Developer Profile- Rockstar North

‘Developer Profiles’ is a series of articles that take a look at some of our favourite companies within the industry, reflecting on past work and looking forward to future titles.

Probably one of the most successful developers working in the industry at this moment in time, Rockstar North continue to excel from pre-existing boundaries in quality with some of the most highly acclaimed titles available on modern consoles, pushing what was deemed possible with some truly epic examples of modern game design. Grand Theft Auto is their holy grail, destined to be remembered as one of the pioneering breaks for video games into the mainstream consciousness, for more reasons than one...

Originally formed in 1988 by Dave Jones, Russell Kay, Steve Hammond and Mike Dailly...[ctd]

*Click here to be taken to the full developer profile on MLG.net

Review- Red Dead Redemption [Xbox 360]

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Developer: Rockstar San Diego

Released: 21^st May 2010

Other Formats: PS3

The American Old West, home of the cowboy, ranchers, county sheriff's and the ubiquitous noble steed. The dusty plains of the Western desert of late 19^th century-early 1900s have barely been touched within video games, even with the recent Gun and Call of Juarez series mantle that there's much fun to be had within the setting. Red Dead Redemption is Rockstar's attempt- the latest sandbox entry from the studio that brought us the 'Rage' Engine that powered GTA IV. The stunning technology here used to craft one of the most stunning settings yet seen in a videogame of any type. The dry desert plains unsurpassed as far as the eye can see, the mountain ranges, the exquisitely detailed towns, cacti and other flora all visually sumptuous and intricately used to bring the first true, open expanse of the wild west yet seen on consoles. Similarly, the country and western soundtrack lays a backing track over the high definition picture and is potently memorable when used, with added environmental sounds, from the crow of circling vultures seeking their prey, to the rhythmic thump of horse hooves enveloping the desert floor all adding that something extra to the experience. Populated by Rockstar's truly memorable and lovingly crafted characters- from corrupt government officials, brutal and dirty criminals, overenthusiastic Mexicans, dependable sheriffs and cannibalistic miscreants, Red Dead Redemption is another frank reminder of the way that videogames can be used for storytelling in as much of a capacity as film. Whilst the plot isn't particularly strong (our hero, the gruff and dishevelled John Marston, seeking to redeem his previous life of gang-hood), the wealth of intriguing character personalities is enough to carry it through and is remarkably strong as a result. Whilst I don't feel that Marston is strong in terms of depth of character or personality, making it difficult to empathise with him, he was nevertheless a joy to play. Not that the voice work is to blame however, which is again absolutely sublime and well acted.

The environment is meticulously detailed and visually intriguing. Staples from across the Western genre are used throughout. Towns, such as the main hub of Armadillo are built upon foundations of the saloon where residents drink aplenty, blacksmiths, general store (where items can be bought and sold), and doctors, as well as the train station in which the steam train chugs to from across the landscape in a billow of dense, black smoke. The main hubs of the world that govern the sprawling wilderness are also where your safe houses are likely located, bought for a sizeable sum of money, the use of which allows you to save the game or change one of the many different outfits that grant different abilities (one may make the law kinder to you, for instance). From the friendly province of MacFarlane's Ranch to the more cautious Mexicans over the river, citizens speak their pieces, and interact on a superficial manner whilst you walk idly through the maze of wooden buildings.

Comparisons have already, as expected, been drawn with GTA IV for obvious reasons. The analogy of “GTA on horses” is perhaps a little belittling however, even as the HUD, map and overbearing structure are all suitably identical to the aforementioned. The clunky and difficult combat system also makes a habit in returning, with Rockstar seemingly keen on its integration (much to the annoyance of many gamer's, no doubt). For the most part, it works on the barest of levels, although the pop in and out of cover is far from a natural fluid movement, resulting in waves of frustrating gun fights, of which there are many. Although the guns of the period feel nicely weighted and powerful, it's the addition of the 'dead-eye' mechanic which is really brilliant (of which there are 3 levels and allows time to be slowed down and targets painted for a quick kill). It's a great step forward and it'll be interesting to see whether this will progress into future games or whether it will stick to the gun-slingers of the West. The way in which weapons are interchanged is also a slight differentiation from Rockstar North's masterpiece- here, a press of 'LB' brings up a radial menu to choose your piece from (taking over from the D-pad quick buttons). It would be a fully successful system were it not for the way play doesn't stop while selecting weapon, meaning death if not quick enough in the selection process. Yes, believe it or not, Red Dead Redemption does have its faults. The insistence on the 'tap A' system to run, sprint, or to spur your otherwise responsive horse on, makes travelling to missions and roaming the countryside often laborious and somewhat of a chore of the highest annoyance and puts me on the fast track to 'Repetitive strain injury' (although it does give chance for some fantastic character dialogue exchange synonymous with Rockstar's back catalogue!)

Further changes, such as the use of an inventory, that holds items and maps is a nice addition and also provides a quick-save mechanic in the form of the camp-site which can be erected for Marston to get a quick rest and a 'save game' in whilst alone in the wilderness. The reassuring glow of the burning camp-fire in stark contrast to the starry night sky. Fast travel can also be used here to skip to points on the map. Red Dead Redemption also makes use of a morality system, governed by the 'Fame' and 'Honor' meters. Positive honor can be attained through positive action in the world, such as saving someone from a kidnapping or rescuing a stolen carriage (such encounters are procedurally generated and none more scripted than your own actions) whilst negative honor arises from negative actions. The 'Fame' meter is an overarching meter that quantifies how renowned to the townsfolk you are as a character. By completing main story missions, undertaking encountered events in the correct way or helping out strangers, ranging from procuring medicine for ailing women to finding a man's lost son, the more likely others are likely to know of Marston and act in accordance to his 'Honor' level- for instance, shopkeepers will likely offer discount if 'Honor' and 'Fame' are both high. The 'Wanted' system has been designed extremely well. Whilst the same GTA-like red circle of danger indicates the area of where those looking for you are placed, upon leaving the circle for a sustained amount of time, instead of everything returning to normal, a bounty is placed on your head for a value in dollars that is reflected in the severity of the crime committed. The bounty can be lifted before a bounty hunter comes to kill you by using a “letter of excuse” or paying the value of the bounty off. It's an intriguing system and works much better than the police wanted level from Liberty City, in laying down a more persistent, realistic law enforcement mechanic.

The procedurally generated events are only the start of what is likely to be experienced from start to finish in Redemption, however. And whilst the use of which acts as a huge leap forward in terms of our attitude towards sandbox gaming as a whole, the rest of the game is just as brilliant- full of rich, dense landscape, diverse characters, locations and attitudes and values whilst the variety in mission design and structure makes it a more fulfilling experience than I have yet seen within a game of this type. Games that are so large in ambition often grow monotonous far too quickly, GTA IV struggled itself with repetitive mission design after all. Here, set piece arrives after set piece meaning the plot gallops along at a fair old pace- a steam train has to be protected from a gun-toting gang on horseback, a hijacked train has to be caught before it careers over a cliff, a 'Troy'-like wooden horse attack on the Fort Mercer stronghold, “The Great Mexican Train Robbery”- never does it seem the team have run out of ideas which is no doubt a result of the fresh genre they have tapped into. The shift in location, from the orange and brown palette of America, to the whiter sands of Mexico and the more civilized world, also ensures the game play never feels stale or dull. Side missions- from card games, “Five finger fillet”, hunting the wildlife that teem the environment, picking plants or finding treasure can also be completed for extra cash and 'honor'. Tearing down 'Wanted' posters from the side of buildings will also allow you to become a bounty hunter, hunting criminals and delivering them to the county jail, alive or dead. The good old Western staple of the 'duel' in the center of town also makes several appearances. Making use of the dead-eye system, opponents can soon be felled to the ground as they challenge you, the “famous John Marston”.

It's a game that works on so many levels. As a Western it's one of the most successful of its type, delivering themes of love, the seek for redemption, honour, political struggle, gang conflict and criminality in its gritty setting. Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish, as a game, it can be heralded as one of the best of the year so far no question. Although it does have its fair share of technical niggles and slight poor design choices, it ultimately never fails to deliver and brings its A-game to the forefront every step of the way. A top game of the highest order.

Review- GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony [Xbox 360]

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Developer: Rockstar North

Released: 29^th October 2009

Other Formats: PS3, PC

The Ballad of Gay Tony gives players the chance to experience Liberty City in an all new light. The opening scenes use of colour and upbeat tones thematically setting this game apart from both GTA IV and The Lost And Damned in immediate fashion. Its blend of visual flair- swaggering, no-nonsense protagonist Luis complemented with its synth, electronic pop music backing track. This is an upmarket, high class, neon-lit Liberty City focused on its night life and in particular, Luis and his boss- past-it, degenerate loser Tony 'Gay Tony' Prince, a nightclub owner.

As ever, Rockstar succeed in delivering a superbly defined cast of outlandish and over-the-top characters, all brought to life with fantastic voice work and Rockstar North's legendary animation modelling that still holds up tremendously well amongst new releases. A brief glimpse of GTA IV's previous characters; Roman, Niko, Billy, Johnny et al. all work well within the context of their position in the story and are complemented with BOGT's superb new additions- from business socio-path Yusif Amir to glitzy socialite bloggers and unstable Russian gangsters. The plot itself remains well structured and driven throughout, towards its thrilling, explosive airborne finale that 007 would be proud of- engaging and positively classic GTA.

The core component to The Ballad of Gay Tony's fulfilling playtime (I stuck over 9 hours into the game, without completing all side missions!) is all about fun. A far cry from the downtrodden Niko and the grittiness of TLAD's campaign, BOGT injects fun by the bucket load with a whole array of new explosive weaponry (sticky bombs, the hugely powerful 'Assault SMG'), new vehicles reserved for the rich and famous (the 'Buzzard' copter, the 'Super-drop diamond') and enough scale and variety in mission design to keep things feeling far from stale. Missions are short and sweet, with the checkpoint system returning to ease any frustration that may have incurred if GTA IV's template were to be repeated. Yes, Rockstar have listened to their doubters and adjusted accordingly in time for the DLC releases and the release is that much stronger for it.

The key distractions from the main missions are generally all well conceived. 'Drug Wars' ensures a smooth and steady flow of cash is amounted throughout the play experience- a luxury TLAD failed to acquire. Thus, weapons and extras are thankfully, always freely available. The brilliant base jumps and 'multiple vehicle races' provide the thrills whilst odd jobs can be completed for citizens over LC for small rewards. The 'Club Management' mini games are, in my opinion, the weakest of TBOGT side mission objectives- a dodgy mix of rhythm action dance routines mixed with socialising at the bar. It doesn't help that the doorman feels the need to constantly keep calling to remind you that your management standards at 'Maisonette 9' are slipping, in an annoying return of GTA IV's pervasive mobile phone distractions.

From the fancy condos and minted cars, The Ballad of Gay Tony is an uplifting change in tone from the previous instalments and all the better for it. Never has Liberty City felt so vibrant and glitzy than here. The frustrating cover and shooting mechanics, texture pop-in and frame rate issues can not detract from what is a package well worth its price tag. Great value and a must buy.

Review- GTA IV: The Lost and Damned [Xbox 360]

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Developer: Rockstar North

Released: 17^th February 2009

Other Formats: PS3, PC

The Lost and Damned is the first of two pieces of DLC that Rockstar released for the epic GTA IV. Replacing immigrant protagonist Niko Bellic from the main game, here, biker and 'Vice president' of the 'Lost' biker gang, Johnny Klebitz is the focus of a seedy and gritty sweep into the realm of drug smuggling, inner-gang conflict and head-on gang war. The dark and menacing overtones are established early in a package that shows its balls, quite literally, as Billy, president of the 'Lost', returns after a stint in rehab. Rockstar again surpassing themselves with triple-A characterisation that is key to the whole package. Their ever impressive ability to direct superb voice work and produce top-quality facial animation making sure a strong foundation of characters are crafted- injecting the story with enough humour, banter and interesting personalities to keep the plot consistently engaging. From the insanely loose, psychotic Billy to “kiss-ass” Brian, friendly face Jim, and the calm yet troublesome Johnny.

Both the positive and negative aspects of GTA IV have made their way into the game, although a re-worked checkpoint system is great to see and removes the gripes from the first foray into Liberty City. Now, upon restarting a failed mission, the spawn point is much closer to where the action takes off meaning the often daunting repetition of getting to the right location time after time, death after death, can be forgotten this time round. The ever entertaining radio stations return, with some new heavy metal additions that provides a fitting backtrack to cruising with the gang. Upon returning to Liberty City, it's quite a shock to experience the often dreadful game play mechanics at work. It's re-treading old ground if you've already played GTA IV but if not, the sticky cover and gun combat can be extremely aggravating at times. It's difficult to get a good grasp of the way the cover mechanics work, even after an extended period of play. Add to this the often frustrating way in which the whole health system works- a non-regenerating bar which, although perfectly acceptable, is less forgiveable when health packs are no-where to be seen and GTA IV's fast food chains have been “temporarily closed”- meaning health will often be dangerously low when starting a mission. At times, I went into the mission knowing full well I would die simply to get full health upon re spawning again and re-starting the mission. If Rockstar North remain adamant that the health system works, it'd be nice to see the health bar fill for missions, at least, which are still very much a case of driving to a location, activating a cut-scene and more often than not, shooting all the enemies until another cut scene is played. Vehicle sections and side missions (bike races) help to improve the monotony that could have been endured, with two-wheeled vehicles now standing in greater stead due to improved handling. So, not a total success but missions have never been GTA's forte- instead relying on the story to create an experience that is likely to be enjoyed time and time again. It's also great to see nods to the original game in intertwining plot-lines with Niko, Roman and Demitiri whilst a brief cameo of 'Gay Tony' also points towards the following DLC release of The Ballad of Gay Tony. To tell you the fashion in which the characters are used would be to ruin the story- it's brilliant, nonetheless. Returning characters such as Elizabeta also ensure a good crossover between the two titles.

Rockstar have again delivered a top quality GTA game. The use of the gang as its main focal point means an often thrilling experience is given as a climactic conclusion draws ever nearer, Johnny every bit the match for Niko. And whilst the story can not quite keep up its pace consistently throughout, with some noticeable slowing through the middle section of the game once a main character is, again, out of the picture- it's still a release that can match GTA IV's highs for every low. New weapons are good additions, with a devastatingly frightful grenade launcher, sawn off shotgun, 'Streetsweeper', an automatic sub-machine gun, half of a pool cue and pipe bombs all keeping content feeling fresh and gun-fights consistently fun. Brilliant.

Preview- Red Dead Redemption

Released: 21^st May 2010

Format(s): Xbox 360, PS3

I wait with baited breath for Rockstar's latest, Red Dead Redemption, coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 in just under 6 weeks' time. Lazily referred to as “GTA with horses” because of its sandbox roots, third-person game play and its Western genre trappings- the successor to Red Dead Revolver is so, so much more than that. And here's why...

First of all, the game is developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games- a signifier of quality if ever there was one. The team in San Diego, having worked loyally on the Red Dead and Midnight Club series for many years, also originally developed the 'RAGE' engine, on which many of Rockstar's games are based- including none other than GTA IV.

Red Dead Redemption is set in the back country of the Western American plains, 1911. John Marston, a former outlaw, is where the focus of the game lies. Given an ultimatum by Government agents, Marston must capture or kill his former gang mates including his old friend and gang leader, Bill Williamson. If he fails to comply, his family will pay the price. Judging by the screen shots, Redemption's true character lies in its location- a huge amount of detail seems to have gone into the game's sprawling wilderness, with the world populated by fully realised towns, reactionary characters and, of course, as is necessary in open world gaming, chance encounters that stick in the mind. These procedurally generated nuggets can happen any place and at any time in RDD. Do you intervene at the hold up you come across at the bank, help out a woman in need? Whatever you decide to take on, the scale is huge and incredibly diversified. Yes, this is one of those games, like Fallout 3, that will populate discussion threads on unique encounters that players are witnessing.

Other tasks within the game include hunting the varied wildlife in the game (over 40 have been named) which, after skinned, can be sold to stores around the map for the meat. Rare plants and flora can also be gathered, harvested and sold. If these sort of menial tasks don't take your fancy however, how about a game of Hold 'Em Poker for a bit of extra cash? Or, for those treasure hunters out there, treasure maps can be bought or found in the game. With little more than a sketch or description of the area the treasure is located, players will have to work hard in order to turn that effort and those long hours into hard, solid gold.

Like many other games of this type, a morality meter is also presented. Do the right thing and your 'honour' will rise- affecting the way those within the game react to your presence, which may mean discounts at stores, for instance. Break the law however, and Marston will have a bounty put on his head, only taken off if the bounty is paid or he is excused through some other means.

With just over a month to wait, Red Dead Redemption really ought to be on your mind. Here's a game play video that illustrates perfectly what you could be missing...