Metareview -- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

by JC Fletcher { Mar 17th 2009 at 6:00PM }

As of right now, according to aggregate Metacritic scores, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the best game on the Nintendo DS. There are currently four 100-percent review scores on the list. It looks like Rockstar may have done the right thing by treating this as a real game and not just simply outsourcing a cheap spinoff. After all, it's one of the most popular game series ever, on what is by far the most popular platform this generation. There is a bit of sales potential here. We'll include just one of the 100s here, from Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell.

Eurogamer (10/10): "Those hoping for another gritty, complex narrative spine bound in the flesh of an openworld action-adventure may be disappointed by the rather more frivolous and silly antics of the Chinatown Wars cast, but even cynics should be converted by the huge, densely packed action playground we've been given instead."
IGN (95/100): "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is tried-and-true GTA design. Rockstar Leeds took nearly every aspect of the console design and jammed it into a Nintendo DS cartridge, tweaking the presentation to fit the restrictions and limitations of the Nintendo hardware."
1UP (A-): "In bringing GTA to the DS, Rockstar Leeds makes an installment that's less about exploration and more about the actual, structured game that's underneath. On the surface, it's not so different: pull up to a location, get a new mission, and do the job (be it shooting down some rival gang members, following someone to a secret spot, or just racing cars for respect). And it helps that missions in GTA games have always been generally bite-size, so it translates well to Chinatown Wars -- pick the game up, clear a few missions, then come back to it later."
GameSpy (4.5/5): "When we think of GTA, we think of blockbusters built to massive specifications. Chinatown Wars proves that much of the stuff that really draws us to these games can be realized without expending millions of dollars and man-hours."

Gallery: GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS)

Tags: grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars, metareview, rockstar, rockstar-leeds, sandbox

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Bananarama @ Mar 17th 2009 6:06PM

Wow, I think this game is far more overrated than GTA4. either I'm missing something, or the story of this game is horrible, and the controls are pretty meh. Maybe I just need to play it a bit more, but I'm a couple of hours in and the writing is just terrible, I could not care less about the overall story, and the game is pretty boring and very easy.

Vegeta (DAT ASS!!!) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:07PM

I agree. Because your opinion is the only one that's right.

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:10PM

EDIT: Officially warned. Next comment like this gets you banned.

arrrgh @ Mar 17th 2009 6:10PM

wtf?

Man I feel the exact opposite way. I love how cheeky the story gets. Is it a novel? no, more like a comic book. Not that that's a bad thing. I don't want to read 100 lines of text for every cinematic. I want a pick up and go portable GTA. This one brings back the fun of the old school GTA games I used to get in so much trouble for playing in Com Sci class back in high school.

Old school feel with new school features. I love it. The touch screen additions are pretty damn well executed. Game feels great to play, looks nice enough, and has the fun factor of the old GTA games.

To each his own, but im loving this thing

props R*!

Bananarama @ Mar 17th 2009 6:45PM

@moptimus - Touche

@arrrrgh - I wouldn't have minded if they went totally back to the old GTA style, but it seems to me that they tried to keep one foot in the old and one foot in the new and didn't pull off either very well. I think the game would have worked better without the comic book cutscenes and trying to create characters from such little dialogue.

I wasn't saying the game is bad by any means, just no where near the mid 9's to 10 range that it's been getting. I'm going to keep playing it, as it is quite fun despite it's faults.

hibikir @ Mar 17th 2009 7:00PM

You are of course entitiled to your opinion. I for one think it's a much better package than GTA IV, precisely because the story does not disagree with the gameplay.

The game also has quite a few little innovations that make all kinds of sense. Crashing cop cars to lower star levels. Little minigames here and there. A much more satisfying email system. A copy of Dope Wars, built in the game.

Simplifying the game to its core and adding a some innovative refinements is nothing new, but it almost always pays off. Remember Civ Revolution?

Vegeta (DAT ASS!!!) @ Mar 17th 2009 7:16PM

The problem with your post isn't that you didn't like the game, it's assuming that simply because you didn't like the game, anyone who praises it must be wrong or the game has to be overrated. Is it so hard to accept the fact that people may like something you don't?

Bananarama @ Mar 17th 2009 7:28PM

@ Vegeta -Notice how I didn't say "this game is overrated", but "I think this game is overrated." The key part of that sentence is "I think", therefor making it my opinion. I wasn't saying anyone was wrong for liking the game that much, just that I thought it wasn't as good as the reviews say. And I do like the game, I've said as much. I just think it might have the same problems as GTA4, where it gets amazing reviews at first because of the hype, and after it's been out for a bit people kind of realize it was reviewed a bit too highly.

@hibikir - I pretty much have the exact opposite view on almost everything you posted, (@vegeta - note I didn't say that he was wrong, just I disagreed). Crashing cop cars to get your rating down makes absolutely no sense. It is fun, and I do enjoy it, but how does it makes sense that if you are attacking police officers and disabling their cars that all of a sudden the police would stop looking for you? By that measure is a cop sees you in the game, you should just be able to kill them to have your wanted rating go down.

The gameplay is the exact opposite of the story. You're supposed to be some spoiled little brat who doesn't know anything, but apparently you are the best gangster ever, able to defuse bombs, steal cars, and shoot expertly. The gameplay is fun, but I think it works despite it's story.

Markez @ Mar 17th 2009 8:04PM

And how does it make sense that you can just drive away from a cop in IV and they never bother looking for you again? Goes both ways on that issue. They're both stupid if you want start a semantic argument about which is more realistic.

And srsly, this guy sticks to his guns and doesn't afraid of internet moms. Er, memes. Erhmn, I meant other commenters.

Massmass @ Mar 17th 2009 8:38PM

The game is incredibly impressive for the DS. I mean, I was impressed by the graphics engine knowing the limits of the hardware and it was an incredible undertaking to send out what they did on what was no doubt a much more limited budget than most gta games.

The writing is awful. I totally agree with that. But, I suppose when it's meant to be stupid and cliched it's ok. I mean, it's fun and the writing fits the style of the game, I just wish for some more wit in it. Nevertheless, it doesn't detract from the fun that no other DS game matches in style.

Bananarama @ Mar 17th 2009 10:37PM

I admit they are both dumb but I could at least somewhat rationalize it. You get out of their search area, and lay low until they call the search off. I think a combination of the two mechanics would be awesome, if you could lower the wanted level by taking out cop cars or by getting out of the search radius.

And I agree Massmass, the game is very technically impressive.

samfish (is ready for MadWorld!) @ Mar 18th 2009 9:26AM

"The problem with your post isn't that you didn't like the game, it's assuming that simply because you didn't like the game, anyone who praises it must be wrong or the game has to be overrated."

He made it incredibly clear that it was his opinion, including using the words "I think" and "maybe I need to play more".
Don't be such a such a GTA fanboy. At no point did he imply in any way that anyone who likes the game is wrong.

Vegeta (DAT ASS!!!) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:06PM

I'll eventually pick this up. When I have the money. Good to hear it turned out to be good.

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:09PM

Wow.

usually you see 1 or 2 great reviews, a so-so one, then a bad one. Not for GTA: Chinatown Wars. This game is cooking Reviews like a pound of bacon

arrrgh @ Mar 17th 2009 6:11PM

there's a reason. Game is actually damn well made

Bloo @ Mar 17th 2009 6:51PM

God I love bacon

Markez @ Mar 17th 2009 8:06PM

Better bacon up that sausage, boy!

Foetoid @ Mar 17th 2009 8:22PM

I really can't stand GTA but i loved the old-school top-down ones. As someone who owns a DS and barely any games for it, should i pick this one up?

Markez @ Mar 17th 2009 8:27PM

I dunno, Foetoid, I heard it wasn't getting very good reviews at all. I haven't seen any reviews for it though, so don't really know where you would go to look at reviews to see if it is worth picking up :P

Foetoid @ Mar 17th 2009 9:39PM

Well when you find out where i can see some reviews, come back and let me know plz?

Mr Khan @ Mar 17th 2009 6:09PM

Now we'll just see if the sales move to match it...

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 17th 2009 6:15PM

It will... just don't expect millions in the first week. Remember that most games on Nintendo systems start slow, but by the end of the year, they usually become huge sellers.

The Baron @ Mar 17th 2009 6:44PM

GTA is one franchise I imagine has the muscle to get a huge opening sales burst.

J-Link @ Mar 17th 2009 8:18PM

I think it will sell and I'll definately do my part!

Deeznuts420 @ Mar 17th 2009 9:33PM

dont care what u said, but +1 for SWAT Kats

dantebk @ Mar 17th 2009 6:12PM

Can anyone who's playing this contrast it against the GTA games on PSP?

I got one of the PSP titles (Liberty City Stories) because I love GTA and it had great reviews, but was very disappointed. It seems like a lot of times handheld games get extra credit from reviewers for being handheld, even if the game itself isn't really as good as those in the main console franchise. I'm interested in checking out Chinatown Wars, but want a game that's truly good, not just good "for a handheld game."

Markez @ Mar 17th 2009 8:09PM

Personally, I was never interested in playing the GTA PSP games because to me they essentially seemed like PS2 ports. I don't want to play a console game on my handheld system. I don't think a handheld game should necessarily just try to emulate a console game. My two cents, if any of that makes sense :P

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 17th 2009 6:13PM

Very good reviews...

I realy think, in my opinion, that the DS is the system this gen with the best consistence in terms of good releases. Just this week, there is GTA, Valkyria Profile, Henry Hatsworth, Trackmania, CORE... It has a great variety of games, RPG's, Adventures, Platformers, 2-D games, unique apps... and now with GTA, it proves that hardware limitations means nothing when you are a talented dev. A GTA for the Wii with that similar art style could work very well.

Well... congratulations Rockstar for creating a very good game. I will pick my copy together with my DSi in April.

The DS is easily surpassing the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance in terms on amazing games...

Bananarama @ Mar 17th 2009 7:30PM

Seriously, and look what's come out in the past few weeks. Dragon Quest 5, Y's book 1 and 2, peggle, puzzle quest galactrix (if you can get by the really annoying parts, which I'm trying to), These last two months have been amazing for DS games.

HighFiveJesus @ Mar 17th 2009 11:54PM

i never really felt that way about the gameboy anything. the ds though, wow. the scope of games and teaching programs will reel almost anyone in and they have plenty to be busy with. props for having a great variety of games at any given time of the year.

Jeremy White @ Mar 17th 2009 6:23PM

I really didn't see this coming.

dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:28PM

Eurogamer gives tens?!

I'm runnin' down to my storm shelter, folks. Something wicked is brewing.

Snowblind @ Mar 17th 2009 6:33PM

As long as it's on a Nintendo console, yes, they give 10's.

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:37PM

They gave Fable 2 10/10.

arrrgh @ Mar 17th 2009 6:41PM

bam

Nomi @ Mar 17th 2009 6:43PM

Its weird how it works on the DS though...considering that a large % of DS owners are kids, GTA probably won't be a sales topper like it has been on other consoles.

Thats just me guessing considering how Nintendogs is the best selling game....

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 17th 2009 6:51PM

I'm pretty sure that most of the sales of previous GTA's (specially the PS2 versions) were from kids.

sony boy @ Mar 17th 2009 6:55PM

i think you're right. I'm in middle school and my friends sometimes talk about GTA DS and they say the ds sucks and they won't buy it.

sony boy @ Mar 17th 2009 6:54PM

eurogamer is f'd up. They are really harsh on most of the games they review and than wat do you know?? Gta DS gets a 10.

sony boy @ Mar 17th 2009 6:57PM

also, it's a bit bs that ign gave the lasting appeal of grand theft auto a 10...while other games with greater replay value (aka resistance retribution and new super mario bros if you have friends with DS's) gets a 9...

Ringo @ Mar 17th 2009 7:08PM

They're consistently inconsistent. They seem to have a whole bunch of freelancers writing articles alongside the core contributors, and the left hand never talks to the right.

Dopple Boppler @ Mar 17th 2009 7:08PM

Holy shit were the minigames in New Super Mario Bros. great; most fun I've had with a DS, by far.

Markez @ Mar 17th 2009 8:12PM

Dopple Boppler you are certainly correct, sir. Few times over a huge family, extended family group vacation 3 or 4 of us have busted it out, and it's a blast. Put together really well.

Also, sony boy, thanks for mentioning you're in middle school, it certainly puts a lot of your comments into a good perspective for the rest of us when we have to read them.

Doug @ Mar 17th 2009 7:21PM

20$ says GTA 4 had something to do with this...

MRLN @ Mar 17th 2009 7:39PM

I'd just like to take the time to say again that this game, while apparently is for the reviewers, is not for everybody. There are some sloppy controls to get used to, and certainly your character is way overpowered for his innocent upbringing.

However, the graphics are beautiful and smooth, and the overworld is super big and fun to drive around in. Plus, the story is so hilariously lacking in realistic emotion that you can't help but smile as you gun down some important gang leader (despite my general compassion for digital beings).

I dunno, I'm torn over whether I like this or not...

KeenCommander @ Mar 17th 2009 8:02PM

There seem to be a lot of divided opinions in controls for most DS games. A lot of people hated the controls in Super Mario 64 DS - personally, I think it controlled a lot better than the original. Using the d-pad, of course, the touch screen controls were...worthless for me, at least. Anyways, I'm definitely going to check this one out when I can spare the cash.

TechNick @ Mar 17th 2009 8:02PM

While I have enjoyed the game so far. I don't think it was deserving of such high scores. I couldn't really connect with the character in the game. I feel as if I'm just driving around some mindless green stick figure and completing missions with no purpose. And I find driving very hard in the game, the roads are way to small for your car to squeeze through. As soon as I begin driving it seems as if the car had some kind of speed boost and begins to plow into the other cars. That along with the fact that, while impressive, the engine seems like it's a little too much for the DS to handle. If you do actually get a clear enough path to pick up some real speed, it seems that the game world becomes too much for the DS to render, leaving the area in front of you a light brown void. This is especially annoying when, for instance, you are trying to lose your 3 star rating and your car is about 1 big hit from catching fire while your flying down a road, but all of the sudden the world in front of you becomes a brown void and you slam into something, leaving your car in a fiery wreck. Only to find out about 2 seconds later once the world loads up that it was a building. Extremely frustrating.

While I do think the game is pretty good, I think it seems way over hyped.