Split-Screen :: The Game-Geek’s Daily Read

Despite the success and critical reception of both GTA Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories for the PSP, Rockstar had recently announced the cel-shaded and isometric GTA Chinatown Wars for Nintendo’s DS platform.

The game will take place in the more NY-esque Liberty City which Nico Bellic hell-raised to the ground in GTAIV. A lot of the features have already been revealed, such as the need to disable cop cars rather than escape from the police, the ability to “rewind” straight back to an action sequence in case the “Game Over” screen appears sooner than you expected and the same gritty narrative we’ve come to expect from our GTA titles.

On that last point, though, can thy fears be dispersed for Rockstar President Dan Houser has confirmed Chinatown Wars to be as “adult” as other GTA games. As he states in the upcoming November issue of EDGE magazine:

“Nintendo wanted us to make GTA, and we wanted to make GTA on their platform. They didn’t want us to make a GTA for kids, and we weren’t interested in making a game we wouldn’t normally make. GTA is about stealing cars and shooting people – how could it not be an 18 rating? You couldn’t do GTA without that 18 – it wouldn’t feel like it’s supposed to feel.”

It’s also been confirmed that the game will use the Rockstar Games Social Club feature. Not much beyond the ability to upload gamer stats via wi-fi has been mentioned but if we get the ability to team up with our friends to harass all of Liberty City, all the better.

Would this be the first Rated 18+ game for the DS? Not exactly, but you can bet that over-bearing media watchdogs and protective parents will have another head-ache this winter as the thug-drama hits the handheld. Mad World for the Wii and Chinatown Wars for the DS – could there possibly be a reason behind Nintendo’s push for more mature titles on their platforms? Besides the promising gameplay and style of the former and the oodles of moolah guaranteed by the latter? Seems like that’s enough and we couldn’t agree more. One side, scornful society!