Spring 1998
I was 10 years old. Moved to a new area, started at a new school, made lots of new friends. One of the first friends I made was a girl named Marquisha. She was a tom-boyish black chick that, at the time, was heavily into skating and playing video games. So, one day I had been walking up the block through the neighborhood and as I passed her house she caught me just in time and shouted out, "EY! Yo I got this new game, its called Grand Theft Auto! You can steal cars, and shoot people!" Stealing cars and shooting people? I'm in! From the second I started playing the game for the rest of the afternoon, I was hooked. I had never played a game that basically let you do what you want. I would alays ask to borrow the game, but she would always say no. So I figured since I always went to blockbuster each weekend and rented a game for my PlayStation, the next time I went I would rent Grand Theft Auto. When that day finally came around I was suprised, as it came with two. GTA, and Grand Theft Auto London: 1969. It was more or less the same, but the fact that it was in London seemed so awesome to me.
Fall 2001
Eventually I did I buy GTA, and GTA2 which were both greatest hits at the time. I didn't know that GTA2 was out though. (They were my pre-internet days lol) And then it happened. There was an advertisement for Grand Theft Auto 3, for the Playstation 2. While I was still looking at the advertisement in shock, I couldn't believe that it was possible for them to make a GTA game fully realized in 3D. I kept thinking about the game, imagining myself being able to really "do what I want." That concept in a 3D world alone blew my mind and changed the way I viewed video games from then on. From fall until Christmas, I begged my mom to get me a PS2 just so I could play GTA3. I did end up getting the system and game and all I would do was play GTA3 everday before I woke up for school, and then play it for the rest of the night after I got back home from school. Julian would also come over and we would play GTA2. I remember him while he played the game once saying, "Die die! Fire!" LOL. I played it almost everyday when I was home up until Vice City came out.
Fall 2002
I reserved Vice City 8 months or so before it came out. I waited in line for the game maybe 3 or 4 hours at the gamestop in Plaza Bonita. That location had just changed its name from Babbages to gamestop. Interesting little tidbit, but I'm digressing. After getting the game, I wanted to play it for at least a few minutes before I had to go to sleep since I had school in the morning. I remember as soon as I started playing, I just felt amazed at this new game world that I was driving around in, with Michael Jackson's Billie Jean as the first song playing on the radio. I really enjoyed the "360 Degree" fighting system; it was one of my favorite features. I used to always drive up to the mall and go inside and just start fights with the gangs that would aimlessly wander around. Even going up against 5 guys was a snap with the new fighting system. It felt amazing to be zipping around the city on a motorcycle, and even more so to be taking to the sky in helicopters! It felt awesome flying the apache around making bombing runs down the stretches of road, blowing up the many cars and people down below. Vice City was basically all I played. Until The next GTA game came out, that is.
Fall 2004
I also reserved San Andreas 8 or moths prior to its release. As soon as I hear it was announced, I went over to gamestop when I had time, and put my 5 dollars down. Then when I got the game, It felt good to be a virtual gangsta. My favorite part was just the sheer SIZE of the game. I loved how you could change clothes, and wear whatever you want. You could even customize street racing cars to your liking. The game had everything you could ever want.
Spring 2008
Now we come to the next evolution in the GTA franchise, GTA4, being released in 9 days after it was supposed to be released in October 2007 but got delayed until now. The game will RE re-define video games, and re-evolutionize games once again. The attention to detail in the game is AMAZING, and thats the biggest understatement. I'd write more, but I haven't played the game yet. =P I'll write another blog with my experience playing the game once its out. Can't wait! Arg!
