Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

***Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony*** is the seicont o the twa episodic expansion packs available tae the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 an PC versions o *[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]*, developit bi Rockstar North an released for the Xbox 360 on 29 October 2009. It wis then released for the PlayStation 3 an Microsoft Windows on 13 Aprile 2010. It is the fowert expansion pack in the *[[Grand Theft Auto (series)|Grand Theft Auto series]]*, the 14t release on the series an is the feenal game o the Grand Theft Auto IV era. *The Ballad of Gay Tony* follaes the exploits o protagonist, Luis Fernando Lopez, a member o the Dominican drog dealers an the personal bodyguard o Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince. Prince is the awner o the twa lairgest nichtclubs in Liberty City an is a heich-status socialite.

## Gameplay
*The Ballad of Gay Tony* includes the ability tae replay previously passed missions wi scorin, seemilar tae the *[[Hitman (video gemme)|Hitman]]* an *[[Manhunt (video gemme)|Manhunt]]* series. This featur wis previously introducit tae the series in *[[Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars]]*. Additions tae the gemme's inventory include new wappens sic as the FN P90, the M249 SAW licht machine gun, the Atchisson Assault Shotgun, the .44 Auto Mag pistol, an the sniper rifle DSR-1. It includes the return o satchel chairges an aw. Additional vehicles include heich-end sports caurs, sedans, a new aircraft, a smaw attack helicopter cried the "Buzzard", a hivy-lift helicopter cried the "Skylift", an a shuttle helicopter namit the "Swift". In addition, the parachute which can be foond in *[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas|San Andreas]]* returns an aw, allouin players tae pairticipate in BASE jumpin an skydivin challenges. When flyin a helicopter the cairt nou functions as an altimeter (seemilar tae a featur in *San Andreas*).

The gemme introduces a new drivin range activity an aw, as well as the ability tae veesit Tony's twa nichtclubs; whaur thay can pairticipate in drinkin an dancin-based minigemmes. Thay can manage the club's security an aw. If players wish tae dae sae, thay are able tae enter an unnergrund fechtin tournament an aw, whaur thay can aither spectate or compete in fechts. In multiplayer, free mode, deathmatch, team deathmatch, race an GTA Race modes wur updatit, an a "BASE jumpin" (multiplayer competeetion) mode wis introducit, as a variation o free mode.

## Plot

*The Ballad of Gay Tony* begins wi Luis Fernando Lopez bein held hostage at the Bank of Liberty in Algonquin, durin a robbery involvin Niko Bellic, Packie an Derrick McReary an Michael Keane. A local gun club member lyin next tae him, Eugene Reaper, shuits an kills Keane an is then killed bi Packie McReary in retaliation. The scene cuts tae the eftermath o the robbery; Luis is questioned bi the polis aboot the incident afore proceedin tae "Gay Tony"'s loft. On the wey thare, he is nearly run ower bi Niko Bellic (returnin frae the robbery) an Johnny Klebitz who drives past him. Rocco Pelosi, a senior Ancelotti mobster, an his accomplice, Vince, enter the loft tae collect Tony's club income for the week as interest repayment on an outstaundin loan. Tony then discusses wi Luis his dire financial situation wi his twa clubs, **[[Bungalow 8|Maisonette 9]]** an **[[Hercules]]**. In an attempt tae curry favour wi Rocco, Tony an Luis go tae Chinatown tae negotiate a deal wi a senior Triad. Billy Grey, preses o The Lost Motorcycle Gang is seen arrangin an ambush on Johnny Klebitz an Jim Fitzgerald wi the Triad as Tony an Luis enter the room. The negotiations wi the Triad suin turn awry, an Luis protects Tony throu thair escape frae Chinatown.

Luis visits his mither, who haes financial issues an aw, an his childhuid friends Henrique Bardas and Armando Torres. Luis' mither daes no appruive o his lifestyle, an wad lik him tae attend college. Henrique an Armando are Luis' friends who are hivily involvit wi the narcotics distribution tred. Luis suin becomes acquaintit wi Yusuf Amir, (voicit bi Omid Djalili) a real estate developer in Liberty City. Luis helps Yusuf acquire several vehicles, includin an experimental military grade chopper cried the "Buzzard," which Luis steals frae Sooth African airms dealer Frickie van Hardenburg, an APC uised bi the Naitional Office Of Security Enforcement(NOoSE), an even a subwey carriage.

Meanwhile, Tony is heidit in a dounward spiral due tae substance abuis, suppleed bi his boyfriend Evan Moss. Luis, Tony an Evan heid tae the docks tae buy twa million dollars worth o diamonds frae a chef comin in on a tanker cried the "Platypus". In the Grand Theft Auto IV openin cutscene, the chef can be seen mixin thir diamonds intae cake batter on the Platypus as Niko walks bi. Durin the exchynge, members o The Lost (led bi Johnny Klebitz) attack an kill Evan tae acquire the diamonds. Tony promises Luis that he will quit the substance abuis an introduces Luis tae Mori Kibbutz, an his younger brither Brucie. Mori is heichlie egotistical an constantly chuises tae bully an belittle Brucie, a soorce o irritation tae Luis who repeatedly staunds up for the younger brither. Luis daes eventually manage tae effectively cancel Tony's debt tae Mori. Efter Luis finishes his last favor for Mori, Brucie staunds up tae his brither, punchin him in the neb. Brucie shows up in a cutscene at the Maisonette club tae thank Luis, makking a sexual advance on him an aw. Mori later calls Luis, revealing that he's taken a dictatorial poseetion in a commune.

Tony an Luis meet Ray Bulgarin an his associate Timur at Maisonette 9, who affer Luis some wirk in exchynge for financial help. Luis helps Bulgarin eliminate some corrupt federal agents an acquire the Liberty City Rampage hockey team. Gracie Ancelotti gets Tony back on the drugs an is later kidnapped bi unkent assailants (Revealed tae be Niko Bellic an Packie McReary frae GTA IV) . The Ancelottis establish that Gracie haes been kidnapped acause o the diamonds an are pointin the blame at Tony an Luis. Tony learns that the diamonds are bein exchyngit at the Libertonian, an sends Luis tae retrieve them. Luis ambushes the exchynge (involvin Niko Bellic an Johnny Klebitz) an escapes in the Buzzard, which haes syne been gowd platit.

Bulgarin phones Luis, telling him tae go tae the ruif o a biggin in midtoun Algonquin. As Luis uncovers the severed heid o the chef frae the "Platypus", Bulgarin explains that the diamonds belang tae him an accuses the chef, Luis an Tony o colludin tae steal them. It emerges that Bulgarin haes led Luis tae an ambush on the ruiftop, an he escapes alive. Luis an Tony are then ordered bi Gracie's faither, Giovanni Ancelotti, tae tred the diamonds wi the kidnappers in order tae get Gracie back. At the exchynge, Bulgarin shows up an orders his men tae attack the assailants, Packie McReary an Niko Bellic. Bulgarin flees the scene an amidst the chaos the diamonds faw intae a dump truck heidit the opposite direction. Luis, Tony an Gracie then successfully escapit in a speedboat.

As a result o bein preoccupeed wi recent events, Tony neglects tae pey his debts an the ceety closes doun aw o his clubs. Luis meets Rocco an Vince in the restrooms in Middle Pairk, an thay expleen tae him that he must kill Tony, afore baith the Ancelottis an Roushies decide tae team up an kill Tony, Luis an aw o thair friends an faimily. Luis shows up at Maisonette 9, an contemplates shuitin Tony afore pointin the gun at Vince an shuitin him in the heid. Tony warns Luis no tae shuit Rocco, as he is a "made man". Rocco escapes, an the Roushies show up ensuin in a huge gunfecht athin the club. Tony blames Luis for contemplatin tae kill him, he then flees tae his apairtment tae pack an muive tae the desert. Luis convinces Tony that he chuise no tae kill him acause it's them against the warld, an that thay need tae resolve thair situation. Luis venturs tae Firefly Island tae ambush a Roushie heroin exchynge, tellin Tony tae hide oot bi the Monoglobe structur in Meadows Pairk, Dukes.

In the fairgrund, Luis destroys the heroin an kills Timur, who mentions that Bulgarin is fleein the ceety bi plane athin twa oors. Efter an opportune phone conversation, Yusuf shows up in the Buzzard an eliminates the pursuin Roushies while Luis drives tae the airport. Luis manages tae buird the plane, an kill aw o the henchmen onbuird. A vengeful Bulgarin emerges frae the cockpit huldin a grenade, threatenin destruction tae baith o them if Luis kills him. Luis takes the risk an shuits Bulgarin, who drops the grenade causin it tae explode. Luis parachutes oot o the burnin wreckage o the plane tae safety, an heids tae Meadows Pairk whaur Tony is waitin. In the pairk, Luis accidentally knocks a hameless man intae a trash can, who fynds the missin diamonds amangst the trash an runs aff gleefully. Yusuf approaches Tony an Luis an the three celebrate thair victory an leuk toward the futur. At the end o the credits sequence, Mori an Brucie are seen in an unnergrund cage fecht an Packie McReary is seen leavin Liberty City on a plane wi the stolen money frae robbin a bank wi Niko Bellic. The hameless man who foond the diamonds is later shawn livin in a mansion surroondit bi weemen an aw o Tony's clubs are reopened. Efter this, the player can chuise tae replay past missions if thay sae chuise tae dae sae.

## Reception

The gemme receivit maistly positive reviews, wi a metascore o 89 on Metacritic. At the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards, *Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony* wis awairdit the Best DLC awaird.

## References

## Freemit airtins
* 
* The Ballad of Gay Tony on Grand Theft Wiki