Our interest was certainly piqued when we heard that Niko Bellic, the protagonist of the latest Grand Theft Auto game (which arrives in stores tomorrow), might be gay. However, when I saw the screenshots that started the speculation, my cynical side started rising. Seeing things like "Job: Sugar Daddy" as well as what could be made out of the "About Me" section sounded like some immature jerk's idea of a joke about gay people.

After reading several (all glowing, unsurprisingly) reviews of GTA IV, I finally found a review that put the gay screen shot in context :

But Rockstar wisely... focused on a more engrossing aspect: interpersonal relationships. As you meet people, their contact info is added to your phone. Niko can ring them up to grab a bite, go bowling, shoot darts, get s***faced (good luck evading the fuzz while driving under the influence of the game's insane drunk-driving physics), or partake in any number of other activities. Stay on top of these relationships and they'll become friends with benefits. One nurse Niko dates, for instance, can heal him with over-the-phone medical advice...

All of Niko's crucial bonding moments happen during the missions anyway, which do an amazing job of integrating your contacts, their personalities, and the city's multimedia assault. One standout job, for example, has Niko posing as a homosexual Lothario on an online dating site to lure a gay thug to a rendezvous. Yep, the missions pack all of the hilarious writing the series is famous for, except now they occasionally offer the option to spare the lives of characters you've hunted down in hot pursuits -- decisions that affect the overall story.

Most likely, that screen shot is a joke about Niko's ideas about gay people. However, what's more intriguing is that GTA has a gay storyline. From what I can tell, the storyline starts with Niko being charged to kill a gay mobster (players can choose not to complete the mission) which lets Niko form a friendship with the gay man thereby gaining some sort in-game bonus for doing so -- similar to the nurse who can heal Niko over the phone.

One of the challenges in holiday gift giving comes when you've got someone who's passion is one you don't share -- how do you avoid embarrassing yourself with the gift of a slickly-marketed and badly-reviewed new item that will get you that thank you that just tries too hard to sound sincere? If one of the people on your gift-shopping list is a gaymer, GayGamer.net has assembled a helpful list of gift ideas, with suggestions for the most popular gaming consoles. It's a solid list that increases your chances of finding the game that's on their wish list.

Some games, justifiably, get mentioned in several spots like Puzzle Quest, with its addictive combination of puzzle game and fantasy RPG (it's available for the PSP, Nintendo DS and Windows). The Simpsons Game (which also got a thumbs-up from our own Marc and Lee) also gets multiple mentions for its Wii, Playstation 3, Playstation 2 and XBox 360 editions.

Some of GayGamer's other interesting recommendations include Clive Barker's horror game for Windows, Jericho, on the Wii MySims (which avoids gender limitations) gets a nod, Janne D'Arc for the PSP (which I can't imagine being anywhere as cool as its TV ad) and the latest installment in the campy Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney series.

The instant-classic (among gaymers, at least) sandbox game Bully gets a recommendation for the Playstation 2. You might remember that Bully featured the possibility that your character may be gay. Even better, Bully's now priced as a "greatest hits" title, making it a bargain buy for the procrastinating gaymer on your list.

They also recommend the latest Neverwinter Nights expansion. So far, I don't think NWN2 has gay content, but the game allows you to create your own NWN2 adventures that can be shared with the NWN2 community. Here's your chance to share a little joy with your fellow gaymers ... or, at least, the ones who enjoy fantasy RPGs. While you're at it, you should sign up for Dwiz' LGBT friendly guild and help increase the visibility of the game's queer audience.

That's just a sample of what the GayGamer crew have to recommend: check out the list for the full selection. And for more general gay holiday gift ideas keep an eye out for AfterElton.com's holiday gift guide, coming soon.