Grand Theft Auto Review: Part 1 - Joyride: GTA Classic, GTA 2, Chinatown Wars - Kim Justice

[@gordonhaddow8345]

The fact this video only has 11,000 views depresses me... top content..

[@arostwocents]

Agree - not done in a fake accent with all the wrong emphasis like a lot of the popular channels that write great content but deliver it in a way that's unwatchable

[@jeffarcher4663]

Gta 1 will always be my fave. Sure it was not technically or graphically the best. But that game stimulated my imagination more than any other game after. Like trying to figure out how to get into those secret places. Or finding out that some water could be walked over which led to a secret island with a tank. Also personally, i loved the graphics and the difficulty. It was easily the best game on the playstaion alongside Tombraider, Worms, MGS, the Resi evil trilogy, and, Tekken 2. Cannot beat the old games in my opinion. Although Gta 3 to San Andreas were fantastic games too. I've really not been interested in games after the PS2 though. But then i don't believe superior graphics make a better game. Much the same as the original series of Star wars movies were far superior to the prequels. Technology improving has not made anything worthwhile better. But then i came from a time where the C64, early sega consoles and, the 486 PC were the pinnacle of gaming. PS3 era onwards are just not fun to me. I would take Speedball 2, Monkey Islands 1 and 2, Doom, Alone in the Dark, Road Rash, etc over anything that has been released today. I'm grateful that i got to grow up in a time where games were about being fun as opposed to trying to look like real life. But thats just my opinion.

[@FraserSouris]

I disagree with your mindset as I feel technology has made games better now than ever before. You have games like Witcher 3 (an RPG that is about you "rationalizing the lesser evil") would not be as effective if it weren't for things like the scale and changes to the game world, facial expressions and body language, the way that the music and sound dynamically changes (not to mention the mature and human storytelling )etc. These would not have been possible in the 90s. On top of that, games like MGSV, Deus Ex, and Hitman (games that offers you a million and one options in just sneaking into a washroom), LittleBigPlanet (all for creativity and user made content), Rayman Legends (2D platforming at it's finest using the UBI Art engine), Tearaway (3D platforming by letting the player interact with the world itself), Assassin's Creed (replicating historical settings and letting you interact with them), Doom and Rainbow 6 Siege (old school shooting and tactical environmental shooting respectively), Uncharted (creates Hollywood blockbuster level setpeices in game form), Alien Isolation (phenomenol AI), the Dark Souls (cryptic gaming to the extreme) and the Arkham Games (predator gameplay to the extreme) etc all use modern technology to do more. That isn't even mentioning all the Indie Devs making avant-garde games that are truly experimental. Many of the games you mentioned from the PS1 days have also been improved in the modern day. Tomb Raider has become more Hollywood-esque in its presentation, Modern Worms games give you more options to play with in the game world, Tekken and other fighting games like Mortal Kombat and Injustice 2 offer more single player content now than entire fighting games in the past. (also, I feel that the Star Wars Prequels were better than the OT as the prequels had more creative action sequences and had a plot about the fall of democracy, creation of an anti-hero etc while the OT was a really black and while Hero's Journey that was really too simplistic). But at the end of the day, technology is but a tool that Devs have when making games, and I feel that the better the technology, the more tools and options devs have to make something special.

[@jimmypockets2337]

I had numerous visits from the truant officer when GTA came out. “I’m ill, I promise” *Cough cough* “See”

[@IDidntSetAHandle]

Man, that title soundtrack to the original GTA. The PC version I had included the soundtracks on the CD (though I think you had to root around for them in the files) - I must have listened to that thing so much, and it still gets me with a mix of nostalgia and pure instant adrenaline. They brought it up again in one of the later games - pretty sure GTA IV - but I've always been a bit gutted they never went all in on it as the theme for the series.

[@funkybuddhaInit]

It was the same with the PS1 disc.

[@Desbo]

Yeah. Amazing music. Still think about it, got a feeling you could pop the game CD into a music player and it’ll play.

[@Ezyasnos]

Back in the day I played GTA1 and 2 on the pc with a 3dfx card. Steering was natural on the keyboard and bullets were very well visible. Playing head to head on a LAN was a total blast, easily one of my favorites.

[@TheIrland09]

It would be great if Rockstar remade GTA 2 in 3D, or made a game inspired by it. They could recreate Anywhere City and give it a cel-shaded comic book style and make it an arcade game where you score points by causing mayhem, but can still do missions aswell. It would be nice as a small download only type of game, ala Blood Dragon.

[@mr_beezlebub3985]

TheIrland09 That would be amazing

[@FredFuchs77]

Very glad to see you making series retrospectives like this again!

[@Gametesterboy]

really makes me want to play chinatown wars again on my old beloved ds

[@ReservoirPunk]

Less than 2 minutes in and I had to switch this off, this guy's voice is so unintentionally hilarious I can't cope with it.

[@realnoftie]

The line 'it's the cutting edge of old shit' was brilliant and could apply to pretty much all of my channel subscriptions.

[@sircliff323]

always brings back memories of playing with old friends years ago, just before we had to work and grow up

[@joshgodawful]

Finally, you're doing review//retrospective videos again.

[@grahamcammack479]

Bloody good to have you back, Kimbo. Great vid and I'm looking forward to the followups. Have a good one indeed, squire.

[@theguardian8317]

I would be worth to mention GTA2 for PC as well as it looked amazing compared to the PSX version and also had multiplayer which although it was primitively implemented it was very fun. I could say if the planets aligned and I managed to get the people and hardware for it, I had much more fun with 3 or 4 people playing the straight forward GTA2 multiplayer than any of the GTA5 online features.

[@AtariLegend]

Absolutely love your work. Love the history you give with your reviews. Keep up the great work. I'm a fan! (and I love the Amiga, and Atari ST ;-) )

[@AkiraStrix94]

Very well done retrospective on this first part alone. Seeing the old school, top-down GTA games reminds me a lot of Retro City Rampage by VBlank Entertainment. Actually, now that I think about it, that's basically just a modern take on the top-down games with 80's references.

[@nosferadu]

GTA2 was objectively "better" than the first (better graphics, more missions, larger game world, better controls..) however it didn't have nearly as much personality. The first one felt like a handcrafted experience from start to finish that you just wanted to explore every nook and cranny of. It had great atmosphere and felt like a... well, like a world. GTA2 was very gamey. The systems were clear cut. Go from one mission to another, keep an eye on the faction levels and that's about it. It was fun enough to steal cars and shoot people, but the excitement of exploration was not there for me.

[@arostwocents]

Agree, I spent so many hours messing around in GTA and doing police chases but never spent much time with 2

[@renbymon]

Hearing Joyride for the first time in years gave me a huge wave of nostalgia. Fantastic review, and you've made me want to play GTA 2 at some point (never did at the time it came out!). Can't wait for the next part! :)

[@QJ89]

I hear ya. Tho the theme is called 'Grand Theft Auto, ' NOT 'Joyride.'

[@smartbluecat]

Your writing is spectacular, Kim. An utter joy to listen to.

[@munk109]

Another really GREAT video, possibly the best. Entertaining, in depth, nice edit, it has it all!

[@arostwocents]

You should have showed Payback footage for demonstrating an Amiga GTA

[@TimeBunny]

How did I not even notice you had done this GTA series? I'm slacking! Good from what I have watched so far. Will watch the rest later this evening.

[@michaelmartin9022]

The body armour never worked for me, it said I could survive 3 shots, but still died in 1. GTA London 1961 also had some "experimental" features, like 99-shot super armour (which didn't work either), and even a very crude drive-by shooting system which only worked in one direction, from one car, for one shot.

[@Sut1978]

We've got our Kimble back ! Awesome stuff

[@TopperRico]

Wow, just wow, looking forward to the others KJ! Interesting fact about Body Harvest - Nintendo wanted to convert it into an RPG as the N64 had so few, they even flew over the Zelda producer to assist DMA.

[@Reasonjpn]

Chinatown wars remains the only GTA I've actually felt compelled to finish. Surprised no mention of Urban Chaos next to Driver, Kim. Was never successful, but ambitious on ps1 and features the only black female central protagonist in a game I can think of.

[@prozzac85]

Finally a real review video! Thank you Mr Justice, this was exactly what I needed :)

[@Rountree1985]

Stefan Johansson mr. ? Big oof there.

[@MikeRox83]

Really hits on a truth regarding 3D. I can't get over the number of 7/10 reviews for CastleVania: Symphony of the Night marking it down due to those "16 bit graphics".

[@Rountree1985]

Michael Rogers Castlevania symphony of the night got glowing reviews from pretty much every publication. You’re talking out of your ass.

[@jacobson084]

The first game didn't really get me, but the second one did big time. Freedom to roam the streets was so cool back in time, and no other game would allow player just to poke around and do nothing. The cities were quite big, 3-gang system was ok and the missions were funny and very cartoony; sometimes super ridiculous and tough as fu**. The Zaibatsu guy was always making me laugh by calling the player Gecko. I almost forgot about the soundtrack. Holy shit it DID rock, the tracks were amazing (taxi drivers must die!) made by mostly unknown bands, but that didn't really matter, 'cause the music was awesome.

[@charleskuhn382]

Amazing, cool use of Philip Glass

[@Commentator541]

I love these series! Great content! Keep up the good work!

[@scottcrust9710]

the and sex pest bit killed me kim lol

[@funkybuddhaInit]

Chinatown Wars was SO much better on the PSP. The touch screen controls might have felt nice at the time but they really were a cheap gimmick that got repetitive over time. It might have felt intuitive to control the GPS with the touch screen but it was far easier on the PSP. Having to pick up the stylus and then put it back away every time you interacted with the map was tedious as all hell.

[@richardcastro-parker3704]

I really enjoyed gta 1 on thbe gbc. For what it was its scope always impressed me.

[@bera2955]

Great video, can't wait for the next one.

[@YadonTheCat]

Damn, I can't believe they managed to pull of Chinatown Wars on the DS. So many games struggle to get anything 3D to work well on the system

[@Rountree1985]

Doom2Guy Chinatown wars isn’t 3D, dickface.

[@Gxpblog]

Amazing! Cant wait for episode 2!!

[@gluserty]

Yeah, for me I play the London 1969 game here and there (Love the whole London theme), but I mostly own that game and first two GTA's more as to collect than to play. I think they're fun games to play in short bursts, but like a game such as, say, Atari's "Centipede", they aren't games that I could play for an 8 hours session like the 3D & HD games.

[@OllieMartinGamer]

very nice video im interested to see how you tackle the ps2 games. personally as a kid i never saw what the fuss was about with the first game on its release. oddly enough i enjoyed the second game a bit more. china town wars is a fantastic game id probably go as far as saying that along with vice city are the only 2 games worth playing in the series, although i did love 3 when that came out i dont think i held up well these days

[@TheLoboFairchild]

You earned yourself a subscriber, it's nice to see someone so passionate about something, it's important to be passionate about something, I'm not a big gamer myself, I do like gaming though, but my passions are more so about comics and keeping fit.

[@thiagovidal6137]

Excellent content, but the PS1 version doesn't do these games justice, especially GTA2 that looks pretty good on PC even today.

[@Dawwwg]

So true, it's a totally next-gen compared to the PS1 version and a completely different experience imho...

[@Rountree1985]

Ps1 also has toned down content. Not as much swearing.

[@kailomonkey]

GTA2 put me off so much I didn't play the series again until San Andreas! Then of course I went back to play III and VC. It wasn't because 2 was 2D but that it was much the same but felt more awkward, looked bubbly and the gang respect system intimidated me.

[@duckhive]

i could watch Kimble play GTA forever.

[@RRRRRaa]

"noted sex pest" - haha, funny because it's true.

[@sperrin]

GTA exists because of a bug. When the game was being developed as Race n' Chase the idea was going to be a simple racing game where you are chased by the police (hence the title) but play testers noted how overly aggressive the police were. They were supposed to just chase the player, but instead they kept trying to ram the player off the road. This idea stuck (and still prevalent in GTA games of today) and instead of working the bug out, they embraced it and turned the game from a simple racing game to a game where you play as a criminal. So basically, we wouldn't have GTA if it wasn't for that bug. I did my own GTA retrospective for my blog last year. littlebitsofgaming.com/2015/04/20/grand-theft-auto-part-i/

[@TheOriginalFrankMatthews]

Steve Perrin duh, what you thought you're some type of google information staple LMFAO

[@FatherStack]

People really need to play the older GTA games. I've even made a "Let's play..." series of GTA: London and intend to make a series of the 1 and 2. They are amazing games. Plus, they originate from my city, Dundee :D

[@theangryadventurer3954]

Just watched a ton of these videos, the psygnosis one is especially fantastic!!!

[@loon20061984]

You my friend have earned yourself a subscriber. Fucking awesome video mate

[@kammyabhainn3053]

GTA London would be my No1 if it weren’t for the police glitch were only two cops will chase you even if you have 4 stars

[@hellomynameismrsilly]

Ha, you know the other day i actually searched youtube to try and find a "retrospective gta series." Kimble comes up with the goods once again. I remember playing the first 2 gtas and me and all my friends were like "wouldnt it be great if this game was in 3d" and subsequently driver were the general consensus was "wouldnt it be great if you could get out the car?" GTA III was a real answered prayer for us and we literally played nothing else the year it came out. Btw Kimble, Did you go to belfairs?

[@rustylasagna]

Awesome video! I've played all of the GTA games except for the first two GTA games and GTA Advance. Every other game I have on my shelf. My personal favorite is San Andreas, though, I don't play it a lot anymore.

[@hezekiahramirez6965]

Advance is probably not worth your time, it is kinda fun but it just lags so much it pretty much ruins it. I was so excited for a handheld GTA but it just frustrated me so much. But if you're interested in playing the originals I think they're still up on the Rockstar site as free downloads. Might be worth it to DL and fuck around for an hour.

[@wrenrhodes1155]

Body Harvest looks like a retro af Earth defense force. and EDF is pretty retro at this point.

[@mebrithiel]

The Human Traffic reference slayed me

[@deanbooth2142]

Back to your best Kim, cant wait for part 2!!!

[@dextrodemon]

you forgot the best thing about the first GTA, the demo was the whole first city just with like a 5 minute timer, and you could download a crack to freeze the timer and play it for free.

[@retrovideogamejunkie]

yep, i wanted to play those first gta, so i playing retrocity rampage dx xd

[@doodledogdesigns]

Sweet video! Well done. Keep it up!

[@jakublulek3261]

Chinatown Wars are also on PSP and Vita. But you are right, DS version is the best.

[@FraserSouris]

I personally felt that the PSP/Vita and iOS versions were the best to control and the best in graphics

[@timmytatoe4248]

Hell theyre all good but i own the psp version just to have all gta games on PlayStation save for advance

[@Rountree1985]

Timothy Montgomery there are also two GTA games on Game Boy Color

[@ReetBoaTellThee]

Well done inserting Limmy in there. Goin' t' moon.

[@Imgema]

Mate, that's not 20 frames per second. That looks more like 5.

[@TH3G0D5]

The cheat was for the first game was BUCKFAST which is a fortified wine drank by bowsies in the west of Ireland and Scotland. I always thought that was funny.

[@michaelsriqui7898]

I wonder if he will also cover the game boy advance game, I always wanted to learn more about that game.

[@hezekiahramirez6965]

He briefly touched on it near the end. I agree with his thoughts. Not terrible, enjoyable aspects, but the lag is so frustrating. I wanted to love it and I was excited about a handheld GTA at the time but it was so slow. I don't know, maybe emulation would fix that but on the GBA it's just not that great.

[@plisskensghost2951]

having found your channel a few months ago mate, i have to say you are doing a great job, you are a few years younger than me, my twenties were the playstation years... you have done a great job of documenting the rise and fall of the big houses i.e Ocean, Psygnosis, Imagine etc loved those videos... was a bit miffed at your disregard of Cybernet though as being a major hash head at the time( gave it up long ago now) i loved it when i seen Cybernet was going to be on after Prisoner Cell Block H lol but on the whole your videos are ace, keep them coming!

[@dezm101]

great review!

[@hash-slingingslasher1374]

2:22 now that's a cute, radical 90's boy if ive ever seen one. look at that chair spinnin' swagger! look at that righteous swooping hair! as IF!

[@genocidic]

Classic kimble - day made

[@hezekiahramirez6965]

Yay, Got in before 301! I'm so awesome! I am fucking AWESOME! YES! Okay, I'll be serious. Ahem. I actually still quite like GTA2. GTA Advance is kind of fun but god, it just lags so much. It's very frustrating and though I completely get why it had to be that way I just wish the game were smaller or something so it could run faster. It's frustrating. And Chinatown Wars... So underrated. Just a great game. I really do enjoy that one a lot. Anyway, this may be my favorite video of yours so far. Keep up the good work.

[@heyhocodyo97]

imagine if they would've kept that name yo have you played the new race n chase

[@CarozQH]

[@AshleyDarling_]

25:02 oh you did not just go there

[@Heffsta02]

Koyaanisqatsi music in background= awesome

[@walnutpearl]

Did you forget about GTA London or just didn't think it was worth mentioning? Doesn't matter fella it was a great video as always.

[@BreakPotatoes]

But he did mention GTA Londong directly after GTA1

[@OllieMartinGamer]

he mentioned

[@hezekiahramirez6965]

Spent a good deal of time on it, in fact. He mentioned both London expansions, including the obscure Freeware one.

[@walnutpearl]

Hezekiah Ramirez I was clearly very stoned last night and have no idea how I missed it lol. A thousand humble apologies Mr Justice totally my bad. The video was even better on second viewing.

[@Shot97]

Driver wasn't the only competition. Coming from the PC world Grand Theft Auto was not even on our radar. The first two being laughable, and even the great third one seemed to be ripped (in my view at the time) from a PC game that predated GTA1, Interstate 76. A well reviewed and top selling game of that time. It focused on vehicular combat with a great, albeit short, story line, and unmatched (to this day) damage system. The disappointing sequel Interstate 82, perhaps influenced by GTA, added on foot abilities and stealing cars. It would be funny if they let a game that came after them influence them into turning to crap. But definitely coming from the PC market, I had not even heard of any controversy surrounding GTA until the 3rd one came out.

[@MyBrainIsPrettier]

As awkward as the first couple of GTA games were (especially in retrospect), the sandbox element and cross-vehicular mechanics were pretty fresh. Interstate 76 wasn't, as I recall, an "open world" game [being more arena combat in the mold of Twisted Metal or Destruction Derby]. It fleshed out the setting and story a little more than its progenitors, though, and the retro styling could well have been an influence on DMA/Rockstar.

[@Shot97]

While not technically open world, it could easily be treated as such by the player. It was mission orientated, built off the same engine as Mech Warrior 2, but that engine featured miles of terrain for any one mission. The maps would have been much larger in terms of area than even GTA3. Missions could be ignored and the map (although usually barren) did hide secrets to uncover. Then of course the game did feature online play where you could play against many. Hide in the mountains, shut off your engine so they can't spot you on radar... Wait for someone to come along and then go after them. Just saying with the first two GTA games, which are quite outdated, didn't seem like a huge leap coming from the computer side of things. Interstate 76 still holds up today in terms of story and gameplay, and even the early 3D graphics don't make you want to throw up (which a lot of 3D computer stuff from that era makes me do.) When GTA3 came out I remember really wishing it would have featured better car physics like Interstate 76 had. Where you could get flat tires and the car would start to handle much differently depending on what kind of damage you had. For a game where you spend so much time inside cars, I wish they would spend a little more time simulating them.

[@MyBrainIsPrettier]

Shot97 Ah, I realise I was getting a bit mixed up - it was the more pared-down Vigilante 8 I was thinking of! Apologies.

[@hezekiahramirez6965]

I think a lot of misguided (though mostly well-intentioned in all likelihood) parents had a problem with this game because of the crime aspect. In other words, their problem was that this game had *Too many crooks, too many crooks!*

[@noideac]

Shame you're playing the PS1 ports of the first two games. At least play the Dreamcast version of 2

[@spongbros]

+noideac I grew up with the PC versions and GTA2 was a noticeable step up from the first games in terms of graphics. Looking at the PlayStation version here for the first time, it just looks like more of the same.

[@Rountree1985]

Who the fuck cares?

[@simonnomis5302]

still playing gta 1...its great fun

[@angrycollector7012]

I CAN STILL PLAY GTA for hours

[@angrycollector7012]

I still love gta 1

[@chris.bilson]

I think if GTA 2 was 3D would have killed the series off

[@arhickernell]

GTA 2 has to be played on pc at dusk for the day/night cycle. Also where is GTA London?

[@mozzmarket]

my nan bought me the first gta when i was 11 yo lol

[@ThierryRocksTV]

Rockstar made State of Emergency before GTA 3.

[@snoopzakadave]

+Demon Rantz rockstar only published state of emergency it was developed by VIS

[@krashd]

A lot of DMA Talent moved over to VIS and Realtime Worlds when Rockstar relocated DMA to Edinburgh and renamed them Rockstar North, that's why VIS and Realtime made GTA-style games like Crackdown, State of Emergency and APB. Dave Jones has actually started a new company here in Dundee to make Crackdown 3 for Microsoft.

[@franzpattison]

The background noise and music are usually so loud I can barely understand what you're saying. Can you turn the volume of the bg sfx and misic?

[@addekiller2]

your channel is very good night entertainment :) :) :)

[@mrjuggernaut1015]

LIK ALL GTA GAMES MY FAVORITE ONES ARE CHINATOWN WARS GTA 4 AND GTA 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@BigBossJ]

Please sir update your game review playlist, thank you :))

[@robertcannon2773]

GTA is Gaming good or bad.

[@glammetalrenegade408]

kimble,,,, where is video 2???

[@sweett8351]

Then in 1999 they ported it to the game boy

[@sweett8351]

Gta1 was on the GBC in 1999 GTA2 was on the GBC In 2000

[@sweett8351]

+WITHERGHASTIPHONECINEMAS XL on my GBA gta advance ran from 49 to 60 fps

[@sweett8351]

Ever Since GTA2 for the game boy color There were curse words in the handheld games

[@classclown6ya]

1:00 song? Joyride?

[@13Gangland]

This nigga Kimble is hilarious

[@MoonspiderHugs]

whats the name of the song you use at 4:27?

[@steved8193]

Pruit Igoe by Philip Glass. It was used in the GTA IV trailer.

[@arostwocents]

Its stunning you didnt even mention police chases. Has to be a 👎 and quitting the video. Poor show.

[@racrav]

GTA 1 looks poop without a 3DFX card.

[@Retro80sMan1]

I can't find gta 1 and 2 on steam :(

[@ervinas_matulis]

You can download them for free from Rockstar games page.

[@Rountree1985]

Shit like that

[@Hectik17]

fucking nicceee 1 bruvvaa

[@drunkensailor112]

You should not base your opinion of gta 2 on the shit psx version, but on the dreamcast or pc version.

[@suphipsterhippie6107]

АААААААА!!!!

[@ScumSookar]

After actually playing the first GTA, I fully agree with you Kim. The first gta was uncontrollable garbage, period. I 100% some of the 3d gta's before playing it, and it's such a diffrent beast, it's almost unplayable. Hearing the song "Joyride", and seeing beta shit for gta 3 in the manual was about the only treat GTA 1 gave me, and being such a fan of the series as I am now, it was horribly disappointing.