Wyzdom said:
Ok i should have posted my question explicitly: Is GTA a game of pure image and no substance or soul?
No... GTA has plenty of substance and soul. The missions are entertaining, the layout and planning put in benefit the game greatly. One of the things that rarely get mentioned when mainstream press talk about GTA is the comedy and the movie spoofing. I mean, that's totally where GTA gets ALL of its charm! That's why shit like True Crime will NEVER touch this franchise.
The acclaim and subsequent coverage that the media seems to bestow upon GTA3/Vice City/San Andreas seems to focus solely on the shootings and hookers. It completely overlooks the vast sandbox you've got to play in and so on. I think some companies too, have seen GTAs popularity, reconciled themselves with this kind of media coverage, and come to the conclusion that they have to make dark, violent games to succeed too. Which simply isn't the case in my opinion. For one thing, I think GTA is one of the more cartoony games this generation - the perception it has is misleading. And another? If a game is fun enough to play, the word will spread! I'm not saying some games haven't bombed unfairly, but I do think for the most part it's true.
Latching onto movie franchises with the appropriate image in games,
Urbanising existing video game franchises and marketing them as whole new games (hello EA),
Filling a game with swears, blood or gore for the sake of it...
...lauding your own product as the next big thing because of it.
Making things dark and broody for the sake of it.
Licensing out supposedly appropriate music (it almost never is).
Marketing campaigns that appeal to children/teens in the guise of advertising to a mature market of adults.
It's bullshit. Some games this generation have used these practices and don't back it up in any way with gameplay exciting or new. They're the ones with no substance or soul. And they're the sad thing about this generation. In some way, I think a lot of it does tie back to GTAs success too.