Xbox 360
The first of two episodic downloads for Grand Theft Auto IV, the title many regard to be the quintessential crime-sim, The Lost and the Damned was always going to have a lot to live up to when compared to its bigger brother. Thankfully, Rockstar North have again, done the unthinkable and produced what is the most polished and generous expansion pack for a console game yet. Believe the hype, this isn't just GTA IV 1.5, but something much more...
Things kick off with a montage of cut throat biker gang The Lost, cruising through Liberty City, their arrogant demenour remniscient of a pack of wolves on the hunt. Protagonist and lead character Johnny Klebitz is the vice president of the group, keeping the seat warm while president Billy has been in rehab. Where other GTA games have you climb up the criminal ladder from street punk to kingpin, here you are already seasoned in the criminal underbelly, a ruthless thug with a nagging conscious, with all routes to decent society well and truly nailed shut.
While in charge, Johnny has tried to make the gang profitable and attempted to quell the bad blood between The Lost and other rival gangs. Billy, fresh out of the joint is thirsty for blood and wanton destruction, undoing truces and triggering a gang war the likes of which the city has never seen. It's the stuff movie writers can only dream of as the story will keep you hooked right through the 12+ hours of gameplay.
So what's new? Aside from the city itself, which remains unchanged for the best part, there are loads of things brought to the table by this expansion. First, The Lost's equivilent of the safehouse is the gang's club house, a dank cess pool of heavy drinking, gambling and strip shows. Here, you can sleep, watch new TV shows, arm wrestle or play cards for money, and pay respects to your fallen brothers.
Speaking of which, this is a game that, at times, relies on squad dynamics. There are many missions you must tackle with your brothers. If they fall in battle then they are gone for good, but every fight they survive levels them up slightly, making them tougher, so it pays to watch their backs as best you can. If you are having a tough time during a solo mission, however, Johnny can whip out his mobile phone and call for backup, which can often be a life-saving touch.
Certain sections see you cruising around town with the Lost, tightly regimented in formation. If you manage to hold the formation long enough, a Lost emblem pops up on the ground. if you managed to stay within the symbol for long enough your health replenishes and your bike slowly repairs.
Johnny can also call up his buddies to request guns or a new bike should his get trashed (it's one of a kind so be careful with it!). You can also rally your crew together to take part in new 'Gang War' side missions, which are just like the name suggests, an all out brawl with rival gangs, be it a gunfight or a high speed chase, these are great fun and useful for levelling up the team.
Throw in a ton of superb new characters and weapons, a gripping story from start to finish, several hours of new songs and radio chatter and this is easily the most generous expansion pack ever released on a console. The Lost and the Damned compliments the original in every way and expands the core experience.