I think people just aren't expecting GTA on a handheld to be any good, if it isn't based directly off a console game, like the PSP versions were. When I first heard GTA announced for the DS, I automatically assumed it would be crap. "There's no way they can recreate GTA with the limited power of the DS, unless they're going back to the old-school, top-down, 2-D style," I thought. The trailers didn't change my impression much - they screamed desperate GTA spin-off, not real-deal GTA.
So I was surprised as anyone when the reviews started coming in, lauding it as a faithful adaption of the GTA experience, on a handheld with a fraction of the power of current-gen consoles. The vast majority of people don't read game reviews before making purchases, though, preferring to go on name-brand recognition, word of mouth, or (heaven help us) back-of-the-box copy. I'm pretty sure the general public is not aware of just how much GTA goodness is packed into the cart, and instead has the impression that Chinatown Wars is an inferior mockery of the console version.
Not a big Metal Gear Solid fan, and I started the series with 3. Didn't care too much for the gameplay, but loved the storyline and characters, along with the bombastic soundtrack. I'm sure I missed a truckload of references, but it was still immensely enjoyable as a standalone experience, and makes me really want to play MGS4.
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