GTA IV; An Exercise in Controversy and Complacency.
Review Code
Grand Theft Auto IV
XBOX 360
Graphics Score: 9
Sound Score: 5
Control Score: 9
Story Score: 4
Fun Score: 8
Replay Score: 1
Overall Score
60%
May 2, 2008 - 12:20 pm
So, it’s been a shade under a week since the game has been available to the general public.
Of course, I bought a copy. It’s GTA, how could I not? I bought the 360 version, what with having a 360, just so there’s no confusion as to what version I’m basing my opinions on (Though, as you will find out, they’re platform independent, for the most part).
First things first, the visuals. I know when it comes to GTA, the series has always been somewhat cartoony. The visuals have never been on the same level of gritty realism as other titles, and have always had this lack of reality around them. It’s been no bad thing, don’t get me wrong. However, with GTA IV, as you’ve seen, Rockstar have taken the trip into ‘gritty realism’. Obviously a lot of work has gone into it, and I must say, I think they pulled it off. I don’t have any problem with the appearance of the game, it’s certainly dragged me in. There’s not much else you can say about the visuals, they’re either a hit or a miss, it all depends on the user.
The controls are pretty unusual at first, though, with some play time down, they're reined in pretty quickly, and become familiar. However, the layout options (Of which there are two) are severely limited by the lack of analogue buttons on the 360 controller. If you want to vary your speed with any accuracy, you're pretty much stuck with the Standard control layout, which makes puts the handbrake on the the right shoulder button and the A button. The A button, however, is mapped as something else too(I forget what at the moment), which can make it a bit of an exercise to remember when to use which set. Other than that, it's pretty acceptable.
The ‘story’ is where I start to take serious issue with the game. It’s not like I’m expecting anything mind shattering, GTA is hardly known for its story-telling. Infact, if you play GTA for the story, I’m disappointed in you. You always play a mute white guy, or in the case of San Andreas, a black guy. You’re always from the ‘wrong side of the tracks’, dragged slowly into a pile of drug, murder and theft related missions. There’s no storytelling genius there, infact, I’d suggest that the main story for most GTA games is copy/pasted from time to time, with some name changes and some locale changes. I don’t love the characters in GTA IV, and that’s purely because of their accents. If I have to hear Niko apologise for running someone over again, I think Niko is going to get run over. The story is not phenomenal, but then, what GTA has had brilliant story?
The City around you is probably the most insane thing I’ve ever experienced. It’s not just better than the previous GTA series, it makes them look like they were put together by a team of wasted mice. The pedestrians are great, the other drivers are hilarious, the cars are fun (The driving is a real pain at first, though), and the buildings are brilliant. Especially the crash damage on them when you hit them. Totally not required, but a really nice little extra bit of shine. Speaking of crash damage, the car damage is amongst the best I’ve ever encountered on a free-roaming game such as this. Yes Burnout: Paradise has nice crash damage, but it is pretty limited, and more often than not, looks like the collision detection on some cars has been copy/pasted onto other cars, even with different styles of car.
So far, the only difference between this and the last GTA game I played a lot of, Vice City, is the visuals and some better world interaction with the player. The police are still lazy as sin, and don’t chase you unless you break a law directly in front of them, or crash into them. So, speeding is still legal apparently, while being run over is apparently totally illegal. It’s one way to cut down on driver/pedestrian kills, I suppose. They don’t chase other people, either. Well, aside from the predetermined things like the occasional mugging where you have one foot unit chasing said mugger.
There’s nothing wrong with it, per-say, but it’s not the mind blowing experience everyone, and apparently, their dog has been chalking it up as (10/10? I think not, reviewers). I normally don’t write my opinion on games, because I honestly don’t see the need, but when a game comes out with perfect scores off the bat, with pretty much every reviewer claiming it’s a shining gem that was gifted to us by whichever God makes you happy, I get irate. The game has glaring flaws (In that it’s basically the same thing that’s been released for the last few years in the GTA scene), the story is really.. Mediocre. It’s nothing that hasn’t been seen before, and it really doesn’t do that much different to any GTA game that’s been released in the last decade. Great, it looks different, and the characters are Eastern European, but it’s the same bloody game. Oh, and this time round (Despite what every reviewer has been saying), the radio stations are absolutely abysmal. It’s the first GTA game I’ve turned the music volume off on, it’s just that bad.
It feels to me that, as much effort as they put into this game, they've become complacent. Expecting that nothing will top their efforts. Maybe I've just become old and bitter, but I remember when the GTA games would usually mean hours of hilarious gameplay, but now, it just feels like I'm playing the same goddamn game over again, and I just cannot be bothered. At least you can still beat up hookers, though..
Also, where the fuck are the hidden packages? Why are they out on their arse for no good reason!?
I disagree with your criticisms of the story. While yes, it ain't no godfather, but the game wouldn't be worth it's salt if it were just the story or the sandbox, they complement each other and that's what drives the game. Yes, the story is simplistic, but the sandbox aspect makes it so much more immersive and involving. Plus, who could forget Catalina? Crazy ho...
--- Prince Phillp to a Nigerian diplomat in traditional Nigerian garb: "You look as if you’re ready for bed."
So far, there's only one NPC that actually makes me care, and that's Dwayne. I won't go into detail, for the sake of people who've not got there yet, but his position is probably the most interesting of the game for me.
The attraction of GTA, for me anyway, has always been the sandbox aspect, I couldn't give a hoot about some mute (Obviously not in this case) white or black guy. Rockstar haven't done much to help the main character, either. I've been told that Niko is supposed to be more appealing to the player, and to start with, he was. He didn't come across as a complete murderous douche. At the stage of the game I'm at now, though, he's not batting an eyelid when he's told to kill people, or steal drugs, etcetc. It contrasts horribly with the shouting of "Sorry" when he runs someone over, because I'm sat there thinking "The fuck? You didn't care about thirty seconds ago when I was mowing down cops, but some pedestrian and you're suddenly sorry?", it contradicts itself at every turn, it seems, and that really annoys me. I could, quite honestly, do without the 'apologetic' nature of Niko. Hell, I could do without him talking, too.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
I'm glad you also think that GTA4 is over-hyped. I've been getting more and more angry with every review I read ( except this one ) I really don't see it as that great of a game, and it gives you TOO MUCH to do so i never really feel that I'm making any sort of progress at all. And, with my severe case of Game A.D.D. i'll drop my copy of GTA4 for another game soon enough and might forget about it.
--- If your fighting with power drills, and your not having fun, then your not doing it right.
I don't mind having too much to do. I do take issue with Nikos friends phoning during a mission for an activity or something, and me losing ratings with them, because I'm trying not to get my ass killed.
The mission progression feels a hell of a lot smoother in this one than before, though, because of the mobile phone. I do find myself asking where the new people got my number from, though.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
Perhaps we're too spolied with the old style games.
IV to me, feels a lot more real worldy then three, or vice city. you have a mobile phone you call your mates from. you hang out down the pool hall with them. bla bla.
I agree with the reviewers that its innovative, and has neat-o features, that make it alot more like a life in a game, rather than a game, in your life.
I guess it just depends on what youre looking for in a game. And what youve already seen so far.
I agree with being spoiled by previous games, there's no doubt about that.
However, I've not seen anything really innovative. The minigames are re-treads of the San-Andreas minigames, toned down (Presumably so you don't have to spend every other day going to the Gym so you don't lose the ability to run for more than three steps or something).
I think the most 'neat-o' feature for me is rewards for doing activities with friends, like Little Jacob being a mobile arms dealer for example, but that's about it for me.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
You clearly barely played the game, you kill pigeons not collect packages. There is replayablitiy due to the fact that decisions you make alter the course of the game, you should probably play a game before you give it a poor review =\.
-AS
--- Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
I've played the game for 30 hours, now (I had about 25 hours under my belt when I wrote the review), and I stand by my review.
As for killing pigeons? Yeah, I killed a few, but hey. Packages were better.
When it comes to the decisions having consequences, I've made quite a few choices in the game that're supposed to have consequences (EG, the first guy you kill (killed him), The Dwayne/Playboy X thing, killed Playboy X, and there hasn't been any significant consequence for that, except that I now have two safe houses on that island, which are basically useless. It doesn't seem to have changed the missions at all, and it certainly hasn't affected my reputation with any of the in-game friends, they're all 80% or higher, and that seems be the main arena for getting 'rewards' (Little Jacob dealing arms, Dwayne giving backup etc) rather than anything else.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
but compare it to other games which received 6's and I think it's just as repayable as Half Life. Although it's your opinion, I'm merely playing Devils Advocate.
-AS
--- Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
Well I decide how good a game is by comparing it to others in the Genre, for example I'd compare GTA to Saints Row. Although, I do understand that some people wouldn't like GTA IV, because everything isn't for everyone. The only thing I dislike about sequels is that people constantly compare them to their predecessors which is something I rarely do unless it's a direct sequel; which only improves on exactly the same concept it previously had (like HL ep 1 and 2). Overall I've been played all of the GTA's and I don't think I could fairly compare this one to San Andreas until I play the PC version (if there is one).
-AS
--- Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
Within the GTA world, comparisons to the predesesors is going to happen, because the games lend themselves to it, and Rockstar play to it, by using the same sandbox style gameplay, and the same basic story (You always end up involved in drug deals, hits, etcetc, and until recently you were a mute character, although with VC, Tommy did speak in cutscenes). Trying to say that GTA IV being compared to GTA: VC or SA, or even III is not possible is just not true (It's the same concept for all GTA games). It's more pointed when you're talking about GTA IV and III comparisons, what with them being the same city, albeit this time with more New York bases than III.
However, if you'd rather compare other games in the genre (Though, I think you'd be best saying current generation genre if you only want to include Saints Row, because there are eight (That I can instantly think of) other GTA games that are in the same genre), then Saints Row is better. The activities don't feel so forced in (Although, the comedy club is brilliant, especially Ricky Gervais), being able to rob the shops is a welcome feature, and a fun little minigame, unlike the GTA "target them until they give you money" system. The driving is easier, which makes it more of a 'pick up and play' game than IV, which has more of a learning curve for the driving than any previous GTA game, infact, I'd venture a guess that it comes closer to some of the Driving Simulator learning curves than what you'd expect from a GTA game.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
I agree with Stigma here, a 6 is a little to brutal. For example you gave sound a 5, when it has a great soundtrack and allow you to import custom songs. Also character dialog (other than Niko) is funny so sound should be a 9 or 10. I didn't think the story was that bad maybe deserves a 6 or 7. I agree there is no replay value, once you beat it your done with it. Its a big detailed city... but with nothing to do. I think the game at least deserves a 7.5. I know how you feel though, it pisses me off when review sites give this game a 10, while its clearly not deserving of one.
--- Melt Bitch!...Melt like diarrhea in the hot sun!
I wasn't a fan of the soundtrack, simply because it does nothing for the game.
With previous GTA games the radio has been a real addition to the game that has, without fail, been hilarious. This feels tacked on, the music doesn't feel like it was chosen well, infact, the best radio station in terms of fitting the game is the Russian station, the name escapes me.
My problem with the story was simply that every single mission was surrounded in mediocre talking, and the missions repeated themselves with terrifying frequency, and were very, very bland. I know GTA missions have never been pushing the height of imagination, but they have been very, very entertaining in the past. An example would be a mission from the Haitian woman from Vice City, who has you bomb people and boats with a remote control plane. Or the RC helicopter for moving the bombs into the building on the first island.
The replay value for me is a really iffy subject. I know, in the future, I will probably pick the game up again, but for the next few months, I probably won't play it much, if at all. I know 1 was harsh, but it isn't going to be making repeat appearances in my 360 for the next few months at least.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
I thought the controls were even somewhat clunky, introducing various elements at different times that use the same controls as previous actions. But you run into that problem when you have a game with so much to do. I played for some time and became bored, and haven't gone back in a couple weeks now. In fact, I went back to Half-Life 2 (a game I never finished) and finished that up. It will be some time before I pick GTA IV up again, I just found it fairly boring.
--- So tell me what does freedom mean
If I'm not free to be as twisted as I want to be
I forced myself into completing it last night. Stuffed it back in the box, now, so I can do something else.
The controls weren't as annoying as say, Mass Effect controls, but you're right, they weren't as seemless as some games, and especially not as smooth as the previous GTA games.
--- Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
Comments
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
I'm just arsing about at the moment, Dwayne hooks me up with a couple of extra thugs when I need it now, which is cool.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
I've got the third island open, and some black guys following me around.. I think Dwayne likes me >.>
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Eh, he lets me call for backup. He can be a dirty rapist if he helps me be a murderous Eastern European.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
Also, driving cars off realllllly tall buildings, then aiming them into the ground, bonnet first, is lulzy as hell.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
God I wish I was cool enough to be a Rasta.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Not sure I can pull it off though..
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ʊchalkley3
I go where I please, and I please where I go
Prince Phillp to a Nigerian diplomat in traditional Nigerian garb: "You look as if you’re ready for bed."
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
The attraction of GTA, for me anyway, has always been the sandbox aspect, I couldn't give a hoot about some mute (Obviously not in this case) white or black guy. Rockstar haven't done much to help the main character, either. I've been told that Niko is supposed to be more appealing to the player, and to start with, he was. He didn't come across as a complete murderous douche. At the stage of the game I'm at now, though, he's not batting an eyelid when he's told to kill people, or steal drugs, etcetc. It contrasts horribly with the shouting of "Sorry" when he runs someone over, because I'm sat there thinking "The fuck? You didn't care about thirty seconds ago when I was mowing down cops, but some pedestrian and you're suddenly sorry?", it contradicts itself at every turn, it seems, and that really annoys me. I could, quite honestly, do without the 'apologetic' nature of Niko. Hell, I could do without him talking, too.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤShadow
Won The Internet
If your fighting with power drills, and your not having fun, then your not doing it right.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
The mission progression feels a hell of a lot smoother in this one than before, though, because of the mobile phone. I do find myself asking where the new people got my number from, though.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤShadow
Won The Internet
If your fighting with power drills, and your not having fun, then your not doing it right.
ɤHoobatsch
Aggro Monkey
IV to me, feels a lot more real worldy then three, or vice city. you have a mobile phone you call your mates from. you hang out down the pool hall with them. bla bla.
I agree with the reviewers that its innovative, and has neat-o features, that make it alot more like a life in a game, rather than a game, in your life.
I guess it just depends on what youre looking for in a game. And what youve already seen so far.
Heresy grows from idleness.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
However, I've not seen anything really innovative. The minigames are re-treads of the San-Andreas minigames, toned down (Presumably so you don't have to spend every other day going to the Gym so you don't lose the ability to run for more than three steps or something).
I think the most 'neat-o' feature for me is rewards for doing activities with friends, like Little Jacob being a mobile arms dealer for example, but that's about it for me.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤHoobatsch
Aggro Monkey
Heresy grows from idleness.
ɤArchaicStigma
Won The Internet
-AS
Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
As for killing pigeons? Yeah, I killed a few, but hey. Packages were better.
When it comes to the decisions having consequences, I've made quite a few choices in the game that're supposed to have consequences (EG, the first guy you kill (killed him), The Dwayne/Playboy X thing, killed Playboy X, and there hasn't been any significant consequence for that, except that I now have two safe houses on that island, which are basically useless. It doesn't seem to have changed the missions at all, and it certainly hasn't affected my reputation with any of the in-game friends, they're all 80% or higher, and that seems be the main arena for getting 'rewards' (Little Jacob dealing arms, Dwayne giving backup etc) rather than anything else.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤArchaicStigma
Won The Internet
-AS
Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
GTA IV is mediocre, it doesn't do anything new, except try to be realistic, which for me, ruins the GTA feel.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤArchaicStigma
Won The Internet
-AS
Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
However, if you'd rather compare other games in the genre (Though, I think you'd be best saying current generation genre if you only want to include Saints Row, because there are eight (That I can instantly think of) other GTA games that are in the same genre), then Saints Row is better. The activities don't feel so forced in (Although, the comedy club is brilliant, especially Ricky Gervais), being able to rob the shops is a welcome feature, and a fun little minigame, unlike the GTA "target them until they give you money" system. The driving is easier, which makes it more of a 'pick up and play' game than IV, which has more of a learning curve for the driving than any previous GTA game, infact, I'd venture a guess that it comes closer to some of the Driving Simulator learning curves than what you'd expect from a GTA game.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ɤArchaicStigma
Won The Internet
-AS
Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
They started doing the whole shooting shit type packages in Vice City Stories, when you had to shoot 99 red balloons. Comedy.
Also, Vice City was the shit for packages, mainly because we found them all.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
And yeah, damn that was a harsh weekend.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
¤Davidus
I ATED TEH ROFLECOPTER. NOM NOM.
An indifferent member of Team Fagballs since Winter 2007.
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
Bitches didn't know 'bout our Hunter with radio.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ʊdxd
is a level 50 Demon
Such a beautiful lie.
ɤArchaicStigma
Won The Internet
-AS
Moar - The provided level of material relevant to my interests is insufficient to meet my personal required needs
1418-7083-1244 Mario Kart Wii
ɤsausageson
Hears The Tetris Theme During Nightmares
Melt Bitch!...Melt like diarrhea in the hot sun!
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
With previous GTA games the radio has been a real addition to the game that has, without fail, been hilarious. This feels tacked on, the music doesn't feel like it was chosen well, infact, the best radio station in terms of fitting the game is the Russian station, the name escapes me.
My problem with the story was simply that every single mission was surrounded in mediocre talking, and the missions repeated themselves with terrifying frequency, and were very, very bland. I know GTA missions have never been pushing the height of imagination, but they have been very, very entertaining in the past. An example would be a mission from the Haitian woman from Vice City, who has you bomb people and boats with a remote control plane. Or the RC helicopter for moving the bombs into the building on the first island.
The replay value for me is a really iffy subject. I know, in the future, I will probably pick the game up again, but for the next few months, I probably won't play it much, if at all. I know 1 was harsh, but it isn't going to be making repeat appearances in my 360 for the next few months at least.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.
ʊCassed
Headshot Hero
So tell me what does freedom mean
If I'm not free to be as twisted as I want to be
ӝNirach
A malibu and coke for you, a G&T for me
The controls weren't as annoying as say, Mass Effect controls, but you're right, they weren't as seemless as some games, and especially not as smooth as the previous GTA games.
Keep your eyes peeled for the average gamers.
Nothing's broken, it's just functioning differently.