Game Details
Price
  • $19.99
Available on
Genre
More details

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Xbox 360)

common sense media says

Highly provocative expansion with drugs, sex, and killing.


parents & educators say
  • 43% say language is an issue
  • 37% say sexual content is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this GTA IV expansion game features lots of potentially offensive content. It has a lots of violence, blood, and killing -- including innocent people and police officers -- along with strong sexual themes (but no nudity), excessive language, and scenes with drugs, smoking and drinking. As with its predecessors, Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony is not for young eyes or ears.

Positive messages: This game doesn't send positive messages to players -- because of its lawlessness, violence, language and portrayal of women.
Positive role models: Luis, the protagonist, isn't a good role model, as he resorts to violence and intimidation to accomplish the many missions. He is a gangster who lives outside of the law.
Ease of play: This third-person adventure is very easy to pick up, plus fans of GTA IV will be able to hit the ground running.
Violence: As with GTA IV, this downloadable episode allows players to shoot police and innocent civilians, beat up or kill criminals, and use helicopters and tanks on targets, too. The violence isn't over-the-top in the gore department, but it's frequent and ruthless.
Sex: While there is no nudity in the game, players can see the players in a simulated sex act with a woman up against the wall (with his body thrusting up and down) and another scene that implies he's receiving oral sex. There are also prostitutes in the game (one of the lead character's "weaknesses").
Language: Expect to hear the F-bomb plenty of times in this game, including "f--k," "f--king," "f--kin' A" and "mother-f--ker." You'll also hear s--t," "p--sy," c--k," and others.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Players will see drinking, smoking, and drug use in this game. Much of the time you'll be visiting nightclubs, plus some of the characters will have drugs in their possession. There's also a drinking mini-game.  

More on Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about why games like this are appealing to many players. Does it let them live viraciously in a criminal underworld? Does it let them do things they'd never dream of in real life? Or are the many varied missions, open-ended environments, and humorous characters all for sheer entertainment?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Available as a Xbox 360 download or bundled on a disc with another episode(as Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City) , GRAND THEFT AUTO IV: THE BALLAD OF GAY TONY delivers new game-play to the controversial title, along with new weapons and vehicles that can be used in multiplayer modes. You play as Luis Lopez, a little-known and seedy assistant to Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince, a nightclub owner and associate of the Ancelotti crime family in the fictitious Liberty City. In one mission, "Dropping In," you fly a helicopter over Star Junction (Times Square) and land on a building where The Rampage hockey team is hanging out in the penthouse suite. Your job is to take out the owner, but you must first get through his goons, and then escape by base-jumping out of the building, opening your parachute and landing on a moving truck. Another mission, "For the Man Who Has Everything," Luis is challenged with stealing a train car for the over-the-top Iranian millionaire Yusef, which requires an assortment of serious firepower.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

If you liked Grand Theft Auto IV, then you’ll love The Ballad of Gay Tony. It offers more memorable characters, irreverent dialogue, daring missions, and a fully interactive open-world you can lose yourself in for hours at a time. Much of your attention will be on dealing with Tony's debtors, addictions, and boyfriend, while also helping to run his nightclubs and play mini-games. The $20 download is well worth the investment, or $40 for the packaged episodes (Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City, which includes the first downloadable episode, The Lost and Damned) -- but just as its risqué predecessors, those easily offended need not apply.

Online interaction: GTA IV offers multiplayer online modes but this expansion pack lets you unlock new weapons and use them in a head-to-head mode. Interaction with strangers is unpredictable.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Xbox 360
Available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: Rockstar Games
Released on: October 27, 2009
Price: 19.99
ESRB Rating: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
Screenshots

This review was written by Marc Saltzman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11
Based on 30 parent & educator reviews:
  • 43% say language is an issue
  • 37% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say there are positive messages
  • 30% say it's educational
  • 30% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

Julia Richards
parent of 14 year old
 
Yes turn off the bad parts
My son really wants to get this game. He is 13 years old. I said yes because ive heard it got great reviews. I was watching him carefully playing it and luckly there is a setting where you can skip sex parts and no F bombs. My son didnt want to turn those parts off ut i made him so if your a parent on the border of buying this game game for your kid, id say get it and turn off all bad settings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BranislavDJ
teen, 17 years old
 
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for babies
Like any other GTA,this GTA isn't exception. Pure masterpiece. 11/10 from me.

haha_wait_wat
teen, 15 years old
 
Awesome Game
Love this game! Also to all the parents that want too boycot the games, why dont you not buy them instead

P33lzHeer
teen, 14 years old
 
Most adult game in the world?
How can you say that this is not as bad as left 4 dead? the violence isnt too gory, but you can kill civillians and police man. there are sex scenes, plenty of swear words, and more unmentionable stuff. this is WAY not for children. I admit though, ive played it once and its a pretty good, and easy to play game.

ERICHEK
teen, 14 years old
 
I LIKE PLAY THIS GAME, BUT I AM FROM RUSSIA

zainu
parent of 17 year old
 
Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
Released on: 10/27/2009, Price: $19.99, online enabled ESRB Rating: M for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs online mba

lindsey678
parent of 3 , 4 , 7 , and 11 year old
 
BAD PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IF YOU LET A KIDS 14 AND UNDER PLAY THIS GAME THEN YOU ARE BAD PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
this game depends on weather you dont want your kids being exposed to nudity,drugs/alcohol,violence or harsh language or if you don't mind.

My Kids Are Fine
parent of 10 year old
 
The Game Is Good And If You Dont Get Your Kids This You Really Boring And Not Letting Them Hve Any Fun Stuff

Dan the man20000
teen, 16 years old
 
Wow...that's pretty gosh darn gruesome...
Great game. Good graphics, best story in a free roam yet... But it unbeliebaly controlveral. Now alot of my friends at school can take the stuff in this game, which i can too, I love it. But, this game is NOT for the faint of heart. Alot of blood, drugs and swearing are in this game. But in the end, it has a positive message. Protect your family, the are a priceless jewel that you cannot lose. That's a good message. But if you can't get past all the violence and gore. DON'T PLAY IT!!!

 
awesome but you need to read this
ok grand theft auto is a great game this one is one of the best way better then grand theft auto 4 the full game and this is just an add on the brought back parachutes and a tank but they need a bigger much bigger free roam and more easter eggs and so much more vehicles so many that you can even count and plane and i want it to take like a half an hour to like dirve to the other side of the map like sanandreas ..... can anyone say road trip and there needs to be nudity you should see them a having sex and control it srrry personal opinion of a teen age boy you know .... but the game is awesome but they need to remake sanandreas

2dfan192000
teen, 14 years old
 
for all ages who love awsome action great story and a cool city to roam around
this game actually isnt that bad because you have a choice of doing bad things you dont have to have sex with prostitutes

snowboardsurfa ...
teen, 16 years old
 
Good game
Fun game, if your mature enough to know not to do this stuff in real life.

CECMANER
teen, 17 years old
 
GREAT FOR EVERY BODY
YES IT IS

Shady565
parent of 18 year old
 
Love it
Great game for everyone. No complaints from me. Nothing my kids dont know already.

watchitorgameo ...
parent of 13 year old
 
13 is ok
This game is beast but shouldnt be played under the age of 13 mostly becase of the content that it has.My son Jerimy asked if I would get it for him well i researched it and saw that it was inappropriate for someone his age so I sat down and asked him if he new that things in games should not be done in real life and understanding that the language used were words that he should never say..he said he new and i just rented the game for him.so far it's not as bad as some people think but I would HIGHLEY suggest that you talk to your child or teen about how its a game and should not be done in real life.

 
bad
I just cant stand the messages

applemaster619
teen, 13 years old
 
love it
this is a good game abit violent okay alot violant but kids like me know wats the differance between games and life kids just want to be entertained for the people that make thre kids play 6 yr old games and are like 10 or 13 u need to actully play it to understand

aahmadd
teen, 15 years old
 
17+
I think that although is game is a great game, it probably is not for kids below the age of 17, however, I agree with how the ESRB rated this game, 17+. Although the game features tons of violence, from gun fights and to fist fights, sexual content including prostitutes, and drugs, I found that playing this game gives teenager acess into a new stressless virtual world where they can just forget about all their problems and play on as Luis Lopez, the main character of the timeline. So no, its not exactly for any children do to its inapropraitness, but at some point I there should be a line drawn closer giving people 17+ acess to this game, which is just what the ESRB ratings did, and I totally agree with that.

Littlecritic
kid, 11 years old
 
Deserves the M rating
This game has no pros from me, so let's go through our cons, in GTA IV TBOGT, you are encouraged to kill innocent civillians and law enforcment, there are prostitutes on the streets, the language is excessive, the use of alchahol is permitted, the message in this is to steal vehicles, have sex, and kill like there's no tomorrow, and your role model is a anti-hero who kills police officers.

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age