While not the most complete or impressive GTA-related game, its still a must-have for true GTA fans.
Its cost is reasonable. You aren't being pick-pocketed $60 for a disguised expansion like what happened with ODST. Its length is reasonable, after all its just an expansion pack. Its gameplay is like any other Grand Theft Auto IV and hey, that's what you wanted, right?
The Lost and Damned throws you into the same Liberty City but with a new perspective. You're a badass biker with a bad attitude and you're in a (at times awkwardly childish) biker gang. Sure there is more to the story but who cares, its GTA IV afterall and you can experience the story yourself.
The city is the same though the lighting and mood is set to be a bit more gloomy and harsh to make it feel like a biker world. It's actually a bit too grainy and depressing so you'll want to adjust the grain effect filter setting in your game options to restore some clarity to your television.
There are many more bikes in this game, obviously, and there are some great sport bikes you'll need to find time to experience. The biker bikes and choppers are also very fun. You'll find the motorcycle mechanics are MUCH more forgiving in this expansion than in the original GTA IV.
The game, like GTA IV, is done very well. There aren't game breaking bugs and the missions and side-missions flow well into each other. The missions are a bit bland compared to the GTA IV missions and they certainly won't addict you like GTA IV's but they're good nonetheless.
Johnny, your character, is an a-hole. Let's get this fact out there. Whether or not you can enjoy playing as someone you would hate in real life is something you'll have to think about. I found it a little awkward at times to be working my butt off trying to save the life of a guy who in real life I would be trying to hit with my car. Also, not to spoil the game, some of Johnny's wrong doings aren't completely separate from some of the things Niko went through in GTA IV which will make you cringe a little more. I've always felt an important aspect of gameplay is making the player care for his character. It's how true game addictions are created. In Lost and Damned you'll find it hard to like this idiot.
But hey it's just a game right? Right. So shrug off Johnny's idiocy and go wreak havoc like GTA was meant to be.
My biggest gripe with Lost and Damned is it's short. Like I said in the first paragraph it's just an expansion and doesn't cost more than an expansion should so a short campaign is excuseable. Let's get one thing straight though: Expansion or not, we hate short single player campaigns and it affects the overall experience.
Lost and damned throws in a nice repetitive game mode that I actually like. It's called Biker Wars and basically you and your group go out and hunt down another group and shoot 'em up. Do it 25 times and you'll finish that part of the game. Keep your guys alive and they'll get better with each war though I found that the noobs that join the team due to deaths aren't bad at fighting anyways.
You'll enjoy Lost and Damned as its reasonably priced and adds on to a very excellent game.
8.5/10: A solid add-on that's reasonably priced. It might be short and might have some bland content but it will leave you satisfied just fine until the Gay Tony expansion.