Why all Grand Theft Auto apologias are baloney

Or anyway, most of them; I roll my eyes every time someone puts forth the argument that you only kill hookers and run over little old ladies if you want to play the game that way.

This statement is literally true, but it carries the false implication that the game offers you alternative interactions with these non-player characters. Lookie, here are your two options for communicating with any of the random people walking around the game world:

• Ignore them

• Beat / maim / kill them

That's it. The controller doesn't have a "talk" button, but it has an array of buttons dedicated to punching, shooting, and breaking into things.

Your character in GTA is Frankenstein's monster. He wants to talk to the little girl with the flower, but ends up drowning her instead, because his action-range is so limited. Sad.

(No, this game isn't a very Gameshelfy topic, but I can't recall seeing anyone raise this particular critical angle regarding a game that engenders a vast amount of discussion (and blowhardiness), and I felt it's a point that really needed making.)