In the mid to late 1990s most video games had a simple premise or either involved a blue hedgehog or an Italian plumber. That was until 1997 when two Scottish game programmers developed a new style of game. This game involved the player becoming a bad guy. And despite much criticism this format and game has become extremely popular. The game series in discussion is of course, Grand Theft Auto. With GTA V set to be released in September, heres a look back at what Rockstar Games have previously kept us entertained with:
Grand Theft Auto - (1997 various platforms)
Originally going to be called Race n Chase, Grand Theft Auto was released in 1997. Set in Liberty City, the plot saw the character start work for Robert Seraglianos gang. Unlike later GTA games, the missions in the first GTA game are rather basic; the player collects their missions by answering telephones that are scattered around the city. The missions ranged from stealing taxis to killing the lawyer of a rival gang. After completing the first level, the player was also able to move onto San Andreas and then Vice City. The weapons in this game were also rather basic, ranging from the players fists, a pistol and a flamethrower. As with most violent video games, there was a lot of criticism surrounding GTA when it was first released; however this criticism was self-publicised by the developers as they hired people to create controversy around the game as a form of publicity. This publicity made Grand Theft Auto an instant success and a best seller in the United Kingdom.