GTA: San Andreas

It seems very wrong to go from talking about Gandhi to this, but it is true that mere hours after watching the Ben Kingsley classic, a deeply emotional cry for peace in every aspect of our lives, I was beating up whores with a purple dildo and spraying anyone with the wrong coloured headscarf with various lethal projectiles...! One of the reasons I got an Xbox in the first place was to try out this game and see what everyone had been raving about. And it is evident why it is so popular - the game is vast, graphically astonishing, very addictive, wise and knowing, but still mercilessly violent: the ultimate package. It is pretty easy to master the basics and dive into the world of San Andreas. You have almost unlimited choice in how to live your life as Carl, resident of Ganton and recent ex-con; take a trip to the gym and work out till you look like Mike Tyson, gorge yourself on pizza or friend chicken at any of the myriad take-aways, play pool with the local shark, shop for cool clothes and accessories, or, indeed go on a psychopathic rampage and eventual high speed chase with the law in your choice of vehicle. Everything about the game can be customised to your taste, as long as in the end you are prepared to accept the missions laid out for you and do a bit of killing. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean to take the highground and damn the violence unequivocally, it's fun, as long as you take it with tongue in cheek as it is meant - but there is something about it all that I find so depressing! Whenever I get the itch to play for a while it is hilarious fun, but after an hour or two it creeps into your psyche and twists your insides a little: it is one of those games that is so huge, yet empty it leaves you feeling quite lonely and you just have to turn it off for the good of your health - does that make sense? So it is a love hate relationship then. I love the design and scope of the game, but can't see me ever having the will to put time in to complete it. And so for that I'll have to give it a 7.5/10 from what would have maybe been a few points higher if I was a little less opposed to its vibe. It doesn't have an 18+ rating for nothing I suppose! Phew- where's my little book of calm? Kx