GTA IV Lost and Damned Tips

First, if you haven't downloaded the Lost and Damned, the additional content to GTA IV, do it. It's a great game as reviewed down below. First, here are some tips.

1. Air Hockey Tips- To complete 100%, you must win one game against the computer. Let's face it, the left analog stick is not made for this type of mini-game. It's inaccurate and many times you knock the puck into your own goal.

So how and where do you get the one victory? Go to the bowling alley on Firefly Island, Broker. Play the generic lackey, not one of your biker buddies. The lackey is not very good. Then instead of trying to hit the puck directly into the goal, ricochet the puck off the sides into the goal. You'll find you score more frequently and eventually you will win a game.

2. Arm Wrestling Tips- You must win one arm wrestling match for the optional 100% completion. Okay, I don't recommend playing this mini-game more than once. Why? You must jiggle the right stick rapidly to move your arm. I don't believe the controller was made for this type of use and you would be justified in believing that you could break the stick.

Here's the tip. Put your palm over the stick. Then move it rapidly back and forth. You'll probably win right away.

3. Gang Wars- You must win twenty five gang wars for 100% completion. Sometimes these can get hard. There are two types. One, you must destroy a target vehicle, escorted by enemies. The second is straight combat where you attack a convoy of bikers or cars.

If you are given a "destroy an escort" mission then arm yourself with the sawed off shotgun. You can shoot this while riding the bike. It does massive damage to a vehicle. Pay all your attention to the target. Or as they say in Star Wars, "Stay on target." Once the vehicle is destroyed, you get the win.

The second type of gang war is harder. You attack a convoy with the goal of killing all the enemies. The problem is that reinforcement bad guys show up in a gang war, usually behind your back. First, I engage the bad guys but do not get off the bike. If possible lead them to a place where you can take cover, behind a wall and let them come to you. If you are in Alderney, lead them back to the clubhouse, if it still exists. See below to see what I mean by that. Run up to the roof. You are now on an elevated position. Take out your assault rifle and lay waste to them. If you need to retreat and return to where the bad guys are, the sniper rifle comes in handy. Reach out and whack somebody.

There are two benefits to completing gang wars. Completing more than ten, and every ten up to fifty gets you a weapon in the clubhouse. Second, this is a good way to get Clay and Terry's combat skills up.

4. Get unlimited ammo for the M4 (Carbine Rifle). Islands are open from the beginning, so all free weapon locations are available from the original GTA IV. Get a M4. There's one at the west end of the Algonquin Bridge, between the lanes. Now go to Colony Island. Go to the abandoned hospital, it's on the south part of the island. Go to the southwestern room, there's an assault rifle. Now, here's the trick. When you walk over a weapon that uses the same ammo that a weapon you already have, it gives you more ammo. For example M4 and the assault rifle use the same ammo. The same for both sniper rifles. Walk over the assault rifle and hear a note indicating you were given more ammo. Run outside the building, past the chain link fence. Then go back into the hospital and walk over the rifle again. Keep doing this until you get a full cache of ammo.

5. SPOILER ALERT. Don't save after the last mission. After you complete, "Was it worth it?", Senator Stubbs calls you to meet with you for the last mission. Finish the last mission and a cutscene showss you that you and your biker buddies torch your own clubhouse. You lose the clubhouse for card playing, watching t.v. pool, etc. Now, there's way to access the clubhouse after the game ends by climbing to the roof from the rear and walking north until you get the signal to watch t.v. but you can't exit the building or save. Now, you won't get to keep the 100% if you don't' save, but the reward is only unlimited ammunition for one game session. You can't save the extra ammo.

6. Review- You play Johnny Klebitz, Jewish biker gang member! During the game, you work hard at trying to keep the gang together in midst of committing crimes that would get you the death penalty in real life. No doubt, this game like all Grand Theft Auto games, is evil fun.

Missions are enjoyable and exciting. And it's really cool when you're on your bike and lead the gang. You feel as if you are a member of a biker gang as your buddies follow you like a flock of birds. If you get a chance you should play the original GTA IV first as you meet secondary characters from Niko Bellic's saga.

One quick thing about the soundtrack. Kudos for the mainstream jazz radio station. The music is a great primer to the uneducated as to what is great mainstream jazz. Artists and songs include John Coltrane's "Giant Steps", Count Basie's "April in Paris", Duke Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train" and Charlie Parker's "Night and Day." Wow, that's jazz you would hear in New York, er, Liberty City. New content includes the shock jock Martin Serious Show on WKTT, the talk show station. Serious is a hilarious take off of Howard Stern.

Now, remember this is a "M" rated game so no kids younger than seventeen. The game features violence, drug abuse, crime, sexual situations, and male nudity. Yes, you heard that right. In one cutscene, we get a view of Senator Stubbs' um, maleness. There's a reason for this. It's a metaphor of what some of the rich and powerful are doing to America. How often do you see metaphor in a video game?

If you loved the original GTA IV, you'll want to go back to Liberty City with Johnny Klebitz, Jewish biker gang member! The grade is "A."