Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (XBox360)

94%
info
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (XBox360) (2009)
genre: action, adventure

score: 94%
users: 72%

reviews
'Time and expectations have taken a certain toll on Grand Theft Auto IV, but all that aside, the bottom line for The Ballad of Gay Tony is that it's just not as good as the GTAIV experiences that preceded it. It feels like Rockstar has run out of tricks, and it has got its work cut out for it with whatever comes next for Grand Theft Auto.'
Read more » Giant Bomb
'Perhaps Tony Prince does nothing to drag the series forward - somewhat fittingly for a man with his head stuck in the eighties - but the episode Rockstar has named in his honour is a colourful and pleasingly unpredictable adventure that gets better throughout and ends on a high.'
Read more » Eurogamer
'The voice acting continues the Grand Theft Auto trend of excellence, even with weirder characters like Yusuf. ("I seem to have forgotten my pants.") The dialogue is excellent, even if it is laced with enough slurs and profanity to make a senator cringe.'
Read more » Gamedaily
'In parallel with the superlative Chinatown Wars, The Ballad of Gay Tony restores a sense of playfulness to the GTA franchise, cementing Rockstar's status as King of the DLC.'
Read more » Video Gamer (Pro-G)
'The writing is top-notch, the characters are awesome, and the extra activities will keep you busy far beyond the 10+ hours it takes to beat the story. Most impressive (at least to me) is the way the game portrays the relationship between the two male leads. They genuinely care about each other, even while bickering and arguing like an old married couple. If that isn't the true definition of friendship, I don't know what is.'
Read more » Gamespy
'It's easy to see some fans being frustrated at this expansion's direction. The tone of the story is, after all, quite a departure from the franchise's previous two outings. However, the amusing dialogue, fun gameplay, and delightfully absurd missions make this a must-buy for everyone, whether by download (in which case it requires a copy of GTA IV to run) or on disc with The Lost and Damned.'
Read more » Cheat Code Central
'A top-notch expansion that nearly surpasses GTA IV itself for sheer fun and replayability, The Ballad of Gay Tony puts a fittingly explosive, over-the-top coda on the story that Niko Bellic started.'
Read more » GamesRadar
'I'm going to recommend Gay Tony but only to GTA-fanatics who are willing to gloss over the still persistent faults; it's with them in mind that I award the game a high score. But gamers who've already given up on GTA won't find anything here to change their minds, so save your MS points for something else.'
Read more » GamePro
'Unlike Lost and Damned which suffered from an overly familiar missions structure, the second 360 exclusive episode manages to rekindle the highs of GTA IV's greatest missions (we're thinking Four Leaf Clover) and in sheer absurdity leapfrogs them entirely.'
Read more » Computer and Video Games
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more reviews
'GTA IV's final expansion sends itself off in style in some of the most ridiculous ways possible; I think that's why I like it so much.'
Read more » 1up.com
'It doesn't so much reinvent Liberty City as it does re-skin it, but for a truly enjoyable way to end the GTA IV party right, The Ballad of Gay Tony fires on all cylinders.'
Read more » GameTrailers
'The Ballad of Gay Tony is the perfect way to close out the GTA IV saga.'
Read more » IGN
'While I preferred the tight-knit story of brotherhood and betrayal in The Lost and Damned, The Ballad of Gay Tony delivers more explosive weapons, death-defying missions, and off-the-wall characters. Don’t miss your chance to close out the GTA IV experience in style.'
Read more » GameInformer
'This superb downloadable episode for GTAIV would be easy to recommend even if it were a full retail product selling for three times its actual price.'
Read more » Gamespot
'The Ballad of Gay Tony is a monumentally satisfying GTA experience, and with a few more missions could have probably stood alone as its own game. It shows that Rockstar really cares about GTA fans and wants to give them more of what they want.'
Read more » Team XBOX
'Despite the grim set-up, The Ballad Of Gay Tony is an altogether more upbeat affair than The Lost And Damned. The location is far more glamorous as most of the DLC's action forsakes Liberty City's dour ghettos and docile suburbs for the glitzy island of Algonquin (or Manhattan to you).'
Read more » Telegraph.co.uk
'Multi-vehicle races that involve parachute jumps, speedboats and fast cars are the most enjoyable however, combining GTA's strongest elements into pulse-pounding races that are a genuine highlight.'
Read more » Total Video Games
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