@~This issue's "Something Different" is:

                      GRAND THEFT AUTO

                      by Michael Raven

Grand Theft Auto (18s-over only) is a game which doesn't fall into
any particular type. You speed in cars to escape other cars, but
it's not a racing game, you grab powerups, but it isn't a
platformer, you shoot people, but it's not a shoot-em-up - in
fact, it's a whole 'day in the life' sort of game. You follow the
orders of a number of crime rings and bosses, bombing places,
shooting people down, following people, stealing and selling cars
and other things, for a lot of money.

It is taken into fantasy for a bit occasionally - for instance,
the 'Kill Frenzy' bonuses that appear (mow enough people down in
a specific time limit and you'll get a big bonus) - but it's quite
difficult to play, and morality does run in a way around it.

For instance, if you don't want to get caught by the police, you
do not run people over. Even bumping enough other cars can bring
the cops down on you, and once the cops are after you, unless you
can get your car resprayed and new number plates put on, there is
no way that you can escape the police, except on certain missions
when completing the mission will get rid of the police. A couple
of police cars have to be put off one way or another, and soon the
police will have road blocks up, first with rifle/pistol armed
cops, then machine gunners, and there is little way to escape a
few volleys of them without your car exploding.

Not a quick game to play, you need at least an hour to play it,
and there's no way to save the game between levels - you need to
get a certain amount of money to complete a level, and if you lose
your last life without getting all the money, you've got to start
again.

An excellent game, but not one really for 'a quick go'.

                              - o -