game will be mostly similar to the predecessor.

Plot of the game was reveled at E3 2009. Agent will be the playable character of the game. He will roam in a fictional Pacific City, which is infected with urban gang War. He assists Agency in the battle against numerous crime kings who controls the city. There are some strange looking creatures shown in the trailer. This indicates that Agent will have to deal with more powerful enemies that the previous street gangs. The game will be set many years after Crackdown. This was reported by Billy Thomson who is creative director of Ruffian Games. Previously he along with Phil Wilson confirmed that game was designed from the beginning of the series. They stated that there will be sequels for the game. later it was commented that Realtime Worlds was not working on a sequel to the game. However, Microsoft stated that they still got the holds the intellectual property rights to Crackdown and there will be a sequel very soon. The game was confirmed in the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo Conference. This time however it was an official announcement and the game was finally off to a start.

It was noted by Ruffian that half of the team that formerly worked on Crackdown in all the areas of the game development, and felt that their studio will be a perfect place to develop games sequel. This decision was later confirmed by the publishers. Development team decided to keep the sequel to be located in Pacific City. Settings for the previous game got the character of its own in the first game and the development team want to conserve these settings so that player will feel similar to the previous game. The City however got a bit more larger then the previous time. Developers avoided any possible similarity in the dialog driven cutscenes. Gameplay parts that were criticized previous time were also improved. Mechanical part of the game was kept similar, only change to the game engine is that now it will allow the display of the large view for the City. Every other thing will be unique about the game, like music of the game. Everything for the game was kept confidential with Microsoft. This will help to attach all the sensory experience of the game.

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L.A. Noire is an upcoming video game under the unique genre of detective action. It is being developed by Team Bondi. Two of the biggest names of the industry will publish L.A. Noire. Rockstar Games and PlayStation 3 are the two publisher of the game respectively. Rockstar Games is famous for producing blockbuster series of games like Max Payne and Grand Theft Auto and PlayStation 3 is one of the best game consoles of the seventh generation. L.A. Noire is often compared to Max Payne presented in the theme of detective action. Expected release date for L.A. Noire ism 31^st December 2009 for United States and European countries.

L.A. Noire is set in perfectly recreated Los Angeles of late 1940’s. Main motive of the players is to solve a series of murders. To complete the task they are given an open-ended environment. There players have to put pieces of puzzles together to solve a series of murders in the area. The post World War II settings will include the noir necessity of corruption, as well as drugs and jazz themes. The noire coloring-style are used in the game to give it a feel of detective movies of 1940’s. Very less information is out about the game but Rockstar Games has given some impression of the game in the first trailer. The “Noire” part of the name is reference to the film noir genre. It was a style of black-and-white movie which was popular from the 1940s to the 1950s. L.A. Noire is also notable due to the use of Lightsprint’s real-time global illumination technology. Team Bondi announced that the game is in its final phase. The game would be released soon.

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Brendan McNamara, Team Bondi’s president responded to the interview of Kristen Reed that stated that “the project is fully funded by Sony Computer Entertainment America. We have a long term exclusive arrangement with SCEA.” The announcement was made in February 2004. On June 11, Take-Two-Interactive, the sole publisher for Rockstar Games confirmed the date of release for PlayStation 3 version. The magazine listed it in the “announced to date” titles for “fiscal 2008.” However in an another meeting Take Two implied that both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version will be released and L.A. Noire is developed for next generation systems. However L.A. is officially announced only for PlayStation 3. Later in September Take Two announced the game was delayed until their 2009 fiscal year.

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Here is another Masterpiece from the greatest franchise of the gaming world Grand Theft Auto. This new version will be called Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Release date set for the game is around March 2009. It is the tenth title in Grand Theft Auto series and fourth to be released on a Nintendo platform. First three titles to be released on Nintendo platform are Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2 for the Game Boy Color, a third version was released Game Boy Advance as Grand Theft Auto advance. It will be released by Rockstar Leeds with Rockstar North.

Huang Lee is the character you have to portray in the game. Game starts when Huang Lee arrives in the Liberty City to meet his uncle Wu “Kenny” Lee. He is in the City to deliver his recently assassinated father’s Yu Jian a sword and a family heirloom, to his uncle. Upon landing in the city, he is ambushed and Lee is taken through the streets of the Liberty City. He locked in the back seat of the car and dumped in the river. Game starts from here and player has to shatter the windshield of the car in order to survive as the vehicle sinks to the bottom of the river. As soon as Huang swims to the shore, it is all Grand Theft Auto. First mission is to find Uncle Wu Lee’s hideaway and tell him about the ambush. Now Huang’s task is to recover the sword and avenge his father’s death. The story of the game revolves around the rivalry between Chinese and Korean Gangs.

Chinatown Wars is structured differently than the previous games of the franchise. Instead of showing a behind-the-player camera, Chinatown Wars is a full 3D Grand Theft Auto which uses 360 degrees rotatable camera. It is similar to original Grand Theft Auto II top down view but in a more advanced and flexible way. New cel-shaded polygon with black borders is used in Chinatown Wars. The player will be able to recruit new members to his gang. To convert them as your gang member you should draw tattoo on their arms. In order to get rid of the police cars you have to disable them, you cannot evade them by just leaving the area. Several mini games are also included like the one you have to deliver six kinds of drugs throughout the city.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars have many features like Grand Theft Auto IV. Like new generation HUD and Taxi whistling supported by DS microphones. Ammunation makes a return in a form of an in-game website where a player can order various weapons, and Ammu-nation will deliver weapons and Ammo to the selected safehouse. Just like Niko Bellic, the main protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV, Huang Lee and Wu Lee are listed on the GTA IV crime database. Chinatown Wars is described by many gaming magazines as one of the most complex and largest game ever made for Nintendo DS.

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APB or All Points Bulletin is a new name in the field of massively multiplayer online game. This game will only be available for Microsoft Windows. Based on urban drapes this game will feature two sides. One is the Enforcement and the second is of Criminals. You can join any of the two sides, Enforcement or Criminals, and form sub-groups under these. Game is designed by one and only David Jones, creator of world famous Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown. APB is developed by the developers behind Grand Theft Auto the Realtime Worlds. This game was in news for its controversial gameplay scenes. Gamers are waiting for this one as it offers you to join any of the two gangs of a modern city.

Initially it was expected that the game would be available for all the Modern day gaming platforms like PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and for PCs. But later all of the versions were denied and only Windows version was opted for the launch. It was reported by Gamespot that priority was given to PC edition by the Realtime Worlds, and it will be the first one to be marketed. However, according to Realtime Worlds they will later produce the console versions for APB, both for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

APB was planned in the year 2005 initial plan was to launch the game for, PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Game development was handed over to then newly founded Realtime Worlds studio created by David Jones. According to the plan Xbox 360 versions has to be out in 2008, but later the plan of launching the game on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 was dropped. In the meantime, Realtime Worlds developed Crackdown in 2007. It is believed that APB has some resembling features to Crackdown.

In early 2008, David Jones announced that APB would be released in 2008. Announcement was made at the 2008 Game Developers Conference. Jones noted that APB would be like a MOG where players can interact up to 25 other players at the sane time, and it would be like sci-fi massively multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft. One thing was clear to Jones that with a gameplay similar to these biggies he cannot compete with them. After that game was postponed for a 2009 release and it was seen in many announcement’s and interviews that APB will only released on Microsoft Windows. Console versions will join the race later. There was an industry rumor that Realtime worlds are planning to sell the game to Rockstar Games in order to change it into a Grand Theft Auto version. APB is a long awaited game and players are waiting to enjoy the feeling of choosing between good and bad. According to Realtime Worlds executive, this game is “the bastard child of everything we’ve been striving towards over the 15-20 years.”

Game is based in a modern day, in a fictional city where there a continues battle between Law Enforcement and Gangs. You can join any of the team. The two side fights daily in order to take control of the city. The territory is under dispute for the control. This continues dispute offers players to enhance their offensive as well as defensive moves. Other than that, there are other smaller missions in the game that allow you to earn more money. More money means that you can buy new weapons, vehicles and improve your characters, all these factors influence game directly. For example if a criminal gang robs a store easily then a all points bulletin is issued against them for the Law enforcers ask them to stop robbery. APB will be the first game where skills of the player determine the characters progression, not the time spent in the game. An additional feature is added to the game now players can use the Last.FM to create their own sound tracks. It was stated that a BETA version would soon follow the game.

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If you want to free your brain from worries and you want to throw, your frustration out you should try GRAND THEFT AUTO series. GTA games are legend in the gaming world; every body knows and mostly likes the name GTA. First game of this series was launched in the year 1997, under the banner of gaming giants Rockstars. Originally, the game was titled as “race n chase”. Dave Jones created the game. The game featured fictional cities as liberty city, san andreas and vice city. It also allowed players to listen to their favorite music from their own audio CDs.

The gameplay consist of a mixture of action, adventure, and occasional role playing, stealth and racing elements. It also gained controversy for its adult and violent themes. The series focuses around many different protagonists who attempt to rise through the criminal underworld, although their motives for doing so vary in each game. The assailant in each game is commonly a character who has betrayed them or their organization or someone who has most impact on their progress. Until date, it has nine stand-alone games. Many film veterans like Peter Fonda, Danny Dyer, Burt Reynolds, James Woods, and many more have voiced for major characters in many installments in the series. Grand theft auto term used all of the games of the series refers to motor vehicle theft. As of the march 2008, the franchise has sold over 70 million copies worldwide. Taking it to sixth on the list of all time most sold gaming franchises.

What was so special about GTA that make it so popular? The games allowed people to play as a criminal in big city, mostly as an individual who rises the ranks of organized crimes over the course of the game. Various missions are set for completion by major figure of the underworld. Mainly missions are assassinations, drug dealings and other criminal activities. As alternate adventures taxi driving, firefighting, street racing, pimping or learning to fly an airplane are involved, which can be done any time of the game, with the exception of the period’s performing main mission. It was proved its main advantage.

Leaving the first two titles, most of the time the player is given a strong storyline, in which they are forced to over come the event where they are betrayed and left for dead or experience an unfortunate event. It serves as a motivation for the character to advance in the criminal world, and eventually leads to the triumph and ending the storyline.

GTA belongs to the genre of sandbox games, which include free roaming video games. It grants independence to the player in deciding what to do and how to do it through mans of transport and weapons. What was GTA‘s advantage over other action games with linear gameplay was that a player can determine the mission to undertake and their relationships with various characters are changed based on these choices. Cities of the games can be roamed freely at any time any point of the game. It also offers access to many buildings and mansions with minor missions. Though it got some exceptions as many missions follow a linear plan and some city areas are only unlocked on advancement of the game.

GTA games proved massive hit and  along with that they also lead to many  controversies too. Biggest of them are violence and nudity in the game. Due to these elements many cases were registered against GTA fans committing crime after inspiring from GTA games.  Crimes also includes killing people even policemen.

Even after these contraversies there was no competitor of GTA in this genre of game. GTA’s success has resulted in Guinness world records awarding the series 10 world records in the Guinness world records: Gamer’s edition of 2008.  GTA IV is now hold the records of highest sales for any media release in first 24 hors. Sales of GTA IV for the first week reads about $ 500 USD. In less than year it has sold around 11 million copies. So waht are you waiting for get your hands on latest GTA installment and live the world of your imagination without rules, drive your favorite vehicle and buy your favorite house.

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A nonlinear gameplay is a gameplay that offers players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. A more linear game will allow a player with fix sequence of challenges and a less linear game is the one allowing a grater freedom. For example, a non linear game may allow you a choice between paths to victory or in better words permit multiple sequences to finish the game. Some games are released with both linear and non linear elements, and some of the games offers sandbox mode which allows player to explore the game environment independently from main theme of the game.

Most games feature linear storyline, which runs on a fixed plot in a single sequence. A true linear game is the one which doesn’t have a story at all. A truly nonlinear story is the one which completely depends on the actions of players completely. A non linear story is comparatively difficult to design. Non linear stories usually preserve the overall story arc while allowing multiple solutions to a specific challenge, or a choice between multiple challenges. Most of the non linear games come with a dynamic feature for game dramatics, pacing, and difficulty called the Director. The way of directors working is called “Procedural narrative”. Instead of just having a difficulty level which just runs up to a constant level. The director analyzes how the players fared in the game so far, and tries to add subsequent events that would gave them a sense of narration and nonlinear game gameplay.

A world or game level can be linear or non linear as well. In the game with linear levels, there is only one route that the players must use through the level. In the games with nonlinear levels, players might have to revisit locations or choose from multiple paths to finish level. Like other game elements, linear level design is not absolute. While a non linear may offer players the freedom to explore or backtrack there are still fixed sequences of challenges that player must solve in order to progress in the game. Even if a player has to encounter the challenges in a fixed sequence, they must be given the freedom to identify the challenges without having presented one after the other. In a more linear game, in order to finish game player has to finish the levels in the sequence. The ability to choose between levels, skip, and repeat makes game less linear. A sufficiently large and open ended level may be described as open world or sandbox. In a sandbox mode of a game, player may turn off or ignore game objectives. This can give rise to possibilities that were not intended by the game designer.

Non linear games are preferred more compared to linear games as modern day players want to be the part of the game more and more. The feeling of narration gives players feeling of enjoying every corner of the game, as they are unable to do this with traditional linear games. Non linear games also proved to be commercial hits. Some of the famous non linear games are: Assassin’s Creed, Left 4 Dead, Grand Theft Auto franchise, Freelancer, Crackdown, Elder Scrolls series.

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