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'' design of the ''Grand Theft Auto'' logo]] ''Grand Theft Auto'' ('''''GTA''''') is a '' and subsequent games in the series have been best-selling blockbusters which have also gained critical acclaim, including several game of the year awards from various sources. In addition, the series has emerged as being so popular and profitable that a long list of Hollywood stars have lent their voices to the games. Gangster film veterans such as Michael Madsen , Samuel L. Jackson , James Woods , Joe Pantoliano and Ray Liotta have all voiced major characters. Other famous voices that have been incorporated in the games include Axl Rose , Burt Reynolds , Chris Penn , Danny Trejo , David Cross , Deborah Harry , Dennis Hopper , Faizon Love , Frank Vincent , Gary Busey , Ice-T , Jenna Jameson , Luis Guzman , Miss Cleo , Philip Michael Thomas , Robert Davi , Shaun Ryder , Tom Sizemore , William Fichtner , Michael Rapaport , Lawrence Taylor , Danny Dyer and The Game . SERIES OVERVIEW The games allow the player to take on the role of a Criminal in a big city, typically a lowly individual who rises in the ranks of Organized Crime over the course of the game. Various missions are set for completion by the figureheads of the city underworld, generally criminal, which must be completed to progress through the storyline. Bank Robberies , Assassination s and other crimes feature regularly, but occasionally Taxi driving, Firefighting , Pimping , Street Racing , or learning to fly an Airplane are also involved as alternate adventures, which can be done at any time during the game, with the exception of the periods performing main missions. In later titles, notably those released after '' Grand Theft Auto 2 '', the player is given a more in depth storyline, in which they are forced to overcome an event where they are either backstabbed and left for dead by someone they know, or experienced an unfortunate event. This served as a motivation for the character to advance in the criminal ladder, and eventually leads to the triumph of the character by the end of the storyline. The ''Grand Theft Auto'' series is notable for the large amount of freedom given to the player in deciding what to do. Unlike most action games, which are structured as a single track series of levels with Linear Gameplay , in ''GTA'' the player can pick and choose which missions they want to undertake, and their relationships with various powers are changed based on these choices. Players also often cite the music, humor, and "stress relieving factor" of the series in explaining its appeal. The vast cities of the games can also be roamed freely at any point in the game, offering many accessible buildings and minor missions. There are exceptions: Missions follow a linear, overarching plot, and some city areas must be unlocked over the course of the game. ''Grand Theft Auto III'' and subsequent games have been notable for their storylines, high quality of voice acting, and " Radio Station s," which simulate driving to music with satirizing DJ s, radio personalities, Commercial s, Talk Radio , Popular Music , and American culture. All of this is seamlessly integrated in the realistic setting of a dysfunctional urban environment which parodies a real-life city. The game's influence on Teen agers and Adult s alike has created a " Cult " scene of GTA fans that see past the merits of the game itself and appreciate the Retro feel and the ''good-old-days'' vibe the game emanates. People remember or imagine the time the games are set in and can enjoy the music, the atmosphere, the fashion, the slang and the cities from their favourite decade, such as the 1980s or early 1990s. The use of vehicles in an explorable urban environment provides a basic simulation of a working city, complete with pedestrians who obey traffic signals. Further details are used to flesh out an open-ended atmosphere that has been used in several other games, such as '' The Simpsons Hit & Run '', which have less emphasis on crime or violence. Some compare this to open-ended RPGs such as '' The Elder Scrolls '' series, and foresee action games using a similar design. The series has courted a great deal of controversy since the release of ''Grand Theft Auto III''. The series generally revolves around the focus on illegal activities, in comparison with "hero" roles that most other games offer. The main character can commit a wide variety of crimes while dealing with only temporary consequences. Opponents believe that players will try to emulate this behavior, while proponents believe it provides an emotional outlet, as such actions in real life would have serious consequences. For specific incidents, see the individual game articles. HISTORY '' (PC version)]] '' (PC version)]] '', the first game in the series which immersed players in a truly 3D environment]] The ''Grand Theft Auto'' series may be divided into eras, based on the inclusion of a numbering after the recognizable title name (e.g. ''Grand Theft Auto III'') after the original '' Grand Theft Auto '''s release, and to a certain extent, the type of Graphics Engine used. ''Grand Theft Auto'' era The first title in the series, '' Grand Theft Auto '', appeared on the PC and PlayStation in 1998 as well as a reduced Game Boy Color port, and subsequently two expansion packs were offered:
''Grand Theft Auto 2'' era '' Grand Theft Auto 2 '' for the PC, PlayStation and Dreamcast , was released in 1999. Set in the unspecified future, it featured updated graphics and somewhat different gameplay based upon the player's appeal to various criminal organizations. A reduced Game Boy Color port was also produced. ''Grand Theft Auto III'' era
Rockstar North has also developed the controversial '' Manhunt '' video game (2003), which is set in the ''GTA'' world (Carcer City, mentioned on one of '' Grand Theft Auto III '''s radio stations as a neighboring city) '' Grand Theft Auto IV '' era
TIME PERIODS OF ''GTA'' GAMES
''GTA'' CITIES AND TOWNS Cities Fictional
Non-fictional
Towns in the state of San Andreas (in ''GTA:SA'')
Ghost Towns
KNOWN PROTAGONIST S IN THE ''GTA'' SERIES
SIMILAR GAMES See Also: GTA clone Because of the success of the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, notably ''Grand Theft Auto III'' and subsequent games, several other developers have attempted to replicate ''GTA'''s driving/shooting formula and open-ended sandbox play. Notable games that are often seen as doing so include:
As a result of such similarities, Rockstar has placed several Easter Egg s to mock the competition. In ''GTA III'', there was a mission called "Two Faced Tanner" in which players were required to kill an undercover cop who was "useless out of his car" (they even went so far as to give the pseudo Tanner a female's walking animation). ''.]] In ''GTA: Vice City'', during the mission "Autocide", the targets that the player must kill are subtle references to the main characters of ''Driver 2'' (Dick Tanner, after Tanner), ''The Getaway'' (Marcus Hammond and Franco Carter, after Mark Hammond and Frank Carter), and ''True Crime: Streets of LA'' (Nick Kong, after Nick Kang Wilson). ''DRIV3R'' responded by sticking floatie-wearing characters named Timmy Vermicellis, after the protagonist of ''Vice City,'' Tommy Vercetti, since no one in the ''GTA'' series could swim before ''GTA: San Andreas''. In ''San Andreas'', while breaking into 's mansion, players will see a man playing a video game and making fun of the way the main character walks (Tanner's walking animations were often criticized) and asking how they could have made something this bad. Another ''San Andreas'' Easter egg mocks ''True Crime'', which was depicted on several billboards in the city of Los Santos. TRIVIA
SEE ALSO
Soundtracks (Radio stations) EXTERNAL LINKS Official sites
General resource
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