Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD for iPad – Game Review
After months of waiting, one of the best handheld game ever made finally landed on the iPad: Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars HD was released last week, and the game rocks.
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars HD allows you to follow the adventures of Huang Lee, the spoiled son of a recently killed Triad boss, on a mission to solve the murder of his father. Throughout the game’s 70+ missions and its myriad of side quests, your job is to earn cash by completing jobs ranging from petty street crime, all the way up to drug dealing and assassination.
We couldn’t help thinking “wow” the first time we fired up the game, as Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars HD is extremely polished, and makes you feel like you’re using an Xbox instead of an iPad. The game has been rebuilt from the ground up specifically for the iPad, and thanks to an updated 3D engine, Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars HD features stunning graphics that take advantage of the extra real estate offered by the iPad. The gameplay has also been improved when compared to other versions, and even though it may take a little while to perfectly master the controls in order to drive around Liberty City’s streets with ease, the game is a blast to play.
Even though most of the gameplay involves stealing cars, driving through the city, fighting with rival gangs, and evading police cars, the game offers a flurry of distinct missions that help keep things fresh. In other words, despite driving like a maniac, you will be asked to perform many jobs, such as assassinations, rigging rival gang members’ cars, blowing up buildings with a variety of weapons, etc…
On top of that, the game offers many fun side missions and extra jobs that add to the game’s lifespan. You will be asked to smuggle drugs, drive people around the city, impersonate a policeman, drive ambulances, and the list goes on. Finally, and just like with every other GTA versions in the series, you are free to roam around the city for fun and destroy whatever you want.
The game comes with a decent soundtrack, but you may want to create your own iTunes playlist instead, as the game is able to play your own songs if you tune your car’s radio to the “Independence” station.
The game comes uncensored, so expect incessant cursing – it adds to the atmosphere of the game, but if you have kids, make sure to keep your iPad away from them.
What we liked: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD is by far one of the most polished, best looking, most entertaining game for the iPad. The story is great, and the game will keep you entertained for 15+ hours for the core missions, and an extra 10 hours for all the side games.
What we didn’t like: The game crashes once in a while, the controls take a little while to master. It also weighs a whopping 445MB, so it will eat a good chunk of your iPad’s storage space.
To buy or not to buy: Simply put, the iPad version of GTA is the best version we’ve seen so far, and may well be the best iPad game to date.
- App Name: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD
- Version Reviewed: 1.0.0
- Category: Games
- Developer: Rockstar Games
- Price: $9.99
- Score:
