Downloadable content is about to get a major kick in the ass. The release of GTA IV: The Lost and Damned on February 17 is going to change the way people think about DLC. The standard for a DLC expansion pack is some new locations and a few new missions either shoved into a story already told or tacked on to its ending. But Rockstar has a unique vision for Liberty City. What if Liberty City--as fully detailed and realized a city as you'll find in a videogame--were a platform itself? What if the LC were a template where new games could be inserted? While The Lost & Damned features the same gameplay mechanics and storytelling style of GTA IV, it is as close to a full new game as I've seen for "add-on content."
Depending on skill level and amount of time you spend messing around, Rockstar expects The Lost and Damned to take anywhere from 12-20 hours to complete. And that's just the single-player story. For $20 (1,600 MSP), L&D offers a full-fledged campaign, new locations, new mini-games (arm wrestling!), refined gameplay mechanics, new vehicles, new weapons, a hefty new soundtrack, new DJs, new TV shows, new Internet sites, and new multiplayer. One thing's for certain: Rockstar isn't dicking around with horse armor.