GTAIV: Hour Two

Well, 2am EST. I began at midnight, so it's been two hours. I can't believe how little I've played. 7.67% according to the statistics. That's 11 missions.

So far, most of the missions have been tutorials. Mostly, they're teaching me to drive and shoot, which is old hat for me. So there hasn't been anything amazing in terms of game play. Niko, the main character, has just started showing his depth. He's got a dark past and is full of regrets.

I've already killed 15 people, but I have yet to save or die. My hope is to play through the entire game without intentionally saving, or possibly even dying. The last time I played the game, I would usually reload the game before being arrested. Now, I think I'll just play. It'll be honest statistics.

The game has several points where I can decide what to do. I'm not sure what strategy to employ. You can certainly be violent, killing all the time. You can also be pacifist. I did a little of both the first time through. I think this time I'll make decisions based on my knowledge of the game. For example, I know I'll be ordered by my boss to kill someone. That boss will later betray me, so I might say "BAH!" and not follow the orders.

It's a beautiful game. The scope and beauty of the game are breathtaking. As a side note, the F bomb has been dropped at least twenty times by now. But it's like the Godfather... if I was around coke snorting gangsters and didn't swear, it would seem awkward.

I'm feeling fine. I've got 2 two-liter bottles of cola (well, one is orange soda), plus a box of donut holes. I'm making a night of it. Alicia fell asleep on the lovesac watching and Livia seems to be sleeping in hour long periods.