Grand Theft Auto IV – PlayStation 3

Just when you think you have Rockstar Games and their legendary Grand Theft Auto series figured out, they pitch you one heck of a curve. Speaking as a guy who spent so much time running amok in Vice City and San Andreas that I practically had to file tax returns there, I have been consistently surprised by the depth of play in GTA IV. Yes, it’s true that the character modeling and some of the action moves are a little choppy, but most of the game looks great. Far more interesting, however, is the fact that this is not a video game per se – it borders on an interactive movie. The crime and violence in fuzzy-lit, pastel colored Vice City is practically cartoonish compared to the gritty reality of life in Liberty City in GTA IV. You’re not just a thug with a bat trying to decide which car to lift, you’re an immigrant with plenty of emotional baggage, forced into a series of moral quandries the outcomes of which carry implications throughout the entire game. Things you do even turn up later on the in-game radio stations!

Every generation of game console, some game is proclaimed the next coming, be it of graphics, or gameplay, or some other measurable category. GTA IV is different. You can wallow in the muck of street violence and prostitution as always, but there’s a deeper moral play going on that feels unlike anything else I’ve encountered not only in GTA, but in video games in general. Rockstar Games may have finally located that most ephemeral of experiences – one equal parts game and cinema, without belonging entirely to either. It’s going to be interesting to see how many critics and politicians seize on only the overt, adult content, without grasping how far more creative and artistic this “game” is than your average deadening FPS or racing game. Rockstar Games is to be commended for what truly deserves to be called “genius.”

Usually, when they make a highly anticipated sequel to a much-loved video game franchise, the list of available activities goes up. It seems to me that with GTA IV, that list actually went down. Anyone agree?
I waited anxiously for GTA IV just like many other gamers. I have only been playing it for a few days, and I am already 50% of the way through. After playing GTA: San Andreas for a few days, I was thrilled to discover that I was only about 20% of the way through and still had not revealed the entire map! More detail at the sake of less space to explore = “Looks great. Sure wish it was bigger.”
One of the most exciting moments in my video gaming history was discovering that you could finally steal the airplanes in GTA: San Andreas! One of the most disappointing moments in my video gaming history was discovering that they had eliminated this from GTA IV! What a perfect opportunity to make the flight ceiling higher and the destinations more interesting! Sorry, turns out it’s back down to one smallish city. Plus, realizing that you could jump of of planes and sky-dive was freakin’ sweet! Not happening this time around.
The controls for the various vehicles seem to have become more difficult. (More realistic?) I preferred being able to grab the handbrake and execute crisp turns and 180’s to the new “touch the handbrake and spin out” scheme that exists now. And the motorcycles? It seems they’ve switched the reasonably grippy tires they normally used with tractionless rings of plastic.
And where have the fire-truck and ambulance missions gone? What about the ability to swim under water? Why haven’t I been able to carry around a samurai sword or a chainsaw? Where is the flame-thrower? And what a great location the new Liberty City would have been for a jet-pack!
GTA IV seems to be a lot of “been there, done that” with very little new to keep the legions of fans happy. It will sell a billion copies because of the name it carries, but overall, this game is a disappointment.

This game has hard core fans with disparate expectations. There are a myriad of rave reviews on this game. I thought I’d write one for those who are finding GTA4 to be…so-so?

I’ve read the positive reviews–it’s a GTA for grown ups (weren’t they all?), it’s darker better, grittier (based on your character’s facial hair I assume), it’s more REALISTIC.

Ok. stop right there. Sorry but I don’t want realism. I don’t want to drive clunky cars that can’t take a 90 degree turn at 30 mph without plowing through a storefront. I don’t want to call up friends when I’d rather be doing something else just so I can keep the relationship (and the perks they offer) going. I don’t want a GTA version of the virtual Secondlife or SIMS. I want to jetpack around in my tightie whities and a mohawk, 200 lbs overweight, listening to Conway Twitty. Now you’re talking about fun.

Seriously, fun has been the ultimate of the GTA’s until now. Niko Belak is NO FUN, he’d tell you personally. Previous GTA’s all offered that thrill of exhilaration. I’m just not getting that here.

Pluses
*Taking cabs–much better than cross country treks that go awry when you make a wrong turn and crash into the ocean.
*Having a lawyer for a girlfriend–good idea
*Evading the cops by stealth rather than bribes
*Very cool graphics with smooth transitions
*Best bank robbery mission ever
*Good weapons/aiming control

Minuses
*Repetitive missions (shoot em up, run away from the cops)
*A little too easy. In all the other GTA’s I’ve gotten stuck somewhere, simply b/c I’m not the best hand-eye coordinator. Nothing in GTA4 stymied me for more than 2 repeat tries.
*Lack of customization
*Lack of skill improvement (i.e. cars, shooting, bikes, endurance, etc)
*Lack of haircuts and accessories(Hey, I’m a chick, what do you want?)
*Drastic changes in driving controls
*Uninteresting NPC’s/stories/dialogue
*Lack of ‘stuff’ to find in nooks and crannies
*Second-shelf music selection
*Inability to buy businesses

In sum, I just shelved this game at about 80% completion for another one I got for . That is the most demonstrative comment I can offer. Previous GTA’s were my heroin–this one’s more like methadone. Save your and wait 6 months–the market will be glutted w/ extra copies.