It’s now even harder to avoid playing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars as Rockstar has announced that a version of the game for the iPhone will be joining the PSP version when it is released this autumn.

Rockstar president Sam Houser believes that the game is a “perfect match” for the iPhone;

“Chinatown Wars is a perfect match for the iPhone and iPod touch. We are very excited to bring this incredibly ambitious version of Liberty City, with this level of detail and immersive gameplay on Apple’s new gaming platforms,” (Source)

The best thing about this announcement is that the iPhone version won’t have to sacrifice the touch screen controls like the PSP version had to, so hopefully this version will be mostly similar to the DS version. I do have some reservations about how you will control Huang Lee (the main character), as some previous iPhone ports have used an on-screen d-pad which can often be a bit frustrating to use.

There are no screenshots yet (unlike the PSP version) but I expect it won’t be too long until we see some.

Rockstar is also bringing Beaterator to the iPhone (originally announced for PSN and PSP), a music mixer that has been developed in collaboration with Timbaland. Let’s hope that people will use earphones when creating their own tunes on the bus or train.

Both games will be out in autumn, with a firm release date to come at a later date.

Back in June I told you that Rockstar had decided to bring GTA: Chinatown Wars to the PSP. Rockstar dated it earlier this week – giving us a 20 October release date – but we didn’t really get any further information on the game or any screenshot showing what the game will actually look like compared to the Nintendo DS version. That has now changed, as Rockstar today released some screenshots of the upcoming PSP version.

If you compare it to the DS version then obviously the game is graphically better looking, but it’s nice to see they have kept the semi-3D top-down perspective instead of going full 3D like Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories were. The lighting effects look to be a lot better, obviously taking advantage of the PSP’s power over the DS. Overall it is looking a lot better, but graphics aren’t everything when we still don’t know how the game will play.

The DS version made use of the touch screen through mini-games; such as smashing the window when you get trapped in a sinking car, or sorting through rubbish to find a concealed weapon. Will these mini-games disappear from the PSP version? Or will Rockstar find another way to implement them? It won’t be the same if they simply put a cursor in that you have to control with the analog or d-pad. At least we’ll get better music to make up for it, well hopefully anyway.

I guess, as I seem to say a lot these days, we’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully it will sell more than the DS version, which is probably what prompted Rockstar to port the game to the PSP in the first place.

The game will be available in both UMD form and by download through the Playstation Network.

Forget about Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars being exclusive to the Nintendo DS because Rockstar have now confirmed that they’re porting it to the PSP in time for autumn.

The PSP will reportedly take advantage of the PSP’s more powerful hardware, meaning a graphical update and new story missions. Rockstar will also offer a downloadable version for the PSP Go!, alongside the regular UMD release.

“Rockstar’s work with the GTA series has been an enormous part of the success of PlayStation platforms,” said Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “We’re excited to welcome the critically acclaimed Chinatown Wars to the outstanding line-up of great games headed to the PSP platform this fall”- Kotaku

I think Chinatown Wars is an amazing game, and it’s probably the best game available on the DS, but maybe the DS wasn’t the right platform when it comes to mature games as the sales seem to reflect that. These poor sales have obviously prompted Rockstar to look to other platforms to make a profit, or maybe they were planning this all along - who knows? Whatever the case it’s good news for those that only have a PSP, but I’m curious about whether or not the touch screen mini-games will lose their appeal with you obviously not being able to use a touch screen.

There are a whole boat load of releases this week, although most of them are of the shovelware variety that is churned out on a regular basis here in the UK. There’s nothing I want to pick up this week, and I’m too busy playing GTA: Chinatown Wars and Fallout 3 (yup, still playing it, and I haven’t even got any of the downloadable content yet) anyway.

It’s not a stellar release list this week, but take a quick look anyway.

Stormrise (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) 27/3

An ambitious RTS that brings an element of “vercality” into play. As I wrote back in September units can go up and down buildings, or even underneath, and a player that controls a good vantage point can see more of the map. Only time will tell if releasing Stormrise so close to Halo Wars will affect sales.

Wheelman (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) 27/3

Join Vin Diesel and his shiny bald head in an open ended world full of explosions and fast cars. The game will be released alongside a film of the same name, and will combine driving missions with on foot third-person action. Expect Vin Diesel to kick ass.

Demigod (PC) 27/3

The press blurb for Demigod says that “Demigod is a real-time, tactical strategy game that includes extensive role-playing elements”. The screenshots for Demigod say “giant Demigods beating the crap out of each other”. Thankfully the game is largely focused on multiplayer, so you can beat the crap out of your friends online too.
Afro Samurai (PS3, Xbox 360) 27/3

Based on the popular anime of the same name Afro Samurai is a re-telling of the first season of the original anime. You’ll be punching, kicking, and slashing your way through a cel-shaded adventure to take on “Number One”, someone who killed the previous “Number One” (Afro’s father) and now has godlike powers.

Other releases:

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PS3) 27/3
• Battleforge (PC) 27/3
• Drakensang: The Dark Eye (PC) 27/3
• Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) 27/3
• Don King Boxing (DS, Wii) 27/3
• Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) (DS) 27/3
• Monsters Vs. Aliens (DS, PC, PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360) 27/3
• C.O.R.E (DS) 27/3
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (DS, Wii) 27/3
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Wii) 27/3
• Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars (Wii) 27/3
• Samurai Shodown Anthology (PSP, Wii) 28/3
• Amazing Adventures: The Lost Tomb (PC) 27/3
• Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park (DS) 27/3
• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (PC) 27/3
• Buzz! Brain of the UK (PS2, PS3, PSP) 27/3
• World Sports Party (Wii) 27/3
• Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles (DS) 27/3
• Imagine Family Doctor (DS) 27/3
• Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (DS) 27/3
• Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi (DS) 27/3
• Jelly Belly: Ballistic Beans (DS) 27/3
• Imagine: My Restaurant (DS) 27/3
• Challenge Me: Maths Workout (DS) 27/3
• Phineas and Ferb (DS) 27/3
• Rock Band 2 (PS2, PS3) 27/3
• Calvin Tuker’s Redneck Jamboree (Wii) 27/3
• Gobliins 4 (PC) 27/3
• Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis (PS2) 27/3
• Mana Khemia: Student Alliance (PSP) 27/3

 There are three big releases this week, two of them portable. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars comes to the DS while the PSP gets the spin-off Resistance: Retribution. Meanwhile the Wii is graced with the ultra-violent MadWorld, turning the Wii into more of an adult affair.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS) 20/3

Grand Theft Auto somewhat returns to its roots and presents a fully rotatable aerial view of Liberty City. The graphics are top notch for a DS game, and they’ve managed to squeeze as much of GTA IV’s Liberty City onto the DS as possible (with the exception of Alderney). The drugs mini-game may cause controversy, but when does a GTA game not cause controversy?

MadWorld (Wii) 20/3

Over the top violence blended up with Sin City style black & white visuals is half of what makes MadWorld so appealing. The other half is that it’s one of only a few truly adult games available for the Wii, so if you’re sick of the usual kids and family games that this should be on any adult Wii owner’s wish list.

Resistance: Retribution (PSP) 20/3

Sony’s flagship PS3 shooter franchise makes its way to the PSP. The game ditches the first-person view in favour of third-person and picks up the story where Resistance: Fall of Man left off. It also features 8-player online multiplayer, which will hopefully make the PSP’s online multiplayer features actually useful.

Legends of Wrestlemania (PS3, Xbox 360) 20/3

Hulk Hogan may well be starring in his own awful reality show these days, but he’s still a legendary wrestler from back when it actually used to be somewhat enjoyable. The game will give players the ability to rewrite history and have their favourite old time wrestlers win matches they actually lost in reality. At least you actually have a chance to change the outcome in wrestling video games, where as we all know the outcome is already decided in reality.

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (DS) 20/3

I only featured this game because of its awesome name, but on looking again it might actually be an enjoyable experience. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (awesome) combines typical platforming action with puzzling solving. Solving puzzles on the lower screen will make Henry destroy an enemy on the top screen, after which they promptly fall down to the lower screen. Well, I think that’s what happens anyway.

Other releases:

• Tom Clancy’s Hawx (PC) 20/3
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Uprising (PC) 16/3
• The Last Remnant (PC) 20/3
• Crysis: Maximum Edition (PC) 20/3
• Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) (Wii) 20/3
• Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume (DS) 16/3
• Military History: Commander: Europe at War (DS, PC, PSP) 20/3
• Disgaea DS (DS) 20/3
• Football Academy (DS) 20/3
• Castlevania Judgement (Wii) 20/3
• Ready Steady Cook (Wii) 20/3
• Petz: My Baby Panda (DS) 20/3
• Scrabble (DS) 20/3
• Ready 2 Rumble Revolution (Wii) 20/3
• Singstar: Queen (PS2, PS3) 20/3
• Go, Diego, Go!: Great Dinosaur Rescue (DS, PS2, Wii) 20/3
• The Wonder Pets! Save the Animals! (DS) 20/3
• Elements of Destruction (DS) 20/3
• Metal Gear Solid Touch (iPhone) 19/3

Picking anything up? Let me know in the comments!

In case you haven’t guessed from the title of this post (and the video lying above this) Rockstar have released the first official trailer of GTA: Chinatown Wars. Unfortunately there are only a few glimpses of actual gameplay, but what we can see still looks pretty interesting. The main thing is not to blink.

So, from what we can gather from the trailer (being that it pretty much tells you in the trailer), you will play as Huang Lee. Lee is out to avenge his father’s death and restore his family’s honour, which means that Rockstar just stepped even further into the realm of cliché storytelling.

Whatever the case GTA: Chiantown Wars is looking like a must buy for the DS; a handheld that has a distinct lack of anything remotely violent and adult rated. Oh, and there’s always the fact that Rockstar may cause the usual controversy by allowing the player to deal drugs.

Sounds like a great game to me!

A rumour in the latest issue of Game Informer is suggesting that Rockstar North are already at work on the next installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. While this may not seem all that surprising it gets even more exciting when the rumour states that the game may be ready for release by the end of the year.

“We’re not talking about new DLC or a collection of previously available DLC, we’re talking about a full retail game. We expect this title to follow the suit of previous GTAs and use a subtitle such as GTA: San Andreas, etc. Tokyo might be a possible setting for the game, but details are non-existent at this time.” - Game Informer Issue 190 (Via PSU)

Rockstar North are already working on a DLC pack for GTA IV and is supposed to be releasing more this year. Let’s not forget that they are also releasing GTA: Chinatown Wars on the Nintendo DS later this year. Can they possibly complete a whole new current generation GTA whilst doing all this? Maybe, and I certainly hope we do get a new GTA this year. Take Two, of course, most likely prefer the bucket loads of profits that a new GTA would bring in compared to a few DLC packs; so maybe there is some truth in this rumour afterall.

UPDATE: Rockstar have confirmed that the rumour is just a rumour and they have no plans to release a new GTA this year.

The first downloadable content “The Lost and Damned” will be available next month. Rockstar also stated that they’re aiming for a second downloadable content pack to be released by 31st October.

I was always amazed that Rockstar managed to fit fully fledged GTA’s onto the PSP, as it’s a testament to just how far the power of handhelds have come. So, imagine my surprise when Rockstar Leeds President Gordon Hall tells Nintendo Power this;

“Chinatown Wars is much bigger than anything we have ever done before [in terms of scope]: more odd jobs, deeper missions, and more moments of over-the-top action,” Hall explained in an interview with Nintendo Power. “We have a huge interaction with the Rockstar Social Club, a massive [narcotics trafficking] game that would stand alone on its own. The list goes on and on; this thing is huge. We are very proud of all of the PSP games we have made, especially the two GTA games, but this game is far bigger.” - 1up.com

So, it’s not just bigger in terms of the map (apparently it’s just as big as GTA IV’s map, minus Alderney) but also bigger in terms of how much playtime you’re going to get out of it and, hopefully, fun. The surprising thing about all this is that it’s coming out on the DS, a handheld not known for epic scale games. Although the game is in top-down format rather than the PSP GTA’s full 3D; it’s nothing short of a miracle that Rockstar have managed to fit such a package on the humble-yet-delightful Nintendo DS.

Let’s just hope that it’s all worth it and the game actually turns out good. Personally I can’t wait to play more stories from the most fully-realised virtual city that we’ve ever seen. It’s also a game that just may revive my interest in the DS, as I’ve found absolutely no reason to pick mine up lately (save from checking on my Animal Crossing: Wild World town from time to time).

Related Posts:

Rockstar Makes the Wait for GTA: Chinatown Wars Even Longer
New GTA Game Courts Controversy with Drug-Dealing Minigame

Hot on the heels of the news that Rockstar may not be able to release GTA IV’s downloadable content until next year comes the news that the GTA DS iteration - GTA: Chinatown Wars - will be pushed back by Rockstar. Originally expected in January the game will now be released sometime between February and April 2009.

Rockstar also gave a little more information on the release date for the GTA IV DLC, saying that they were still “aiming” for the November to January quarter. However, the publisher was quick to mention that the DLC was “close to completed”.

For more information on GTA: Chinatown Wars check out my post on the controversy that may arise from the presence of a drugs mini-game.

Chinatown Wars gets temporary cease-fire - Gamespot

While I’ve always admired Rockstar’s habit of trying to get away with as much as they possibly can in their video games I think that they may have stepped slightly over the line with this one. The above screenshot shows evidence of a drug-dealing minigame in the upcoming Nintendo DS game GTA: China Town Wars. While it’s not on the scale of the ‘Hot Coffee‘ scandal (which I never saw as that of a big deal since sex isn’t exactly as bad as walking down the street and killing innocent people. Kids should not be playing an 18-rated game anyway) it’s no doubt still going to be pretty scandalous, especially since Rockstar is releasing the game on what’s thought to be the family friendly Nintendo DS.

Dan Houser, the boss over at Rockstar, told EDGE magazine (which I subscribe to by the way, since it’s brilliant) this:

“We wanted to have a drug-dealing mini-game in lots of the GTA games,” said Dan Houser, big boss of Rockstar. “It works well with what GTA is, with driving around the map, and it gives you another thing to think about - another layer or piece of the puzzle to keep you motivated.” - EDGE

Well, nice idea Dan but I doubt that the people already incensed over the GTA franchise will see it that way - but I think Rockstar secretly likes the publicity anyway and purposely adds more fuel to the fire. Of course, it is the parents responsibility to control what their children play and the GTA series has never been intentionally targeted at children. I myself - as a grown adult - am not too fussed about what appears in a game since, in the end, it’s real-life, you can see it in books and films plus, well, it’s just a video game.

While I believe that the DS needs more adult-orientated games parents and others may not take too kindly to these types of games ‘polluting’ what they see as a handheld largely for children (part of this is due to the developers releasing so many children’s games on the handheld which has largely swayed it’s image to the younger generation). Of course, in the end, who’s fault is it if a child get’s hold of a video game clearing not intended for them? Is it the retailers or the parents fault? Or is it the developers who made the game’s fault? I think we all know the obvious answer to that one.

I’ll have a post about the game coming up pretty soon.

GTA Chinatown Wars maintains gritty, urban edge with drug-dealing minigame - Joystiq.