I’m still in the early hours of GTA IV: The Lost and Damned. There are noticeable problems, and the “biker gang” mechanic feels a little bit like a concept cooked up early on that never really works out properly in actual execution — the driving is too erratic for the gang to ride in a coherent formation. Despite these issues, it’s still Grand Theft Auto, and it’s still amazing.

I was reminded why I love the series when, after a shootout with the police, I was one bullet away from death and yet managed to scale walls, run through industrial yards, and eventually escape by hiding under a bridge. I’m back, Liberty City.