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You're an out-of-work hood, low on cash and with no chance of ever landing yourself a legitimate job... what do you do? Easy, you take to the streets as a 'crim-for-hire'; working for any of the unscrupulous street gangs that rule the different cities, doing any and all of their dirty jobs.

One of the complaints about the original Grand Theft Auto was that the gameplay was a little limiting because you worked for just one gang. In Grand Theft Auto 2 however, with each new city you have a choice of three different employers and can do jobs for any, or all, of them. Each gang has its own objectives and its own unique foibles. The Yakuza, for instance, are cold-hearted assassins, so your jobs for them are mostly 'wetwork', while the Loonies are... well, a bunch of loonies, and jobs for them can be anything from stealing a SWAT van because the gang boss got a parking ticket to blowing up a pizza delivery place because the boys didn't like the last pizza they ordered!

Grand Theft Auto 2 is a fantastically fun game which is only marred by a couple of irritating flaws. The first is the annoyingly long passwords - this is a hand-held game after all! The second is that, when driving many of the vehicles, it's all too easy to get stuck in a jam due to other cars ramming into you instead of simply swerving. Considering the title of this game, it's ironic that most of the time it's easier to walk than to steal a car and drive!

Let's just make the point: stealing cars is very very enjoyable. No! No! It's wrong. Very wrong. Morally, legally and, um, thingily. But, hey, this is just a game. Plus it's extremely engrossing. Where the odd platformer will while away twenty minutes or so, you'll get sucked into the world of Grand Theft Auto 2 before you know it, and will walk around calling everyone 'ho' for the rest of the week. Just make sure you don't get busted.

Graphics 80%
As good as the first.

Sound 80%
Almost funky!

Playability 80%
Try putting it down.

Lastability 60%
I dare you, I double dare you!

Overall 75%
Unscrupulous fun for all the family!