GTA's Lazlow discusses IV on Radio [Grand Theft Auto IV] - Tech Weblogs

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Not the kind of spoilers that ruin missions or stories. This is more like a hands-on discussion of the game's feel and environment. But if you want to go into this game wide-eyed, jaw-dropping at the depth and complexity of the world you'll be living in for the next three to six months, especially if you're employed, then do not follow the jump.

I think you can still listen to this and be blown away by the game, but if you're sensitive to this sort of thing, you have been warned.

Clip one is the juicy spoiler clip. I'm not even going to mark timestamps because there's really no nonspoiler material. You either want to listen to it or not. Here's some highlights:

? Apparently Anthony Cumia appears in this game as an Italian gangster, and even sings in it.

? Pisswasser — "cheap German beer brewed for export only" — is the game's leading beer brand. They play the radio ad for it at 1:40.

? There will be an "in-game Internet" that sounds astoundingly deep, with spoofs of blogs and news sites, including conservative and liberal themed news sources. They'll report directly on the mayhem you cause, and have annoying pop up banners for shows like "America's Next Top Hooker." There is also "Craplist," a Craigslist spoof that emulates CL's notorious personals — right down to hooking Niko up on in-game dates, Lazlow says.

Part II is a little more generic and doesn't really give much away, devoting the opening to hating on the Wii. They're playing it in the studio and calling out some of the gameplay details. Lazlow says there have been discussions of "light concepts" for a sequel but nothing solid yet. O&A, naturally, encourage a rural-based GTA so you can do unnatural acts with chickens.

? "It's OK when you're obsessed with 'The Wire,' but people think it's wrong when it's a video game." (so true.)

? "My problem is, I tend to drink when I play, and playing Call of Duty drunk does not go well, especially when some 15-year-old knifes you in the back."

I've linked the YouTube audio, as the O&A site apparently requires you to listen to the entire show via Audiobooks or something.

Lazlow Jones Interviewed on Opie & Anthony, April 18. [YouTube user k2dart, via Reddit]