Gaming Goodness

I have been playing Grand Theft Auto - Vice City(GTA:VC) and Syberia lately.

GTA:VC has been in the news on several occasions. It is the poster-child (according to many anti-violence groups) for what is wrong with video games. You play the part of an ex-con who is sent to fictional Vice City to pick up your mob boss' money. The deal goes bad and you have to find out who is responsible. To advance in the game you will be hired by the local crime world to complete missions for them. When you finish the tasks you earn cash and favours from the different criminal elements. As you earn cash you will be able to start taking over the city's underworld.

The game is rated "M" for mature and shouldn't be played by young gamers. It is violent, deals with mature themes and has a lot of "street" language throughout. Much of the game you spend rushing around the city and its surrounding areas in various cars that you just take. The radio is always on and the makers have included some very familiar tracks. From Blondie to REO Speedwagon, from Michael Jackson to Van Halen, the music was one of the coolest parts of the game. This is a great game for adult gamers.

Syberia is an adventure game that was voted Game of the Year in 2002. Even though it is a couple of years old now, it is a beautiful looking game with a marvelous sound track. You play the part of New York lawyer Kate Walker. Your task is to get a contract signed that would complete the sale of an old robotics factory in eastern Europe to a big American multi-national company. Unfortunately, the owner has died the day you arrived and you must now find the heir. You are taken on a fantastic journey through stunning architectural wonders. The game was developed in Montreal under the guidance of Benoit Sokal. If you liked Myst, this game should be right up your alley.