Overall: Hype can sometimes be a tough thing. In the world of video games, there is no other franchise that is more hyped than the Grand Theft Auto games. To be fair, however, Rockstar usually delivers when it releases a GTA game. I haven't been as big a fan of the other GTA games as many other people have, but I still find them fun and definately worth playing. The hype surrounding this game was beyond crazy. And then after many, many major publications/websites gave the game perfect scores.....well, yea my expectations were through the roof. Unfortunately, the game didn't live up to that '10' score that many reviewers gave it. But like the other games in the series, it's still fun and definately worth playing. Gameplay: If you have played any of the past three Grand Theft Auto games, then you will know what you are in for when it comes to gameplay. The storyline is actually pretty good this time around, well at least for the first part of the game. After several hours into the story, you are basically running around doing errands and being a 'hitman' of sorts for all kinds of underworld crime bosses. The Irish, Blacks, Hispanics, Italians, and even your fellow Russians have people for you to go @!%#*!@!%#*!inate or other tasks that are very similar to what you have been doing in the last three GTA games.
That's not to say the game is not fun, because it is. It has that same addictive nature as the last few games. The problem I have with it is that it gets VERY repetitive & apparently Rockstar really couldn't come up with much else to do all these years. Sure it's fun to go play darts, shoot pool, bowl, go out on a date, etc. You can even watch TV for as long as you want while sitting in your apt./safehouse. It's those little touches are what makes GTA 4 get a score above an '8', in my book.
As I was saying, however, there isn't much to do in the way of missions except for running around killing everyone you are told to kill by whomever is paying you to do so. Some of the missions are quite aggravating due to the horrible 'aiming while driving', shooting sequences. But other than that, it's mostly just meeting with your 'boss', then driving to destination on mini-map, and killing the little red dot. Then you get paid. That's pretty much the bulk of the game. Now the beginning and the end are actually pretty cool and give the story it's meat.
The game is very fun, but this series needed more of an overhaul. This just feels like Rockstar perfecting everything about the last three games (including the new aiming controls, which are WAY better) and adding in some new little things, like I mentioned before. Sure it's fun to get a call from one of your 'friends' (another new feature), pick him up and head out to a strip club to get a lap dance.......but it gets old after a couple times and really doesn't add THAT much to the game.
If you did like the last three GTA games, you will probably like this one. And you will might even like it more than the last ones, but it's not a revolutionary game or anything close. Graphics: One thing that really bugged me about the last couple GTA game were the visuals. It was clearly an aging graphic engine, and thankfully Rockstar really did a good job with the visuals in GTA 4. Some of the characters do look and animate a bit goofy and there are a lot of things in the enviroment that look 'last-gen', but the game looks great as a whole. The city is absolutely huge and looks outstanding at certain times of the night. You will get nice touches like thunderstorms and rain, which both look great.
I should mention that I did run into some pop-up and draw-in at times and it happened right next to my character a couple times. That shouldn't be happening on a system like the Xbox 360 & this far into the system's lifecycle, but it wasn't anything that ruined the game for me. Sound: This is going to be shocking to type, but I am actually somewhat disappointed by the audio in this game. The voice acting is all very good and actually hilarious in some cases. It really saves the audio score for me. I was very disappointed in the selection of music here, though. I remember driving around in GTA 3, listening to the soundtrack to the movie 'Scarface'. Or doing a drive-by shooting in Vice City while laughing with some Phil Collins on the radio. I didn't really have any of those moments here in this game. I did find it hilarious when the song that the serial killer from 'Silence Of The Lambs' listens to in that creepy scene (if you know what I am talking about, yea it's creepy as hell) popped on the radio in GTA 4. The song is also in a hilarious scene in 'Clerks 2' invoving Jay & Silent Bob, for you movie-buffs out there. Suggestions: What I would like from the next game in this series is something completely different. I don't want to spend another 30-40 hrs. driving around a huge city being a errand boy for every gang in the city. Each game in this series has to live up to a crazy amount of hype, and it's not like this game is not fun or worth owning. I am very glad I purchased this and it will probably keep me busy for quite some time. But I can only play this for a couple hours and then I get bored. It's because the gameplay is repetitive and the story takes a backseat to that repetitive gameplay after the first part of the game. That's a shame because I really liked the story towards the start of the game.
If you are looking for a really kick-@ss version of the last three games in the series and fancier visuals, then this is your game. If you didn't really like the other GTA games, then I wouldn't bother with this one either. Either way, I would give it a rent and find out for yourself.
Overall: One of the Best Games of 2008 and great addition to the Grand Theft Line up. Especially if you have been a long time GTA Fan this won't let you down. There have been many additions to the game to give many hours of gameplay. Whether it be driving through the streets of Liberty City, taking a Helicopter Tour, maybe relaxing for a comedy show or spend some $$ in a Strip Joint.
There's enough in the Main Story and Side Missions along w. Activities to make sure this is a Title that doesn't leave the disc tray for awhile. Even for someone that's not been a fan of the series can have fun w. the diversity of Gameplay. Take you time on the Main Story or meet up w/ some friends and play one of the many Multi-player Modes on Live. Gameplay: Well as Niko you will find yourself shacking up w/ your cousin Roman who you thought was making it BIG in Liberty City. Soon enough you learn just how much of a Hot Shot he's not. Alot of the gameplay is what you've become used to with GTA IV but with additions like the auto-aim system being able to Zero in on your enemy and know how much health they have at the same time is nice.
Getting into missions you'll find yourself being able to take cover behind things and use blindfire on your enemies. Now Driving in GTA IV is another story in itself as they've made driving a little more realistic. You can't hang a corner in a SUV as you would a sports car, but don't take my word for it give it a go. Also you'll have respect Levels for people you meet that you'll want to keep up as they will unlock specials that your friends can @!%#*!ist with in your terror of Liberty City, Weapons,Backup or maybe give you a lift in a Helicopter.
There's places located all over Liberty City to have fun and enjoy yourself of maybe splurge on some new threads. Take a date out for some Dinner or maybe shooting a game of pool or possibly bowling may be up yoru alley. Sit back and enjoy a nice comedy act or a drink at one of the local bars. The choice and option is up to you Graphics: The graphics are great and what's to be expected in the GTA Series. There are some things that stand out like if you shoot out a tire you ride on the rim and sparks fly like a real vehicle. Looking around the city at the Buildings and Waterways w/ boats and barges floating w. a haze off in the distance.
I enjoyed stealing a car and actually watching Niko hotwire the ride and not just jump in and go. Like you would have to do in real life...and we won't go there in relation to drinking. Give it a try for a real treat. Sound: the fade of a radio as you exit a car, the shattering of gl@!%#*! if you hit the backend of a vehicle are just an example of things you'll hear. Above and beyond conversations between people on the street you p@!%#*!, the vendor on the street advertising his specials it all just draws you into GTA IV and Liberty city making you feel like you are right there as Niko.
Overall: Grand Theft Auto IV may be the biggest game of the year. It follows up on the old games of the series and completely revolutionizes how the game is played. The GTA series has just kept building up on its' previous titles and making the game better every time. Looking at the stock figures of Take-Two Interactive show just how many people are buying this game. You will not be dissapointed by this new installment in the GTA series. Gameplay: The gameplay has changed in such a good way that you would need to play the game to fully understand how good this game is. The new auto-aim system lets you easily lock onto targets and manually move the reticule over anywhere on the target's body. You can take out an enemy with a one-shot headshot or slow the person down by shooting their legs, take out the person's gun with a shot to the arm, or whatever else you would want to shoot. The cover system allows you to snap to the nearest piece of cover and blindfire, aim and shoot, or just hide from the enemy. Graphics: The new graphics engine in this game is worlds apart from any previous GTA game. Liberty City is extremely lifelike in the way that you can interact with civilians on the streets and the damage taken by cars is very realistic. The graphics may not be the best in that the smallest details are not there, I would be safe to say that Call of Duty 4 has better overall graphics. Rockstar has done a great job with the new graphics and has taken the GTA series to new heights.
Overall: The newest addition to the best game series EVER, doesn't disapoint me. Without a dought its the best game of the year already. Rockstar has completely outdone themselves AGAIN. I simply can't stop playing it, and with the new online modes I don't think I'll stop anytime soon. Its been a long wait but I feel that i got my 90 dollars worth of fun. So for anyone thinking about getting this game, I'll be the first to say stop thinking and get it. You will not be disapointed.
Overall: Grand Theft Auto means different things to different people. It really does a great job of combining the most popular forms of gaming into one, huge package. Grand Theft Auto IV has expounded on that formula in a way that makes the game feel somewhat familiar but still fresh enough to be worth the play through and then some. All in all, GTA IV has done what some didn't think it could: It is the game that Rockstar swore was worth the wait. Gameplay: The gameplay of GTA has to be broken down into it's component parts. The two core gameplay elements are Single Player and Multiplayer. Each version has several of the same gameplay elements in common.
Single Player
The single player mode in GTA brings back the familiar gameplay that fans of the series will remember fondly. The different modes include driving, stealth/tactical movement, action/plaftorming, and adventure gaming. I'm going to call it adventure because of the story... It could almost be Role Playing, but I'm not willing to call it that just yet.
In single player, the controls are quite good; rarely did I feel like movement was an issue that I didn't put myself into (cars getting wedged in the environment is my fault). The camera took a bit to get used to but that was because I haven't played this angle in a while. Once I got used to it, it was almost second nature. The controls for using weapons were likewise easy to get used to. Switching from fists to a shotgun with an enemy in your face is as easy as tappin' the control pad.
Driving the vehicles in the game were basically just the way I remember my recenty jaunt in the GTA Universe, San Andreas. The vehicles do control differently. Try to make a turn with the SUV at the same speed as the sports car and see if you don't end up rolling it... There were a ton of different options in the vehicle arena as well... My current favorite is the chopper (motorcycle not helo) although plowin' into someone with a dumptruck was a blast!
The story is what this game thrives on. It is involving and gives you something to think about with each character. I have heard that late in the game that this character development/attachment is not as strong as early in the game and that may be so. However, at this stage in the game, I see nothing wrong with the way it is running.
Combat is pretty straight forward... Punch, Kick, combo, Defend. That's about it, but it works pretty well. Once you get the hang of it, anyway. It does take awhile and alot of times you may find yourself whippin' out a gun to deal with an @!%#*! whippin' you're receiving. And to me, that's an okay answer too...
All in all, Single Player rocks...
Multiplayer
Multiplayer in this game is not, I REPEAT, NOT CALL OF DUTY 4. That being said, it's a great experience. I think that multiplayer will calm down once people stop trying to play it like CoD4. Play it like you play the game, folks, and you'll have a blast. It is wide open and completely exciting. With the exception of the Adventure/Story trappings, all the things I said about the single player apply to the multiplayer.
Play it, and give it a chance... Graphics: Visually this game is not the hottest piece of @!%#*! on the block. However it is the most exposive piece of art in the GTA series. The detail on everything is incredible. There are some shared textures and a little pop-in from time to time, but by and large, this is still one of the slickest looking games on any system.
One of the things I was really impressed by was just driving down the road. Especially at full speed. Everything looks so great that I believe they really tried to immerse you in everything you did. Excellent graphics. Sound: The audio has always been a strong point of the GTA series and this game is no slouch. While I have a hard time finding a music station that I can stay with, the talk radio sections are great. I also love the voice acting in this game. I hated the character Vlad, but I loved the voice acting for him.
Rarely have I thought that the voice acting in a game was on par with anything nearing movie quality but this one definitely is. I have nothing but gushing things to say about the audio in this game... Suggestions: What can I say... I think this is hands down the best game of the year. PERIOD.
Overall: Rockstar has done it again, in releasing Grand Theft Auto IV. With all the traditional GTA concepts in place, this game offers a fresh new experience. Pretty much everything about this game makes you want more. Rockstar definitely made a GTA with IV that every serious gamer needs on their shelf. From the cinema-like cutscenes, the endless driving and exploring, to picking up that prostitute and heading to a back alley, it's all great. There character development is great and the plot falls together smoothly. This is a must have for anyone, even if you didn't like the previous GTA games, this one is very different. Gameplay: GTA offers familiar gameplay to previous games. Of course, there is the driving, this is where some of the most fun in the game is had. It never gets dull when you hop in any vehicle on the road via jacking it from whoever owns it and just driving; driving over pedestrians, driving over hookers, driving over cops. Of course, as many will know, you would build up your wanted level, which is where the serious fun starts. Trying to escape dozens of cop cars after you and helicopters and more is always fun. Besides the driving to cause some chaos, you can get into fights. Personally, I feel as if the fist fights isn't a strong point in the game, they take a bit to get used too but once you do, it can be fun. However, what I like more is pulling out a weapon of choice and just opening fire on someone. The shooting is familiar to the other GTA games, with the typical targeting which locks onto someone. The shootouts in this game are a lot of fun, I think, and there's nothing better then wasting some drug dealers in the middle of their dealings. Of course, Rockstar has introduced the online gameplay in GTA IV. The online modes offers players hours and hours of extra fun into their GTA IV experience. Cops N Crooks for example puts a team of cops against a team of crooks in two variations of the game mode, All for One which the cops need to kill the Crooks boss before he reaches the extraction point or the One for All option in which the cops need to kill all of the Crooks. The Mafiya gametypes are good too in which you need to follow instructions and complete their objectives before others do. Then of course you have your typical deathmatch and race modes. Turf War is a familiar game mode, where you need to hold designated areas for a certain amount of time. Of course, for those of you who don't like to compete in game modes there is Free Mode, where the city is open and you can do whatever you want, with no objectives. Of course, if you don't want to go ahead with missions or other jobs, you can roam around the city and bowl, play darts, or shoot pool, they even have an arcade game throughout the city, called Qubed. If mini-games don't appeal to you, go to a strip club, I'm sure someone will enjoy that place. You can browse the net, watch TV, there is plenty to do in this game. GTA IV offers some of the best gameplay to date for this generation of consoles.
Graphics: The visuals in this game are great, I think. The scenery while your driving around Liberty City is absolutely phenomenal. There is a lot of detail that went into the design of the city and I think that can be easily seen. The character models in this game are good too, and better than they had previously been for a GTA game. Many cutscenes in this game are great, cinema like even. The opening scene in the game feels much like the opening of a movie, and as the game progresses it still feels that way. The graphics for GTA IV really set the stage for the depth that this game has to offer.
Sound: Audio in GTA IV is great. The voice acting is some of the best voice acting I've seen in a game for a while now, in my opinion, there is nothing bad about it. The sound fits right in with the stellar visuals. The sounds while your driving of vehicles, sounds of the city, and voices of people in the streets. I think it all blends together nicely with the other games features to make this a great experience. The sounds of people screaming as you run them down with your vehicle will never be dull. Of course the radio while driving is still in place. While there are some good stations, there are a few I find to be rather annoying, but maybe that is just me. I happen to like the talk show bits on the radio, definitely funny stuff.
Suggestions: Suggestions.. There are of course a few flaws within the game, but nothing serious that really takes away from the experience of playing through it. One thing I would suggest is work on the fighting. I mean, sure it's alright and all but it's nothing fantastic and could be a lot better. It does indeed take some getting used too but it should be more, fluent.
Other than the combat, I would say don't change much else about the game. Rockstar, you've released a great title in IV and you should keep on the track that your moving in with these games.
Made in Canada