Holy necro batman

Take my time. Always.

I've been playing GTA: Chinatown Wars a heck of a lot lately, and as enjoyable as it is, I can't help but think of the potential that is not being capitalized on in this series. (Note: This is in relation to the console versions, playing GTA:CW just got me thinking.)

When the original GTA III came out, the freedom it afforded was unprecedented. This main aspect is what made the series such a huge hit and is what carries it still. But there's something these games are sorely lacking which is starting to shine through their glossy finish: there's no feeling of being in power. For a game that allows so much freedom, I've never felt so constrained.

I'm so tired of being everyone's little errand boy, it's getting very stale. GTAIV was a prime example of this. Why am I the one that is always working for someone else? Screw the uncles and nephews. Iwant to become the leader of an organized criminal syndicate (rising through the ranks of course) and have THEM work for me, eventually becoming the one who calls the shots.

Just think about the possibilities: you'd be able to interact with rival gangs or families, negotiate large drug buys and shipments, buy shops and run them as you deem fit, demand "protection" money from other shopkeepers in your turf, buy corrupt police officers and pay informants, send guys out on hits, and as GTA: CW has just introduced, start and build up a massive drug empire. Or start a prostitution ring. All that good stuff. There's so much they could do it's a wonder they haven't already.

And not all missions would be the tiresome "kill this or steal that". It'd be so refreshing to have a strategic element in play that would allow for other solutions to problems besides always resolving them by pulling the trigger. Missions could turn out differently depending on how you deal with a situation beforehand, be it diplomatically or otherwise. Now don't get the wrong impression, I'm not thinking the likes of "Simcriminal" or such, it'd be the same GTA we all know and love, just with much more depth. A simple, underlying infrastructure which would allow the management of running day to day criminal activities.

They've already accomplished the daunting task of creating a living, breathing world, now they need to let us truly play in it.

Rekunta