GTA IV reviews [Spoilers obviously]

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CP'ed this from another forum..


OXM UK - "Utterly stunning in every respect" - 10/10

Awarded 10/10 - Surprise surprise!

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Full HD - Official Xbox Magazine!

REVIEW -

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French PSM3 magazine - "Best game ever made" - 20/20

A french magazine published a new review of GTA IV. These are the new information :

The immensity of the city is almost frightening

The graphics are very cared for whatever subject or detail. Everything shines, everything is beautiful!

Walking in San Andreas with no aim in the streets was sometimes boring. The beauty of Liberty City and its animation make walking a real pleasure

It's Roman that motivate Niko to start missions by always reminding him the big plans of the family Bellic.

You can make work joy girls.

Weapons stores will be in Liberty City

You'll be able to take the subway to travel LC

During the missions, Niko could put to good use his abilities to climb and infiltrate quietly.

In a mission, Niko and his friends had to steal the trunk of a bank using explosives. This was followed by a race with the SWAT, helicopters, and Niko had to take refuge in the Underground subway to gain $250000.

In the clothing stores, you choose your clothes and you try them directly.

The Pay N Spray is not being used to evade the cops, just to paint your car.

The only bugs noticed by the journalists are the problem of sight, and the heavy motions of the character.

Review score 20/20

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French gaming magazine PSM3 is the latest in an ever-growing list of media outlets that has been invited to review GTA4. The key points from their article are below - be aware that there is a possible spoiler so you may want to be careful when reading these.

- The use of L2 & R2 for braking and accelerating is confirmed.
- The game supposedly "looks great at 1080p".
- You can use the underground metro/subway system to get around the city.
- A weapon shop has been confirmed to be in the game.
- Packie is Irish.
- *Possible Spoiler*: One mission involves robbing a bank. Police and SWAT teams are after you after the heist and you must escape through the underground metro system.
- When you purchase clothes, you click on the item and you try it out straight away; there are none of the unbearable loading times from San Andreas.
- Pay 'n' Spray's are confirmed but only to change your car paint. They won't affect your star rating.
- There are some problems with the aiming system - Niko sometimes feels 'heavy' while moving and the A.I. can be dumb at times, but this is barely noticeable and fairly excusable considering the scale and the complexity of the environment around you.
- Best game ever made.

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Telegraph UK "So good it's criminal" -

Sam Leith takes an exclusive test-drive of this year's most hotly tipped video game, GTA IV.It is, I know, bad taxi etiquette to punch my elbow out and smash the offside window. The taxi-driver thinks so too. We screech to a halt in the middle of the traffic, and he gets out to give me a piece of his mind.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/graphics/hubpages/2008/gta/dlgtamain1.jpg (http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/Search.html?searchstring=grand+theft+auto+iv&searchtype=gameall&searchsource=0&P36=857ZQ3)Looking good: GTA IV (http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/Search.html?searchstring=grand+theft+auto+iv&searchtype=gameall&searchsource=0&P36=857ZQ3) has kept the franchise's slick gameplay in place, but it's environments are more gorgeous than everThe meter is still running, but I have a strong sense my journey is over, so I climb out too. As tempers fray, I'm just wondering whether to plant one on the driver's chin when I notice that, when I broke the window, I accidentally dropped something by his feet. He doesn't seem to have noticed, either.
"That's a grenade," says my companion.
"Oh," I say. "So it seems to -"
Then the screen blossoms into orange flame, the charred taxi-driver performs a dreamy ragdoll backflip out of the frame, the taxi piles off up and to the right, my body is flung vertically into the air, and nearby pedestrians squawk in dismay at this unexpected and, like, totally catastrophic interruption to their morning schedule.


"I've never seen that happen before," says my companion.
"Tee hee," I say.
It's at approximately this point - sitting in a dimmed room in front of a flatscreen TV the size of a ping-pong table in the King's Road offices of Rockstar Games - that I decide Grant Theft Auto IV (http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/Search.html?searchstring=grand+theft+auto+iv&searchtype=gameall&searchsource=0&P36=857ZQ3) is going to be worth investing in. Rockstar must surely know it too, although they refused to be complacent. There's a big clock in reception counting the days, hours, minutes, seconds and microseconds to the game's launch on April 29. It shares the shelf with half a dozen BAFTAs - and it might as well be a hand grenade.
Whether you regard it - as do some campaigners - as the primary threat to the moral health of our teenagers, or - as I do - a virtuosically slick and entertaining piece of videogame design, there's no question that the release of GTA IV will be the gaming event of the year.
What a long way it has come. When the first Grand Theft Auto (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/hubpages/gta/dlgta1.xml) appeared just over ten years ago it was a top-down-view, two-dimensional game with fairly rudimentary graphics produced by a small Scottish designer. Now Rockstar - the company that designer morphed into - is one of the UK's most successful media companies, has its headquarters in New York, and will have the devoted attention of a scary number of the world's gaming fans in ten days' time.
What's so special about GTA? In the first place, it did something with the structure of videogames that had not really been seen before. There were so-called "sandbox" games, where players fiddled about open-endedly in a virtual environment, and there were linear, restrictive action games that ran more or less on rails - but GTA combined the two, and added a fatally attractive spicing of juvenile delinquency. You could pursue missions that involved stealing cars, gunning down mobsters or delivering packages. Or you could boost a car and simply zoom round the city dodging the police, causing multiple pile-ups and hosing down passers-by with a flamethrower.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/graphics/hubpages/2008/gta/dlgtamain2.jpgLiberty City noir: the look and feel of GTA IV is far grittier than its predecessors"In terms of someone successfully combining an action game and an exploratory world to hang out in and be entertained by," says Rockstar's senior creative honcho Dan Houser, "it was definitely the first game that did it successfully. The mission play was there and the non-mission play was there and you moved between the two very seamlessly."
That blazed the trail not only for scads of direct GTA rip-offs, but for the massively multiplayer online role-playing games that are similar in structure. It also changed things in other ways. It was set - unlike most games at the time - in a recognisable, albeit burlesqued, version of reality. It was puckishly and sometimes darkly funny. In early games, for example, you'd chance on a conga-line of Hare Krishna devotees: if you ran them all over in one go you'd get bonus points and the game would exclaim "Gouranga!" (Houser reports that real-life Hare Krishnas took this "pretty Buddhist, actually. They took it pretty karmically.")
Also, its protagonist, without apology or explanation, was a criminal: something that continues to cause the company no end of trouble. Despite there being no evidence that playing cops and robbers on screen is any more harmful to young minds than playing it in the garden, many outside the games industry believe it must be damaging and have been prepared to say so in and out of parliament and in and out of the courts.
A token of quite how sensitive Rockstar are about the topic is the fact that they make their own duplicate recording of the interview - something insisted on, ordinarily, only by the most pompous stars on the Hollywood A-list, extreme paranoiacs, and Cherie Booth QC. But you can't entirely blame them. At the centre of most of the major storms about videogame culture in recent years has been a Rockstar game. And very often, the row has involved substantial distortion, ignorance or hysteria.

For Houser - a likeable and articulate 34-year-old Oxford graduate who describes himself as "the least technical person in this room" - GTA is about storytelling, about creating a world, and about making "the games that we imagined playing when we were kids".
"We're not sitting there trying to provoke people," he says. "The whole thing boils down to the following thing that I believe is true, and if I'm being naïve please correct me. If we were making a movie or a TV show about the same themes and the same world… if it was good we would win Oscars and Emmys and Baftas and we would certainly never be criticised.
"[The idea] that you're participating in different ways is strange. I just don't think it holds water. Particularly when you're talking about the difference between videogame graphics and a photorealistic movie. Most of it's just Ludditism and people having a fear of things they don't understand. And education: you wouldn't buy your kid that movie, so why would you buy them that videogame? We are staunch supporters of the rating system and always have been.
"We see games as being an emergent artform," he says, "an emergent medium that will eventually supplant or challenge movies. A book tells you something. Love books. A movie shows you something. Love movies. And games let you do something. What we began to discover with GTA was that as well as letting you do something, work your way through a movie-style plot, say, they also let you just be somewhere - and you could just hang out in this digital world."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/graphics/hubpages/2008/gta/dlgtamain3.jpgI get around: players still have a multitude of vehicles to choose from
The powerful consoles on which this latest game makes its debut allow that world to be ever more involving. The bombastic and cartoony West Coast hip-hop heroics of the last game in the series, GTA: San Andreas (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/hubpages/gta/dlgta5.xml), have given way to a rainswept New York City ("Liberty City" in the game) with a pre-Giuliani feel to the streets. You won't be able to sport an afro, make a pimp-car dance, or steal a jetpack and pilot it into Area 51: this is a more scuffed and down-at-heel story. Its hero, Niko, is clad not in the basketball shirt of a gangsta but in the jeans and grimy down jacket of an Eastern European immigrant. He has left the old country under a cloud, and starts the game fresh off the boat, running off-the-books errands for his cousin Roman's taxi firm in Broker (Brooklyn). The story arcs, steadily, send him deeper into a serio-comic criminal underworld, and on a private revenge mission of his own.
GTA IV may retain the classic lines and and slick handling of its predecessors - you don't mess with a classic - but it has been given a respray, a thorough tune-up, and lurking beneath the bonnet is something altogether more powerful. It has been, as one of its characters might remark, pimped to the max.
"The big deal", says Houser, was "detail - our goal was to make a high-definition gaming experience and then figure out what that means tonally through the whole experience, so it's not just about graphics, it's about animation, physics, writing, storytelling, physics, characterisation…"
Geeks, then, will be excited that this is the first GTA episode run by Rockstar's proprietary "RAGE engine", in tandem with the Euphoria physics engine. Proper skeletal physics - developed by bio-engineering academics in Oxford - govern how you move, walk, and roll your shoulder when someone bumps into you on the street; and how you bounce to your death when you drop a grenade at your own feet. Dedicated players of the game will be more interested in how details of the gameplay differ: you don't lose all your guns and ammo when you die (a positive incentive to go out like Butch and Sundance rather than let the cops get the bracelets on you); saving is automatic; failed missions can be reacquired through a text message on your in-game mobile phone without having to traipse from one side of the city to another; dreary loading screens have disappeared. Also, the game now allows up to 16 players to play simultaneously in any one of 14 multi-player modes - a concession to the growth in massively multiplayer online games and networked consoles, though Houser says it's too early to talk about a massively multiplayer version of GTA.


For the non-geeky casual player, suffice to say that - with the possible exception of the somewhat fish-eyed faces in cut-scenes - it looks very, very cool indeed. As you cruise down the Hudson in a motorboat, the deep light of evening bounces perfectly across the waves, glints off buildings and mists the spray in your wake. Liberty City looks and feels like New York - right down to the "Statue of Happiness", as she's called, and the Brooklyn Bridge is rendered in the sort of loving detail that would bring a tear to Hart Crane's eye.

The research that goes into the games is considerable. "People with top-floor apartments," Houser says, "were on their roofs all night setting up time-lapse cameras, so we got each weather pattern. The light's different in New York than it is in Edinburgh. It's brighter, and when it rains it rains harder…" For GTA: San Andreas, Houser interviewed "lots of former gang members and current borderline gang members, and drug dealers - because they know that world in a way the police never do. We went out there seven or eight times, for probably a week at a time, in late 2003 and early 2004. We had proper Bloods and Crips doing voices in the game." For this installment he found himself hanging out at Russian dinner clubs in Brighton Beach, or touring dodgy neighbourhoods with cops wistfully recalling the "wild west" days of the 1990s crack epidemic.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/graphics/hubpages/2008/gta/dlgtamain4.jpgThe key to the game's success is that it's high Americana peddled by a gang of cynical Brits
That's what gives the game its satirical and immersive depth. All the banes of modern urban life are here. Some cars come with sat-nav and, indeed, the whole storyline interface is now managed through Niko's mobile phone (customisable ring-tone, natch). One of the innovative features of the original games was the in-car radio stations blasting rock, cheesy country and western, or parodic talk-show burbling at the player as he screeched round the virtual city. If you like a song, now, you can dial a number on your in-game mobile phone to find out what it is, and download it to your real-world iPod. If you blow up half a city block you can expect to hear about it on the in-game evening news or read it on the Times Square tickertape.
You can log in to dozens of spoof internet sites one at of the game's chain of "TW@" internet cafes. You can romance girlfriends. You can take male pals out drinking (being drunk renders the screen blurry and the controls all but hopeless - not a great advert for intoxication, as Houser is at pains to point out). Or, just like New York, you can stroll around people-watching. The city is inhabited by a cast of passers-by - from tramps to muggers to high-strung fashion PRs - interacting with each-other. And depending on where you are, they may be speaking Spanish, Russian or Mandarin.
In addition to these, your character can go to the theatre or sit down and watch television: there's two hours' worth in the game - all designed on the premise: "If you came to America as an immigrant, turned the telly on, what would you see? You'd see complete crap. People talking about money. People talking about selling you weapons. People talking about how rich they are. People playing cards on television."
Houser adds: "The perception that Americans don't have a sense of irony is based on people watching American TV rather than speaking to Americans, in my opinion ... If America was really like what you see on television, it would be like the game: everyone overexcited, and simplistic, and obsessed by money and almost psychotic with ambition and stuff. That's what the game world is, and always was - from 10 years ago."


At root, perhaps, the great success of GTA is that it's high Americana peddled by a gang of cynical Brits: written in New York, built in Scotland and enjoyed anywhere the combination of rocket launchers and stolen cars, or taxi-cabs and grenades, appeals. The same key people have remained with the team, and they keep - as fun-loving criminals should - a relatively low profile. "
We're trying to be somewhere between entertainment producers and artists in what we do, we're taking it very seriously and I think we've hopefully got the freedom to keep doing that," says Houser. "A lot of people are, like, 'but you should be justifying it'. Why? You don't justify what you do. Why should I have to justify what I do?
"I speak to you about the game because you seem into it, and I've got to do a little of that stuff, but I'm not into talking about myself being a celebrity or any of that rubbish because it ruins you as a person who wants to do stuff.
"Our sense is we make the games for the people that play them. We don't make them for the Daily Mail, or Keith Vaz or any of these other jokers, but for the people who play it and hopefully enjoy it."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/hubpages/2008/gta/dlgtamain1.xml&page=1

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Xbox World 360 - "as an experience it's truly unparalleled" - 98/100

The latest edition of British fanboy magazine Xbox World 360 arrived with subscribers today and presented them with another overwhelmingly positive GTA IV review."As a game, it certainly contains its fair share of flaws; yet as an experience it's truly unparalleled, impossibly ahead of its contemporaries in nearly every single department. For that reason we've decided to bestow our highest ever rating on GTA IV"The final rating which the magazine gives to the game which it describes as "quite possibly" the best game ever is 98 out of 100.

http://www.gtagaming.com/gtagaming/news/comments.php?i=1318


OXM US - "wonderful environment" - 9.5/10

Another review has just made itself known to my email inbox. Jack Rosberg sent along some (very small) images of a new review of GTA IV from the USA's Official Xbox Magazine.

They awarded the game 9.5 out of 10 for its "wonderful environment", "deep multiplayer" and for offering over 90 missions in single player. They say that multiplayer includes a 'Party Mode' where you're free to switch among gametypes with friends without having the game disconnect or split players up.

They say that you'll also be able to progress through eleven different ranks online and that it's possible to call the other team using the game cell phone during multiplayer. The only problem which the magazine feels the game has is that it has too many "filler missions" which don't develop the story at all.

http://www.gtagaming.com/gtagaming/news/comments.php?i=1314


German magazine Games Aktuell - "by far the best game ever created" - "We can't score it, 11/10"

The german magazine Games Aktuell has posted a pre-review for GTA4 before publishing the in-depth test for the game.

here are the scores they have given the game:

Graphics: 9/10

The gigantic size of the city makes you forget the few graphical imperfections of the game.

Sound: 10/10

Best GTA soundtrack ever, and probably the most compelling feature in the game.

Controls: 8/10

Far from perfect but a big step from previous GTA interations

Multi: 9/10

Great concept and innovative integration with the single player mode

Gameplay: 10/10

We can't score it 11/10...

Conclusion:

GTA4 is by far the best action game ever created.

http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=328532&st=0&#entry1057848690


Official PlayStation Magazine UK - "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it" - 10/10

GTA IV is richer, deeper and more involving than its predecessors. By the time the story threads start to tie up, the mission trees shake out, you're totally invested in the characters and their world. I'm actually jealous of everyone about to experience it for the first time. The greatest testament to GTA IV's brilliance is that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since putting the pad down.


Empire - "GTA IV is damn-near perfect" - 5/5

Let’s get straight to the point: GTA IV doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It sticks with the same mission-based structure as its predecessors, is crammed with challenges that inspire a nagging sense of déjà vu, and if you’re looking for a game that retools the freeform, sandbox adventure from the ground up, this isn’t it.

However, what GTA IV does do is polish every facet of the franchise to within an inch of its life – from the bustling streets and cinematic presentation, to the brutal gunplay and dizzying car chases – in turn creating the ultimate GTA, a game that will delight the hardcore and newbies alike, and a title virtually guaranteed to be 2008’s biggest videogame.

Ditching the series’ over-the-top badasses in favour of a realistic, downtrodden anti-hero, GTA IV adopts a more mature and less frivolous approach to its murderous plot, a move that will be welcomed by fans who’ll see how the series is growing with them. But while this restrained take allows for a grittier, more believable atmosphere, it’s the little things that make GTA IV an unfettered joy.

From the new GPS that uses coloured lines to guide you through the busy streets – allowing players to focus on the action with the GPS in their peripheral vision, rather than constantly taking your eye off the road to squint at the tiny map – to the stripped-down displays that remove clutter from the screen, GTA IV feels friendlier and more accomplished than its predecessors. Moreover, while the developers introduced clumsy RPG elements in GTA: San Andreas that often brought the action crashing to a standstill, GTA IV’s more streamlined action means players can get straight down to business, gratification coming from seeing their character juggle relationships with key members of the criminal underworld, rather than buffing them out by pounding tedious gym machines for hours.

Other clever tweaks – including the ability to restart missions, rather than trailing across the map to resume challenges – remove the niggling frustrations that hampered previous editions, but where GTA IV really shines is in its combat: unlike the ham-fisted shooting of old, which relied as much on luck as skill, the gunplay is sharp and instinctive, allowing players to lock on targets, nudge the reticule to take head- or leg-shots, or even duck behind cover and engage in tense shootouts. And with improved controls that allow for stylish drive-by shootings, wielding weapons in this latest GTA is more rewarding than ever.

In terms of presentation, GTA IV is also spot on, thrusting players into a colossal city where the wrong side of town is squalid, threatening and has smacked-up hopheads aimlessly wandering the streets, areas in marked contrast to the rich residential districts where the stench of affluence hangs in the air. New ‘ragdoll physics’ – which allow the bodies of virtual humans to react like their floppy, real-world counterparts – also makes the game feel more earthy, and will be an endless source of amusement for sickos as they drive through crowds of bystanders to see their wobbly bodies bouncing off the hood of their ride.

A wealth of new music, cars that handle like real-life vehicles and new multiplayer duels also help make GTA IV the most engaging release so far this year. And while it would’ve been interesting to see the developers experimenting with a new approach to the carnage, as an evolution of the world’s best-loved gangster game, GTA IV is damn-near perfect.

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/default.asp

[carocat]

PSW - "A masterpiece from both a technical and storyline concept" - 10/10

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http://www.gta4.tv/forums/index.php?showtopic=786260


IGN - "Masterpiece" - 10/10

US, April 25, 2008 - Criminals are an ugly, cowardly lot more worthy of pity and disdain than admiration. This is what you'll learn playing through the single-player campaign in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV. The series cheered (and criticized) for glorifying violence has taken an unexpected turn: it's gone legit. Oh sure, you'll still blow up cop cars, run down innocent civilians, bang hookers, assist drug dealers and lowlifes and do many, many other bad deeds, but at a cost to main character Niko Bellic's very soul. GTA IV gives us characters and a world with a level of depth previously unseen in gaming and elevates its story from a mere shoot-em-up to an Oscar-caliber drama. Every facet of Rockstar's new masterpiece is worthy of applause. Without question, Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game since Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

You play as Niko Bellic, an Eastern European attempting to escape his past and the horrors of the Bosnian war. He arrives in Liberty City to experience the American dream, only to discover his cousin, Roman, may have fibbed a bit in his tales of success. Starting from nothing, Niko makes a living as a killer and enforcer, a bad-ass foreigner who appears to have no morals. The longer we stay with Niko, the more we see that there is a broken human being inside, one who would give anything to escape the person he once was.

Don't worry, GTA's famed over-the-top action and tongue-in-cheek humor are intact, but there is a new level of sophistication in the characters and the game world that raises the story above the norm. As Niko becomes mired in the death throes of American organized crime, he begins to become more self-aware. Niko's struggles with his ruthless nature never inhibit the gameplay, but instead enhance the emotional gravity of a brilliant storyline. The more absurd the action becomes, the greater we feel the very real pathos of Niko Bellic.

Much of the credit goes to the artists at Rockstar North who created as believable a city as possible. Liberty City is inspired by New York, but not beholden to it. While there are many parallels, Liberty exists in its own universe and rightfully so. Many open-world games have cities that feel as if they existed only from the moment you first turned on your console, but Liberty City looks lived in. It's an old city and each block has its own vibe and its own history.

Drive around Liberty City and you'll be able to identify each individual block. Though Liberty is filled with brownstones and a myriad of similar brick buildings, you can tell one from the other, just as you can in New York. Go to an affluent neighborhood and the street is likely to be newly paved, the pedestrians better dressed, the cops more plentiful. But head to Dukes or Bohan and you'll find streets nearly stripped of asphalt, homeless people wandering about aimlessly and criminals preying on the weak.

Niko is fresh off the boat.
Watch the people and you'll witness some amazing things. At one point, I saw a woman stopped at a light, looking in the rearview mirror right before she was rear-ended by a man ogling a girl on the street. The man got out of his car and went to the woman, checking to see if she was okay. This had nothing to do with Niko or a single action I took. These were the citizens of Liberty City going about their day. And it was just one moment in a day full of incidents.

Hang in one area of the city long enough and you'll see how traffic and pedestrian flow changes as the day progresses. When it rains, people bring out umbrellas or shield themselves with a newspaper and run for an awning. Cops chase petty thieves unaware that walking down the street is Niko Bellic, cold-blooded killer. There's a perfect balance of mumbling doomsayers to remind you that the reason this city never sleeps is because it's full of nut jobs. People go about their day, only altering course when Niko inserts himself into their lives with his crappy driving or excellent marksmanship.

Liberty City isn't as big as San Andreas, but is far denser. There's a lot to see and do and, like New York itself, very little wasted space. When you enter buildings, there are no load times -- you open the door and you're on your way up a flight of stairs to the roof. The only frustration is that there are literally thousands of buildings in the city, but most of them cannot be entered. With the exception of some clearly marked entertainment hot spots and mission-specific areas, there's nothing to indicate which buildings are open for business. So you might find yourself walking into a lot of doors trying to find which one will magically open. It's a little much to expect to have the interiors of every building rendered, but that doesn't make it any less bothersome that you can't go where you please.

The idea of a "living, breathing city" has always been somewhat of a joke in gaming. Every city in the past has felt artificial in some way. But Liberty City feels like a real place. And its history is built not only into the architecture and the people, but even in the music. There are more than 200 songs in GTA IV and many of them were recorded or remastered with specific references to Liberty City. You'll hear songs on the Classics station referencing the city, as if to suggest there's decades of history built into the culture. The soundtrack is an unbelievable blend of rock, pop, reggae, R&B and hip-hop. But more astounding is how well the songs and the DJs blend into the city itself.

You never have to be alone. A high-priced call girl is always at the ready.
It's this level of integration that makes Liberty City such a believable place. You won't just hear "America's Next Whore" advertised on the radio; you'll see posters when walking down the street and spot ads on the Internet. GTA IV takes aim at all of the modern forms of communication. Along with radio stations (a staple of the series) there are full programs and ads you can watch on TV and a fully browseable Interweb.

You could lose hours of your day surfing the 'net. That may mean sorting through junk mail, clicking on random links, using Love-Meet.com to find dates, or reading the news. There are multiple websites that cover news based on missions Niko's completed. You can read different takes on these events if you want to get an idea of how your actions are perceived in different political corners. You might never bother looking at all, but like so much of GTA IV, there are dozens of hours of content waiting to be either discovered or ignored.

"The idea of a 'living, breathing city' has always been somewhat of a joke in gaming. Every city in the past has felt artificial in some way. But Liberty City feels like a real place."
To make itself more modern -- as opposed to Vice City and San Andreas which were "of an era" -- the focal point of Niko's world is his cell phone. You'll receive calls and text messages from friends and business associates on your phone. This is the mission delivery system. You may launch into a mission just by answering a call, but more often you will be directed to meet at a specific location to initiate your next objective. Or you might just have a conversation that serves no purpose other than to deepen the characterization of Niko, his friends, or even his enemies. The good news is that, just like in real life, you can talk on the phone while driving your bus through a police blockade.

The explosions are wicked.
The phone is also used as an organizer to remind you of critical events (dates with slutty online girls) and can be customized with new ringtones and wallpapers. And just as in modern life, the phone can become a nuisance. Date Carmen and she will constantly be ringing your digits and sending texts checking in to make sure you aren't sleeping with some other girl. Yes, there are needy people even in Liberty City. You'll also get casual calls during missions. You can always ignore the ring or you can pick up. It's most likely a friend calling and asking to hang out. GTA is a clever game brimming with hundreds of thousands of lines of dialogue and Niko will almost certainly have a pun-laced response to turn down a pal if he's in the middle of a helicopter dogfight.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't give your potential friends the time of day. Throughout Niko's journey you'll have the opportunity to strengthen your bond with some of the people you meet. It's not necessary to take your Jamaican braddah Little Jacob out for a drink or game of pool when he calls, but doing so is to your benefit. If someone likes you enough, they'll give you access to their special ability. For Little Jacob, that means being able to call him day or night for discounted weapons. Packie, the angry Irish wannabe mobster gives you car bombs. Dwayne sends a pair of his homies to assist you on missions.

The benefits of taking friends out on the town go beyond these tangible attributes. Friends also provide commentary on life, the city, Niko, and the story. None of it is essential to completing the game, but all of it is fascinating. The dialogue in GTA IV is rich, funny, brilliant, insightful, and engaging. So many times your reward for beating a mission isn't a new weapon or an elaborate cinematic cut-scene -- it's just dialogue. That is often reward enough.

"There are cringe-worthy conversations, where you see Niko being sucked into the depravity of these peoples' lives to earn a few bucks or gain a long-sought revenge."
There are a number of places you can take your friends when you go out on the town and you should base your decision on what they might enjoy. There are mini-games for darts, pool, and bowling. But you can also check out the god-awful cabaret or watch one of several comedy sets by Ricky Gervais and Katt Williams. Perhaps the most challenging (but satisfying) activity is going drinking.

Your level of drunkenness is relative to the person you take out. Little Jacob and Dwayne aren't so bad, but take a sweet lass like Kate out and she'll have you (literally) falling over yourself. When drunk, it's difficult to walk and even more of a challenge to drive. You don't have to drive drunk (in fact, it might make you ill doing so as the camera sways as if you're out at sea), but it's fun to give it a try. Drunk friends tend to be more revealing as well. Kate will tell you what she really thinks of you with just a few drinks. If that doesn't weaken your self esteem, nothing will.

The only issue with making friends is that it's a distraction from the main story. For the first time in a GTA game, the story is actually a greater draw than city exploration. That's not to say driving around the city hunting for Easter Eggs isn't enjoyable, but the story is so compelling, you may find yourself singularly focused till its conclusion. The wild cast of characters is part of the reason things are so entertaining. The voice acting is top notch and the characters are each immediately identifiable and unique.

You don't need a posse to rule the streets. Just a bat and balls of steel.
Some are loveable, but there are many who are despicable. There are cringe-worthy conversations, where you see Niko being sucked into the depravity of these peoples' lives to earn a few bucks or gain a long-sought revenge. That's a credit to the writing, to make what would normally just be some thug you're doing missions for earn your contempt. That's a mark that you care for Niko; that the story has gotten to you. There aren't many games that can pull that off.

As an added twist, GTA IV gives you occasional morality choices. There are people that you don't have to kill in a mission and you can decide whether or not to waste a bullet. These events don't change the plot or open new missions later on. Occasionally it affects dialogue, but more often it is simply the game asking what kind of person you are. And there are some gut-wrenching decisions you make at points that create an emotional response I never imagined I would get from a Grand Theft Auto title. There is one significant choice you make towards the end of the game that opens a new path and an alternate ending. There are two worthwhile endings to uncover and are incentive for playing through a second time just to see how much more depressing life in Liberty City can get.

There are more than 90 story missions that will take anywhere from 25-45 hours to complete depending largely on your skill level. I was certain that the missions would get repetitive at some point, that sooner or later it would get redundant. It never does. Though many missions boil down to the same basic parameter -- go to location, kill people to get to target, chase target, kill target -- it never feels repetitive. The locations of missions, the variety in the enemies, the dynamic aspects of the AI, and the dialogue keep GTA IV from ever feeling stale. In fact, this is a game that can be enjoyed with multiple playthroughs. It's just that good.

The best mission comes close to the halfway point, when you and Packie McCreary decide to rob a bank. In what becomes the recurring theme for Niko Bellic, everything about the job goes wrong. The cops have the bank surrounded and there's no easy way out. Instead, you and the gang must battle through the streets and into the subway to escape. It's a lengthy, epic fight that I could replay a dozen times and still enjoy.

A great deal of that pleasure is due to the refined combat system. Though Grand Theft Auto has always been about action, it has never provided a great targeting system. That has finally, truly changed with GTA IV. Hold down the trigger and you can lock on to an enemy (or civilian). You'll see an indicator of their health. You can adjust your aim slightly with the thumbstick so that nudging up a little can help you earn some headshots. Partially depress the trigger and you have free aim, which is great for targeting tires or specific body parts. With skill, you can take down enemies faster in free mode. But auto aim is a great help in larger battles or for those who aren't as adept with a controller.

GTA IV plays out like a high-octane action flick. Michael Bay just got served.
Better is the cover system. Tap the right shoulder button and you'll take cover behind the nearest object. If you see it in the environment, you can probably take cover behind it. That includes walls, dumpsters and cars. You can aim while in cover and when you hold the trigger to fire, you'll pop and shoot. You can also blind fire rather effectively with any weapon -- including an RPG. The cover system is fairly smart, so if you want to move from one side of a door to the other, just push towards where you want to go and tap the cover button. This also works when you are fairly far from cover. Niko will roll or perform a slick slide to get to safety quickly. There is a stickiness to the cover system similar to Gears of War, but since the cover button isn't tied to your run button, you never accidentally enter cover.

While GTA doesn't have many issues, I will admit that the cover system is not perfect. There are times where you will take cover on the wrong side of a corner, leaving you exposed. These instances aren't too common, but over the course of dozens of hours, you'll certainly encounter them. You also un-stick from cover when you use your phone, which can sometimes make calling Dwayne for backup or Carmen for a health boost a little trickier than necessary.

"The best mission comes close to the halfway point, when you and Packie McCreary decide to rob a bank. In what becomes the recurring theme for Niko Bellic, everything about the job goes wrong. The cops have the bank surrounded and there's no easy way out."
Most games with a cover system make the mistake of turning cover into the central focus of gameplay. But cover in GTA IV is more of a natural progression needed to facilitate heightened AI. Enemies have a variety of AI protocols. Some are cowards (gotta love the fat cops running for the hills when you start killing the boys in blue), most try to avoid being shot by taking cover, and a few still stand in the open. If the AI is going to be able to hide behind cars and other parts of the environment, it's only fair that players have the same ability.

You don't have to use cover if you don't want to. I'm sure there is some way to beat missions just by running and gunning. After all, this is still GTA. There's no one right way to beat a mission. You're free to get creative. But ignoring the cover system is like never stealing a car. This is a major piece of the game. Use it often, because it works well and it's certain to keep you alive longer.

The cops aren't about to let Niko run through the city with guns blazing, even if he is capping bad guys. Sooner or later, you'll run afoul of the law. The wanted system has been revised and makes for more dynamic chase scenes. When you're wanted, your radar displays the police search parameter. The smaller the wanted level, the more local the search. Your goal is to get out of that circle and avoid being seen by the cops. Get spotted and the circle re-centers on your new location. This becomes more of a challenge when you reach three stars, because a police helicopter appears. This eye in the sky has an easier chance of spotting and following Niko -- and directing other cops to your location.

Unless you want to be O.J., you need to change directions, get out of the sight of choppers, switch cars or go on foot. Whatever you do, avoid line of sight, because once a cop sees you, you're location is reported and the search changes its focus. This makes escapes from four stars and higher incredibly intense. Pay 'n' Spray shops still exist, but must be entered when cops aren't looking. To be honest, I used this one time in 40 hours. It's an outdated idea in some ways and more a nod to GTA's of old than a great resource.

The new wanted system puts an emphasis on your driving and navigation skills. Fortunately, you can set a waypoint on the map in the pause menu and get an adaptive GPS-guided route. This same system is used to guide you through missions. There is never a point in GTA IV where you have to wonder where to go or what to do next.

"That a game with great AI, an awesome physics engine and a detailed open world, runs so well and with such short load times is a technical marvel."
I should mention that the driving has also seen an upgrade from past Grand Theft Autos. Rockstar's RAGE engine coupled with NaturalMotion's Euphoria engine creates a game world with some stunning physics. Each brand of car handles differently (you can actually see the suspension in action as you make sharp turns). What will really surprise people is that these physics work with characters while in cars. So Niko's weight shifts to one side as he makes a turn and his head snaps forward when he slams the brakes. There is also a full neurological system built into Niko so that his body knows how to react to other objects. At one point I drove an ambulance off a high stunt jump. The cinematic camera swung around to show Niko taking his hands off the wheel and covering his face before impact. contd..

[carocat]

IGN contd:


Is it suicide if you take someone with you?
You will see the effects of NaturalMotion throughout the game, whether it's how bodies react when you slam your car into them or the way a gangbanger leaps away from a grenade. The physics system is the connective tissue that grounds the action into something resembling reality. And it's one of the main factors that makes GTA such an impressive-looking game.

Past GTA titles have had mild-to-serious framerate issues and technical glitches, because the games were trying to do far more than the PlayStation 2 could handle. While GTA IV is pushing the PS3 and 360 to the limit, it also runs amazingly well. Sure, there are framerate hitches here and there and (particularly on 360) there is some texture pop-in, but it actually runs better than I expected. That a game with great AI, an awesome physics engine and a detailed open world runs so well and with such short load times is a technical marvel. For that, I can forgive framerate issues and some noticeable aliasing.

The world is yours online.
The art team gets major kudos for creating a living world. There is great texture work in the environments, a nice field-of-vision blur of buildings in the distance, some excellently modeled cars, ball-jarring explosions, phenomenal water effects and one interesting-looking Eastern Euro for a lead character. Sure, it's not a game that runs perfectly all the time, but the technical elements almost never get in the way of the gameplay.

For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3. The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in. The 360 has richer colors, but the PS3 has better anti-aliasing making it look a little cleaner. Because GTA IV can preload onto the PS3 hard drive, the in-game loads are faster. Don't worry Xbox owners, the load times are rarely more than 30 seconds and don't occur very often. The slight visual edge goes to PS3, but the 360 is no slouch. Either version will do you proud.

If you're wondering which version to buy, the best suggestion is to consider what your friends will purchase. That's because online multiplayer has made its way into GTA IV and it is awesome. And, like all great things, it's best played when drunk and with as many friends as possible.

Multiplayer is accessed via your phone from the single-player game. Everything is active in Liberty City online -- the cops, pedestrians, traffic, and weather. And yes, the entire city is open to you and 15 of your closest friends.

To keep you and your pals from getting separated, GTA IV offers a party system. The party lobby is actually set in the outskirts of Liberty City. You're given plenty of guns and some vehicles to mess around with. You can stay and fight or run around the city if you like while waiting for the host to set up a match. And boy, are there a lot of options to choose from.

A meeting of the online minds.
There are more than a dozen multiplayer modes if you count team and free-for-all variations. The bread-and-butter of multiplayer is Free Mode. This is a no-rules game that drops you into Liberty City with up to 15 other people to do as you please. You can invent your own custom games, waste time shooting one another or explore the city. As with almost all of the multiplayer modes, there are loads of options for the match. Turn on cops and each player will get their own individual wanted level. Set the time of day, weather, flow of traffic, weapons available -- there's very little you can't customize. Free Mode taps into the very core of GTA gameplay, which is to run around the city causing mayhem. Only now you can do it with 15 other like-minded individuals.

There are a number of other creative multiplayer offerings. The standard Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch can be interesting, since the cover system often slows the game a bit so it isn't as fast-paced as something like Quake. Unless, of course, you choose "all rockets" in which case death will become you many, many times. Mafiya Work has you and your competitors receiving phone errands from a mob boss. First to complete a mission scores some cash. Car Jack City has players vying to steal specially marked cars and return them in as pristine a condition as possible to a drop off point. Turf War is your standard capture-the-point. Or if you like vehicles you can try out GTA Race, which is like any other racing game except you can get out of your vehicle, jack your competitor's car and finish the race in any way you like -- or just blow up other people for the hell of it.

"Everything is active in Liberty City online -- the cops, pedestrians, traffic, and weather. And yes, the entire city is open to you and 15 of your closest friends."
And then there is Cops n' Crooks, the best of the objective-based multiplayer games. This has two teams, one side lawmen, the other hoodlums. The crooks are trying to get to a randomly selected extraction point and the cops are trying to arrest them with bullets. This mode forces teamwork, as both teams must strategize on the fly and rely on one another to assist in navigation. It's a fun, addictive mode that will likely be the most popular of the team offerings.

On top of the various competitive modes, there are also three co-op offerings. These three "modes" are missions similar to what you might experience in the single-player game. Niko doesn't exist in multiplayer, but you still get cut-scenes and some unique dialogue wrapped around some fun missions. Co-op supports up to four players and only has some minor variables. Your objective never changes nor do the locations. You can up the difficulty and add more traffic if you want a challenge, but none of the co-op missions struck me as anything worth playing more than a couple of times. It's nice to have, but probably won't be what gamers buzz about when discussing GTA multiplayer.

As with just about every game, there are both ranked and unranked matches. Ranked matches are the only way to progress up the ranking system (from 0-10). Progressing up the ranks not only makes you feel better about yourself, but it opens up new clothing and accessories to better customize your character. There's not a lot of pull to rank up, though, because many of the modes don't use your custom character. The co-op modes and Cops n' Crooks use a different cast, so if those tend to be your primary focus, having new outfits for a character you never see isn't going to mean much.

I won't go so far as to say that GTA IV is the best multiplayer out there, but it's definitely among the best. Having Liberty City in full effect and only seeing occasional instances of slowdown is a real treat. When a few million people load hop online, it's anyone's guess how the game will hold up, but from my experience, playing with 16 people in Free Mode only caused occasional hiccups. Certainly not enough to make me stop playing.

Closing Comments
Grand Theft Auto III was a revolutionary title, one that inspired a whole new generation of 3D action games. Grand Theft Auto IV is just as big a leap forward, though perhaps in subtler ways, and sets a new benchmark for open-world games. Everything in GTA IV works in harmony. The story would be nothing without the city; the city gains realism from the physics engine; the physics compliment the improved AI; the AI would make no sense without the new cover system. And on and on. There is no one major weak aspect.

A "10" is not a score we give out very often. In fact, the last time we gave a 10 to a console game was Soul Calibur in 1999. A 10 doesn't mean a game is perfect -- it means a game is pushing boundaries, expanding a genre, and doing many things to a level so far above and beyond its competitors that they overshadows any flaws. Certainly, GTA IV has some issues, the most noticeable being the occasional flaw in the cover system, but there are many more pieces of GTA IV that are better than anything I've seen from a game in the past decade. We don't give 10s often -- just to games that merit the score.


Another Take
from Chris Roper
It's not very often that a game comes along that turned out to be pretty much exactly what I expected, and yet also managed to wow me practically every second. Grand Theft Auto IV is a GTA game through and through, but its execution is so epic and fantastic that you can't help but be in awe at the fact that it has come together as well as it has. Rockstar North has really outdone itself and has issued proof that it is not only the founding father of open world games, but also the undisputed king of the genre.

GTA IV manages to break every negative stigma from past games in the franchise while keeping the series' core gameplay intact, albeit much more in-depth than ever before. The new aiming and cover mechanics, while not perfect, do a fantastic job of completely changing the way combat works while keeping it at least as intense as we'd seen in past titles. Mission progression is paced incredibly well, and side things like managing relationships directly impact your game.

Liberty City is simultaneously the most realistic and immersive location we've seen in a game like this. The amount of detail that you'll find here is astounding, not only visually but with regards to the things pedestrians and whatnot will do. Watching someone yank out a newspaper and hold it over their head while running for cover when it begins to rain is just one example of the personality and small touches of realism that you'll see everywhere.

But while the mechanics, side missions and other core gameplay elements are all fantastic, it's the story and overall presentation that elevates GTA IV to heights very rarely seen in gaming. Rockstar North has once again done an amazing job of walking the fine line between humor and seriousness with characters that you're immediately able to connect to. They're almost all bad people, to be sure, but each of them has character weaknesses and vulnerabilities that make them real. Characters have reasons for doing what they do, and it's apparent that they also have morals and inner demons as well. The cast plays perfectly into a fascinating story that is not only is easily the best of the franchise, but one of the best you'll find in gaming anytime soon.

I could go on and on about why Grand Theft Auto IV is one of the best games we've ever seen and why even folks who are easily offended should play it, but that would be pointless. The only thing you need to know is that you have to play this game. Period.

10 Presentation
The story is Oscar quality. The use of the phone as a gaming portal is genius. There's really nothing more that could be asked for from GTA IV.
10 Graphics
The level of detail is astounding. Liberty City feels alive and lived in. While there are some technical issues, the artistic merits push the score to the max. A true marvel.
10 Sound
The dialogue makes the story. Without the excellent writing and the stellar voice acting, the story would fail. And the soundtrack kills -- more than 200 songs and almost all are great choices.
10 Gameplay
The cover and targeting system work great. Blind firing with an RPG is a thing of beauty. Everything works in harmony and not a single one of the missions is bad. The most fun I've had in years.
10 Lasting Appeal
The story will take anywhere from 25-45 hours to complete, depending on your skill level and attention span. There's plenty more to do once you finish the story, such as excellent multiplayer.
10
Masterful OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/869/869381p1.html

[carocat]

Game Almighty - "Near limitless possibilities" - 9.7/10

Any gripes you’ll have should pale in comparison to the huge, nearly-limitless possibilities granted by the scope of this game. With IV, the series has redefined and raised the bar for sandbox gameplay – again.


The Good:
• There’s just so much to DO in Liberty City
• True open-world sandbox gameplay
• Euphoria-driven physics system
• Improved gunplay
• Gripping dialogue and voice acting.

The Evil:

• Some control quirks when on foot
• Occasionally over-sensitive camera
• Crazy amount of media hype that decrease plausibility of any excuse given for ditching work next week

Score: 9.7/10

http://www.gamealmighty.com/game-review/review/Grand_Theft_Auto_4_Review/


Game Revolver - "Must have" - 10/10

Intimidation. Aggrivation. Compensation and even masturbation. The makings of some of todays largest blockbuster movies (minus the ladder) are all found right inside Liberty City. Guns, sex, corruption and chaos all play a major role in the unveiling of one of the deepest story lines to ever hit this style of gaming. So, without further ado, we bring to you our review of Grand Theft Auto IV.

Gamers have always dreamed of being able to have an open world. One that lives and breathes along side you. Where actions you take can have adverse effects on your mission outcome or the way the world is portrayed. The Grand Theft Auto series has helped many gamers come closer to achieving that dream, sporting hundreds of characters free roaming the streets a’ la Grand Theft Auto III. The world of gaming has been revolutionized by this one, single title, and let me tell you, your world is about to change again, for better or worse.

The world of GTA IV revolves around Liberty City. This location has been the breeding grounds for several GTA titles in the past and after the San Andreas scandal, it is now making its triumphant return. Based closely on the real life New York City, you will identify with numerous landmarks strewn about in their respective homes. From the Brooklyn Bridge, to the Empire state building, even the Statue of Liberty finds its home in high definition glory. Of course, RockStar has put its own twist on each of these landmarks that only ’R*’ can. But more than the city itself is the world that inhabits it. The people of the city interact like never before, creating a unique experience every time. Physics have been tweaked, graphics have been upped and the bar has been raised. Lets take a look at the core of the game shall we?

Graphics:

This is by far the best looking Grand Theft Auto to hit the series as it should be, with the latest consoles supporting high definition and all. The game is smooth, crisp and the coloring is almost lifelike in many instances. Textures of course have been revamped to look beautiful, but it is the lighting effects that have caught our eye. Not just the sun rise and glares, but more so the ambient light of certain bars, clubs and joints. Head to the Strip club and you will see a familiar atmosphere, dark seating around the tables, pale flourescent blue’s and red’s casting shadows over the dancers bodies and the reflections off the disco ball in the lounge. Hell, even the smoke gets some great ambience play in this one.

Character animations are absolutely astounding. Movements are as close to life like as possible thanks to the Euphoria engine. This fine gaming engine has catapulted the level of animation capable in this game from awesome to "Holy Hell! They can do that?". For those of you unaware, Euphoria is a physics engine that replicates real life motion through interaction with objects. For instance, if you are about to be struck by a car, your character, as well as AI in the game will brace themselves for impact, even jump to fall over the hood instead of under. The game learns as you progress and reacts accordingly. After a trip to the bar, we stumbled out drunk, the conversation that took place outside was scripted, but the actions were not. Vision is impaired and walking can be quite the feet as Niko stumbles around, even falling off the curb a time or two. Everything is smooth, and there are very few points that feel like scripted moments. Everything is alive.

Sound:

The Sound in GTA games has always been top knotch. Especially when it comes to the radio in the car and comments on the street from passers by. All the great tunes of the past make a terrific, upgraded return, with news channels offering stabs at current events, and music offering some surprisingly up to date tracks. With the addition of radio, now comes television as well. There appear to be hours of television that streams through the TV set in your home, and in store windows as you pass by. Everything from talk shows to drama to the latest news is there, where you can also catch your latest rampage on the 6 o’clock.

Explosions and gun play have the same great audio of the past. Each weapon with its own unique sound, every explosion different and shrapnel from flying car parts and the like all have a faint yet distinguished audio tone. Imagine Burnout: Paradise when you crash in slo-mo, it sounds a bit like that. The ’word’ on the street has been kicked up as well, with bums muttering obscenities, prostitutes looking for a good time, and Niko of course giving his two cents after wasting a group of baddies.



Game Play:

So, we get to the meat and potatoes of this writing. What’s it like to play GTAIV? What can you do? What’s new other than looks? How’s your mom?...wait....what?... To play Grand Theft Auto IV is like receiving felacio for the first time. It is an amazing, and overwhelming experience that you never want to end, but when it does, it’s with a bang.

You play the role of Niko Belic, seeking a fresh start in the US of A, only to find upon arrival that you have been drawn into a twisted crime war by your Cousin. We don’t wish to give away any of the story to you, so we will leave it at that. Let’s jump ahead and talk about how GTA IV handles.

Everything from character interactions, driving and shooting have been improved upon. The targeting scheme is spot on and makes for a much funner experience than previous games in the series. Most noteably is the addition of the cover system. Unlike most games featuring a cover system, virtually everything thigh high and above can be used for protection. Vehicles make for good cover as they no longer spontaneously combust after a few shots. Even more so, you cover takes damage. When crouched behind a car, you can see the bullets penetrate your ride and hear them rocochet into the distance. Cover is easy to use, and extremely helpful and even necessaru in many occasions.

Driving in the game is fun, and feels a bit more like Ridge Racer meets Mario Kart. The car handles as you would expect in real life, and doesn’t roll for fun. Each car acts its weight, if you see what I’m saying. Missions are quite fun as many will have you assasinating a target while others have you hunt down information to find your next target. In locating your prey, their are numerous ways to do so. One of the coolest is simply straight from the source of the LCPD. To accomplish this, just jack a squad car and hide from trouble. Once you are clear, tap into the computer in the squad car and look up info on your mark. You can also use word of mouth, whip out your handy cell phone and start calling around to see what people know. Use your tools, use your environment, and for the first time in GTA history, use your brain. Yes, there are planned and scaled points of attack that will make more sense than the run and gun days of old. There is no wrong way to complete your task, so find what suits you best and go for it. If you get injured, don’t worry too much, their are some very fun ways to get health.

So you took some damage and need to ’replenish’? No problem, hit your local fast food joint for some fatty goodness. Not in the mood for chicken? Fine, take to the streets to find you some company. The nightlife is incredible in GTA IV, giving you more than enough opportunities to find the girl of your dreams. Find the right one, and take her somewhere quiet to park. Now things get good. Instead of fogged windows, off angle camera shots and a rocking ride, you will be able to see the action from the top up, of course not in full view (pervs). This is actually a very welcome addition as you get a more in depth feel for what is happening in the game. If hookers are not your thing, you can always check out the clubs for some private dancers. They put on a show and Niko gains back a bit of health to boot. And if all else fails, head back to your apartment where you can extract a little frustratioin by yourself.

Multiplayer:

Online is where its at on this one. With numerous modes of play and up to 16 players at a time, the possibilities are endless. When playing online, everything from single player is available to you, minus the great story line. With over a dozen different game modes available, there is something for everyone in online play. Unfortunately, we played Free-for-All first, and well, we just never stopped playing. Free for all allows you to be thrown into Liberty City with up to 15 other players and you can do as you please. Team up and take down a rival gang, or hold a shootout old west style, only with AK’s instead of muskets. We will not delve any further into online as this is an experience you need to do for yourself, not read from us.

Single player in GTA IV is a shear thing of beauty and so far, we have counted 3 different endings based on decisions you make in the game. The story alone will have you coming back for more, let alone causing mass destruction just for kicks any time you please. For those of you with online connections (you better have it, PSN is free ya know!) online offers infinite replayability, with tons of customization. This games is worth its weight in gold, and If I were to guess, we already know what our game of the year is. Except maybe MGS4, or Resistence 2, ooh, and Haze, maybe Call of Duty 5.......


There is simply a ton of things we could talk about in this review, like the incorporation of Niko’s cell phone, or the different plot twists that keep you interested, but most reviews out there have already covered that pretty well. So, if you want to read about that, check out IGN’s article here. This game is definately a keeper and is one of the best games we have played in a long while, definately the best of its genre. Take a break from Call of Duty, get your pimple covered ass down to your local game store and get this game while you still can. It is worth every cent and we promise, it will replace any current game you have for a long time to come so don’t be afraid to trade in if need be for some extra cash.

UPDATE...

We have received numerous emails asking which version of the game we reviewed. While, given our slogan, we though this was obvious we would like to reinterate that we played the Playstation 3 version of the game. We have also looked at the 360 version as well, but to avoid a flame war, we will keep our comments to ourselves since we only had a limitede experience on 360. Have a question or comment you would like to share? Sign up for a free account and join the ranks. We will say this, neither system owner will be dissappointed. Especially fans of Sony.


Our Rating for GTA IV - Reviewed
10.0 PRESENTATION
Astonishing transition into the next generation of gaming. Excitement grows just from looking at the box, er....maybe that’s something else...*blush*

10.0 GRAPHICS
Intense, beautifully animated gameplay. Euphoria plays a big part in the animation here. For a game this large to look this good, it’s just pure bliss. We did not see any slow down or clipping.

10.0 SOUND
Steal a ride just for the tunes, the radio stations are what stand out here. Also, conversations are very inviting pieces of art.

10.0 GAMEPLAY
Greatly improved cover system, smooth and fluid gameplay and more importantly, an amazing story from start to finish that you control. Think Mass Effect, only fun. I kid..I kid

10.0 REPLAY VALUE
With free reign over Liberty City and 16 player online matches, there is literally no end to the possibilities.

10.0 FUN FACTOR
Stellar animations and limitless activities ranging from the bar scene, to cruising to prostitutes. Anything goes in this one.

10.0 Overall
This is a must have for any adult gamer. Parents, be advised that this is not for the meak or the mormon. I kid again! Seriously, play this one first before your kids and make your own judgement. Great game!

http://gamerevolver.com/article-118-GTA-IV--Reviewed.html


CGaming.com - 10/10 [Videoreview]

http://www.youtube.com/v/lkb2ZxaNCww&hl=en&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkb2ZxaNCww

[carocat]

IGN UK - "Masterful - 10/10

UK, April 25, 2008 - How can Grand Theft Auto IV ever live up to the expectations bestowed upon it? From its first unveiling over a year ago, hype levels have been steadily escalating towards the stratosphere, and surely it would be impossible for Rockstar to satiate the lust of those deprived of a fresh Grand Theft Auto experience for nearly four years?

It's clear that this iteration of Grand Theft Auto is a markedly different beast to its predecessor San Andreas, and whatever your feelings about the last outing there's no doubting the series' new direction works towards creating a more immersive experience. Nearly all vestiges of videogame signifiers have been shorn away and for once it's perfectly valid to state that playing the game is akin to watching a cinema blockbuster. The HUD has been refined, appearing only when Niko is engaged in action, and the omnipresent map at the bottom left of the screen is often all that remains to remind onlookers that this is an interactive entertainment.

Videogame artefacts such as hidden packages have been omitted – though those who have a fetish for collecting need not worry, as in their place is a series of collectables of a more naturalised manner - and the jumps that have long marked out the Grand Theft Auto games are more subtly implemented. Indeed, it was only after a few hours play that we realised they were still there, so well camouflaged they were amidst the architecture of Liberty City.

The explosions are truly breathtaking, leaving impressive smoke trails in their wake.
And what a creation the city is. Grand Theft Auto IV's Liberty City is one of the finest worlds we've seen in gaming since we gallivanted around the Hyrule of Ocarina of Time. It's a world that lives and breathes with its own authenticity, and with an effortlessness that has rarely been glimpsed in gaming to date. A storm comes in and the lighting engine paints the streets of Broker with a melancholic taint, with passers-by erecting their umbrellas in the downpour and those more ill prepared raise their suitcases above their heads and run for cover, while in the background a lone saxophonist plays under the shelter of a band stand. The sun shines and the streets burst into life, light rays bouncing off the pavement and glistening over the bonnets of traffic. The level of detail informs every aspect of Liberty City, with even the most secluded alleyway exuding its own atmosphere and conspiring to make Grand Theft Auto IV's world one of the most complete witnessed to date.

This whole world is painted with its own distinct perspective - yes, this is a more realistic Grand Theft Auto than ever before, but it's also one of the most stylised entries, with a filter applied to the graphics attaining an effect that's akin to pointillism and at times can seem almost impressionistic. That's not to say there aren't occasional dips in framerate or texture creep, but none of this ever impinges on what is undoubtedly one of the most achingly beautiful videogame creations to date.

The HUD never proves intrusive to the action.
Above all it's a gritty creation, with the more down to earth and grimy nature of Niko's story reflected in each brick that builds Liberty City. At the beginning of the game, when confined to the Broker District by a terrorist threat, Niko can take a peek at what lies ahead of him in his quest, his view of the peaks of the skyscrapers of Algonquin filtered through the dirt of Liberty City that blights the lens. These details stretch to the interiors as well – this is a world of squalor, and no more is that evident than when climbing a flight of stairs to Niko's first abode in the slums of Broker, the strip lights humming and a muffled television audible through the door of a neighbouring flat.

This Liberty City is unmistakably a mirror image of contemporary New York, and with this fresh focus Rockstar has delivered one of its most potent satires yet. From the terrorist alert that initially locks down the city to the feeds from Weasel News that beautifully ape a certain real-life feral news service reporting on Niko's more outlandish escapades, to the mayoral election that is so brutally fought out over the airwaves between the fictional Michael Graves and John Hunter, it's never too difficult to ascertain the real-life sources for Grand Theft Auto IV's swipes. It's evident too in the *******ised internet that is accessible to Niko, which proves a deepening rabbit hole of increasingly hilarious skits on the online generation as you click through the countless sites on offer. The cultural references come from far and wide, one radio advert beckoning down the citizens of Liberty City to a show from the artists Simon & Miguel who uncannily resemble our own Gilbert & George in their pursuit of the eccentric. These satires stretch beyond the radio waves, with Niko able to unwind after a hard day's killing by settling down in front of the goggle box, and amidst the spoof history channels and histrionic chat shows we're sure we saw a none too subtle swipe at the Master Chief.

Of course no matter with what splendor the world has been created it's nothing without the means with which to explore it, and here Rockstar have supplied the most exquisite toolbox seen in an open world game. The euphoria physics engine takes centre stage, granting the world a physicality that connects players with the world to an unprecedented level. Niko feels more a part of his world than any other protagonist in a Grand Theft Auto title, be he brushing pedestrians aside or vaulting fences in an attempt to flee the police.

Combat proves a triumph as well, the new cover system flourishing gun fights with a level of sophistication that matches any other current generation shooter. The lock-on works reliably to snatch onto the nearest threat, and for those that prefer their shooting a little more freeform a light press of the trigger will enable free aim. Likewise, the cover system works as well as any of its peers, hugging Niko to any in game object and gifting fire fights with a much appreciated new depth.

Liberty City's friendly doctor at hand.
With its extended subtleties, the new wanted system also substantially alters the way the game is played when Niko is under heat. As the stars escalate, so too does the circle on the map, accentuating the thrill of a chase as Niko desperately races to escape the area and seek respite. Find yourself submitting to the chasing police and Niko is granted one final get-out clause, with a swift button tap elevating him from his knees to maintain the pursuit.

Behind the wheel, the vehicles handling lends itself to more cinematic driving, the rear end of the majority of vehicles having a propensity to hang out to a degree which can be initially galling. It soon emerges that a more subtle approach is required to negotiating the right angles of Algonquin or the swerves and inclines of the later Aldernay isle, and it's no longer possible to fling a car around with blithe abandon. The extended detail of Liberty City also affects the way cars are used, with each road now adorned with its own texture which the car's springs respond to, be it a cobbled street in a suburban back alley or the pot holes than pockmark the streets of Broker.

Finding cover is imperative, and adds a welcome depth to gunplay.
With these extended mechanics there's a variety to the vehicles that is now more pronounced. Front-wheel-drive cars will lurch towards understeer, their rear-wheel-drive counterparts allowing for some breathtaking slides. This variety extends not only to the models of vehicles available, but to the state in which you find them. Jack the wrong car in the excitement of a three-star chase and you could find yourself at the wheel of a misfiring beast, clumsily working its way through the gears and spitting out plumes of burnt oil.

In-car combat is another area that's been furnished with a suite of new features, not least of which is the ability to lock on to a pursued car, thankfully bidding farewell to the sometimes chaotic chases that blighted previous Grand Theft Autos, and with the added capacity to free aim from the drivers seats vehicular combat is no longer the headache it used to be.

That's not to mention the myriad other ways to traverse the breadth of the city – and despite any initial fears of Liberty City's size in light of the offerings of San Andreas, we can assure you it is vast – such as taxis or helicopters. Hail a taxi and you'll get the option to either skip straight to your desired location, or sit back and enjoy a spectator's view of the city, complete with typically irreverent commentary from your driver. Get yourself behind the controls of a helicopter and prepare for a vast intake of air as the full splendour and scale of Liberty City is offered up in widescreen majesty.


And the story itself? We'll leave the details for you to discover at your pleasure, but needless to say this is a tale more melancholic and mature than some of the hyperactive extremities of the series' past. Niko himself is sure to become a videogaming icon of our generation, an embittered ex-soldier with a murky past that marks itself in his weariness, yet also informs his hard-edged yet ultimately humanist perspective on the brave new world of Liberty City. It's no longer a rags-to-riches story, with the narrative more nuanced and all the more affecting for it. Indeed, so pervasive is Niko's story we found it informing the way we approached the game, finding ourselves less inclined to indulge in mindless rampages we deemed out of character for our Eastern European protagonist.

WIth it's ability to transform the city, the lighting engine is one of the stars.
This is all aided by a wealth of characters, all painted with a remarkable clarity and all serving to bolster the strengths of the main story. Naturally their stories are predominantly told through some sterling cutscenes which benefit from the enhanced engine that mercifully never outstay their welcome, and like everything else in Grand Theft Auto IV the scriptwriting has been ratcheted up to a degree previously unprecedented in the medium.

But the most rewarding way with which to interact with the cast is through Niko's phone, an item that soon emerges as a core tool in the interaction with the game's characters. As friends are picked up over the course of Niko's travels, they begin to offer social invitations – and in one of the game's many superb touches an incoming call will disturb the radio of any car he is traveling in – and it's easy to get drawn in to each of their narrative arcs. The activities that are open are widespread and well implemented, be it the bowling game that offers surprising depth or less interactive pursuits such as cabaret or the comedy club - which contains a number of surprises it's again best left to discover for yourself. Perhaps most notoriously there is also the option of visiting a bar, the results of which never fail to entertain as Niko spills erratically on the street before stumbling his way home.

What GTA's really about - a five star melee.
Whilst these prove entertaining diversions, they also provide a framework for the burgeoning relationships in the game which very quickly begin to matter for the player. It's genuinely heart-breaking to turn down a friend requesting a drink, as it too is genuinely surprising when on our second date with one of Grand Theft Auto IV's many love interests our beau noted how we had changed our attire since we last met.

Which means when the element of choosing who to favour in the game world Niko can be faced with some truly agonizing decision. At certain branches in the storyline he is faced with the option of pledging allegiance to certain characters – often to the fatal detriment of others. Though we're loathed to spill details, at one point Niko is presented with siding with a young upstart with somewhat dubious morals or his suicidal and life-weary nemesis who is fresh out of jail. Do you punish the fresh-faced gangster for his loose morality or put the melancholic ex-convict out of his misery? It's a choice that had us holding the gun to the head of our chosen victim for minutes of extended deliberation, and when the final bullet rang out it left a sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs as we were left unsure of our actions. The choices are never clear cut, and it reflects the murky morality of this Liberty City.

Again, the missions contain joys we'd rather not disclose for fear of ruining the experience, but rest assured they offer a variety previously unseen in Grand Theft Auto. From suiting yourself up for a funeral to scouring the internet for a potential date, they're essentially grounded in the reality of Liberty City and never work against the hard work of the narrative to create an immersive atmosphere. One mission in particular that occurs midway through the plot is sure to gain notoriety for the challenge it presents, an extended bank heist that for all its pains manages to provide one of the punchiest set pieces of the game that easily rivals the best Hollywood has to offer.

The sun sets on another day in Liberty CIty.
But like previous Grand Theft Autos, some of the best moments occur when you step outside of the script – be it painting your own name on a car with bullet holes and riding into battle, or stealing your first helicopter and taking a night time flight to the strains of Queen's One Vision before stepping out into a deserted Algonquin and embarking on a 15-minute six-star chase. With the toolset provided, and with the game world so rich with opportunity, we're sure to be swapping tales of our antics in Liberty City for years to come.

Seeing Niko's story out at the leisurely pace it deserves will consume some 40 hours of play, all of which is supplemented by the dizzying amount of multiplayer options. It will be interesting to see where the hordes migrate to on online play, be it the thrill of vanilla deathmatch, the bedlam of team mafia or the serenity of freely adventuring the city with friends. Regardless, this is a package that will truly keep players enthralled well beyond the lifetime of its native hardware.

Closing Comments
Expectations were so high for Grand Theft Auto IV that one of the biggest surprises is that it’s managed to meet them. That it’s also gone on to confound these is truly a marvel, and the game’s Liberty City is nothing less than one of the greatest videogame worlds yet conceived. With this game, Rockstar has set out to free itself from the excesses of the series past to emphasise the character of its world, and in doing so has created a high watermark in the relationship between narrative and play. It’s no less than the definitive open world game, and by that measure the definitive interactive experience of this generation to date.
IGN UK Ratings for Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)
Rating Description See Our Glorious Home Theater Setup!
out of 10 click here for ratings guideGet Ratings Information
10 Presentation
Never obscuring the all-important action, it gets the relevant information across with trademark Rockstar style.
10 Graphics
The level of detail is unsurpassed, with each pixel conspiring to create an unprecedented level of immersion.
10 Sound
From the soundbites of passers by to the detail of the radio stations, the audio work is superlative throughout.
10 Gameplay
With a game world as rich as this, and with such a vast toolset, play is as good as you want it to be.
10 Lasting Appeal
The single player demands 40 hours alone and the multiplayer will keep you involved until GTA V.
10
Masterful OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/869/869647p1.html

[Dark]

Nice compiling/copying.
I read the IGN one already and went on some GTA forum and I can't wait.
Shame I'm waiting till after exams to get it though.

[Bonzo]

Thought you weren't reading reviews because you didn't want the game spoiled, Cat? :p

[carocat]

I haven't read the longer ones, just the short ones.

And I haven't watched the video reviews and today was infact the first time I watched a gameplay video.. of hookers!

[Bonzo]

I haven't read the longer ones, just the short ones.

And I haven't watched the video reviews and today was infact the first time I watched a gameplay video.. of hookers!
Send links pl0x, MSN. ;)

[carocat]

Send links pl0x, MSN. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O51l7S7Sx3g

Enjoy..

[Bonzo]

One word, EPIC.

[xXMFx Massacre]

WTF THE HOOKERS!!! im going to do 8player co-op free roam all in cars and have a mass orgy in sum car park who's up for that!!!

[DinnyHoon]

Metacritic finally aggregated the scores last night. 100/100 - the highest rated item of all time on the site.

[carocat]

Metacritic finally aggregated the scores last night. 100/100 - the highest rated item of all time on the site.
Team Xbox just gave it 10/10, Gametrailers 9.8/10..

It's shocking just how high it scores. I mean, I was hoping for it, but in no way expected it!

[Renegade]

Tomorrow!

Woo!

Seriously, seriously excited!

[NeoKubrick]

Three weeks! Woo...

[carocat]

Gameinformer, Eurogamer, Gamesradar, Gamespy, all full scores as well..

I cannot wait.

[DinnyHoon]

2 days! Woo!

Got my dole cheque yesterday, which leaves me (after debts/bills) with £60. Special edition for me! Who cares if I can't eat for 2 weeks?

[Dark]

One month one week woop woop

[neyo]

7/10.

[Bushmouseone]

OMG! Why only 7/10

[BlueHoopedMoose]

I was hoping this thread would be reviews by people here, not from the media. We know how prone they are to inflating their scores when the marketing people get into action...

[Renegade]

It's a 10/10, without a single doubt in my mind. I cannot stop thinking about it, I have a job interview in about half an hour and I don't want to go, just so I can play GTA4.

[NeoKubrick]

Best game ever made I'd say.

So many of those 'that's just brilliant' moments.

An Irish bar, with a Dublin signpost. Seeing lightening and then hearing the thunder as it should be. The big gigantic '**** you' to Hollywood. 'Warm Coffee' achievement. Republican Space Force.

[carocat]

Best game ever made I'd say.
For once I'd agree with you.

Anyone gone on a helicopter sightseeing tour yet? I'd recommend it just for the commentary of the pilot.

[Gaskin]

I want this game so bad, god is so cruel!

[Renegade]

Stealing a sports car from a car dealership, and having the owner stand in front of the window with his arms out to stop me smashing out of the place - didn't work :D

The three minute bit from Fame by Ricky Gervais in the comedy club on the second island.

The 'hamster' musical (keep listening to the adverts on the radio).


Ah.... gaming is back :D

[NeoKubrick]

For once I'd agree with you.
Unwell?


Attempting to steal a taxi, having the taxi driver pull me out of the taxi before I could get away, having the driver start a fight with me, waiting to see what the cops will do if I don't hit back...cops in the police car see the taxi driver starting a ruckus, arrest him, put him in the back seat, and leave me to take his taxi...

[carocat]

Driving off the edge of the higher road above Brucie's with a 4 or 5 star wanted level.. and have the ten cop cars chasing me follow blindly.

The adverts on TV, radio and the internet!

[Renegade]

Running through Algonquin having punched a Hobo and chasing him down the street, only to see a bloody great tanker run a red light and take out about 8 cars and the hobo, and to miss me by inches :cool:

[BlueHoopedMoose]

Doing an "Austin Powers" within about 1 minute of my first mission, getting the car so well and truly stuck that I had to restart my Xbox and try again.

Not knowing how much money you have to spend whilst buying some clothes.

The weird bright light that seems to follow the edge of Nico's cousin's beard / stubble.

The context senstive look thingy which tries to make me jack a car across the other side of the street when the (empty) one next to me would've done quite nicely thanks.

[Renegade]

Doing an "Austin Powers" within about 1 minute of my first mission, getting the car so well and truly stuck that I had to restart my Xbox and try again.

Fail the mission - there's an 'instant restart'. Or, get out and punch the car, it will slowly spin round.

Not knowing how much money you have to spend whilst buying some clothes.

Top right of the screen, or your lovely pause menu.

The weird bright light that seems to follow the edge of Nico's cousin's beard / stubble.

Haven't seen that one...

The context senstive look thingy which tries to make me jack a car across the other side of the street when the (empty) one next to me would've done quite nicely thanks.

Never had that problem - hold direction towards car, press Y. Literally never had a problem getting the car I want!

[carocat]

I've never had your car problems, Moose. I did however want a sportscar real bad, pressed Y to drag the current driver out, but he drove off an as I was still pressing Y Niko held onto the door and got dragged along.

[Renegade]

Still haven't had that happen to me Cat, been trying it all day! My housemate stole a car and dragged the owner around for bloody ages, until a car coming the other way hit him!


Had such a stupid moment this morning - doing a mission which involved a shootout across three floors of an apartment with the police. No problems, apart from escaping on my motorbike - some cops set up a rolling road block, and I just managed to evade it and tear off. I pulled a wheelie (with my accomplice on the back of the bike) and screamed over the massive bridge still doing the wheelie. I hit the smallest of bumps, which pushed the bike back until it was completely vertical, clipped the road, and threw me and my accomplice off the bridge, into the waiting arms of a police speedboat.

Mission restart....

[carocat]

The bike handling is pissing me off to be fair. That first mission where you're doing the bike chase took me several restarts as I always managed to end up in the water somehow!

Car handling's a bit too sensitive at times as well, but I like how you can actually properly tell the difference between say an SUV and a sports car.

Without jinxing it, but does anyone else find the missions easier than on the previous GTA's?

[Renegade]

They get harder - according to media reviews, the last quarter of the game is an absolute swine. I'm at the point where cover is an absolute must to survive, and even then I'm rather low on health.

[carocat]

How many missions are you in?

I mean I had the odd mission here and there that took me more than one attempt, but if I fail a mission it's mostly due to my own stupidity, like running into rooms that I'm not sure I've cleared, etc.

[Renegade]

I'm about half way through the second island - about 40% on the counter.

[Retro]

Spoiler maybe.....



I have just done the Union Mission which took me several attempts mainly because the police kept coming up from behind me when I was trying to take out the mafia dudes.

Im also sure one of the voices shouting at me was James Gandolfini.

I heard the godfather ring tone on some random dudes phone, is there any way to get it?

I'm loving this so much.

[BlueHoopedMoose]

Fail the mission - there's an 'instant restart'. Or, get out and punch the car, it will slowly spin round.

That was the problem - I waited aaaages and it wouldn't fail me. And I did punch it. And kick it - lots of times. Trust me, this bugger was wedged solid - if you'd measured the gap and car first you couldn't have got a better fit :D

Top right of the screen, or your lovely pause menu.
Certainly wasn't at the top right of the screen - maybe cos it was the first shop i'd been into?

Never had that problem - hold direction towards car, press Y. Literally never had a problem getting the car I want!
It's happened to me twice, and a couple of times when shopping. With the car I was standing right next to it, went to enter and nico ran away from the car and tried to get in the one behind about 20m away :(

Thanks for the tips tho' - I will keep an eye on things :)

[Gaskin]

I still hate you all.

[Renegade]

Being honest, I didn't check how much money I had. I know that every time you buy something (including in the first shop), when it deducts the cash it gives you a total of what you have left. It's also in the pause menu as far as I remember. I have no idea how you managed to wedge a car in the gap though - but well done! The beauty of GTA :cool:


Gaskin - OH MY GOD this game is so awesome!

[BlueHoopedMoose]

I have no idea how you managed to wedge a car in the gap though - but well done!

I thoroughly recommend mistaking the headlight button for the handbrake. Add a dash of garbage can, maybe a hint of pedestrian and voila - Austin Powers eat your heart out.

[Renegade]

Mwahaha - the amount of times at the start that I forgot the Y button wasn't rear view was disturbing....

Just done an absolutely stunning mission - really really enjoyed it. Not going to detail it due to a major story twist, but I wish Chelsea and Liverpool could delay their kickoff so I could play more!

[Bonzo]

Sick game.

[Xg Corkin]

Played with my mate online and we were flying around for around 30 minutes then out of nowhere he flies the helicopter straight into a building and we both die, epic LuLz.

[Gaskin]

Well ****ERS, I'm going to my brothers tomorrow to help his housemate with some desertation on video games and anger.. ..... ... :D

And.. he has GTA. SICK SICK, then I should have the game by Friday at least :D

[Renegade]

Just go to a shop or something man!

[Gaskin]

They're all sold out! My copy is in the post, there's no point buying another one.

[Renegade]

Good point. Oh well ;)

[kurosaki7]

Really not feeling this yet, online modes feel withdrawn and if you die in some last waaay too long leaving massive amounts of time with nothing to do.

The actual single player game is ruined by the fact it does not perform to well being scaled to 1080, it still looks good, but the jaggies become very apparent in some cases.

Deep down I dont think it is going to be like Vice city for me, not really getting into the whole Russian thing either but will give that some more time.

Everything else feels just a bit of a chore when I am wandering around etc which is a shame, think GTA has lost the sandbox fun factor for me, hopefully with more time invested it will change.

[Renegade]

They're not Russian....

Anyway - at first I wasn't enjoying it as much as Vice City. I've now put 16 hours into it, and it's far far better. I've barely played the online mode TBH - the main appeal of the online mode for me is the multiplayer exploration, rather than the actual game modes.

The sandbox is amazing when you start to call people for your stuff - like calling for helicopters and taking boats out for a spin. Not to mention the internet, TV and minigames.

Ah well, some like some don't. Best X360 game I own, and after Halo 3 was a letdown I'm just thanking the almighty that this game lived up to all my expectations and more.

[Bonzo]

They're all sold out! My copy is in the post, there's no point buying another one.
Unlucky Dan.

Has anyone found a way to change the camera so it's fixed to the back of your car like the other GTA games? I was playing Yesterday and was pressed 'B' when i got in the car and the camera was fixed, i got out and got in again and it had reverted back to the default camera.

[Renegade]

Camera change is the 'back' button on 360.

[Retro]

What nationality are they? Iraqi?

[Bonzo]

Camera change is the 'back' button on 360.
I know that, it's just that theres not a fixed camera you have to keep moving the right thumbstick to look around a corner while your driving. Really annoying.

[Pirate Balloon]

What nationality are they? Iraqi?...In like the 2nd mission Roman's boss calls them "the serbs". At the start when you get to Roman's flat Niko mentions a war back in his old country, obviously the Bosnian war. They're Serbian.

[DinnyHoon]

Yeah, they're from unspecifiedistan, but it's severely hinted that they're Serbs.

[Pirate Balloon]

I know that, it's just that theres not a fixed camera you have to keep moving the right thumbstick to look around a corner while your driving. Really annoying.Turn off handbrake cam in options, i'm not sure if that's what you're after but it certainly helped me.

[carocat]

Yeah, so I ****ing jinxed it, didn't I? The last few missions have really been pissing me off. Time for some more relaxing collecting missions..

[Bonzo]

Yeah, so I ****ing jinxed it, didn't I? The last few missions have really been pissing me off. Time for some more relaxing collecting missions..
Go outside.

[Renegade]

What was the mission title that pissed you off Cat? Just wondering if I've done it or not.

[carocat]

Four leaf clover I believe. Gonna give it another try now.

I am loving the dialogue in some missions, like the one on the way to the mission in 'Harbouring a grudge'

[NeoKubrick]

I'm a bit ambivalent about the new handling of cars and bikes. On one hand it is difficult to drive about in the city with the wrong car (and now most of the cars handle like the old Stallion in previous games), but on the other hand, driving has become a lot more rewarding. I expected to see the handling of previous games which I think was the perfect balance between arcade and realism. One thing I do not like is the inability to quickly change to a side-view, and having to move the slow camera about to get any other view than the default one (which is slightly slanted to the left side, for some strange reason).

Edit: Anyone else buy the Special edition? That box is sick. Very useful.

[carocat]

I don't understand why they took out the ability to purchase property. It kind of makes me wonder what to do with my money. Although I've been spending loads on cabs.

I finally found the comedy club on the second island.. just for it to be closed when I got there. Typical!

And is it just me or is it a lot more difficult flying choppers?

[Bonzo]

Turn off handbrake cam in options, i'm not sure if that's what you're after but it certainly helped me.
It's helped a bit, certainly better than it was before. Thanks PB <3

[Pirate Balloon]

One thing I do not like is the inability to quickly change to a side-view, and having to move the slow camera about to get any other view than the default one Tap R3 because looking backwards is quicker than waiting for it to turn back around itself. This is espacially useful if you get in a car thats facing you and drive off quickly, usually the camera doesnt turn round fast enough and you crash into something(which is slightly slanted to the left side, for some strange reason).It's so Niko remains in the centre of the screen. I dont know why though.

[DinnyHoon]

If you haven't unlocked Alderney yet, don't read this.
There were so many hard missions around the time that Dwayne and Elizabeta had their missions going. That one where you have to shoot your way in and out of a mental hospital was HARD! I managed it on about the 5th try by accidentally finding a Jetmax speedboat parked up. My favourite missions so far have been the bank robbery, and the one where you rescue Roman from the Russians in the warehouse. I've just done Ray's second-to-last mission (where you chase the chopper), and I have a hell of a lot of McReary's to please. I LOVE THIS GAME!

[carocat]

Didn't click that, only just unlocked it.

The bank mission was ****ing intense. Took me a few tries as I stupididy let myself get run over by a subway train and couldn't avoid the police or ran out too early..

It's just one of those infuriating GTA missions that you're really proud to complete. At least that's for me the case.

To all that are further ahead, is the funfair thing on the first island ever open?



Oh and this looks quite good: http://grandtheftauto.ign.com/maps/1/Liberty-City-Map

[DayC]

This game is pretty ****ing good probably not worth 10/10 but then only Pac Man is worth such a rating.

Just got my second safe house and killed some LCPD guy whilst trying to sell drugs, he was twitchy :|

[Gaskin]

Is it just me or is Cat going to turn into a man with stubble and walk around Reading stealing cars and shotgunning police officers in the face? Cat have you actually stopped playing this game since release? Lol. :D

[carocat]

Give me a shotgun, Gaskin? ;)

And yeah, I've not played the game at times. People like DinnyHoon, Renegade are ahead of me as well..

[Gaskin]

I was kidding do not fear. :D

Well that's expected, Renegade is actually a mass murderer, DinnyHoon is scouse.

I played this the other day, I wasn't too impressed considering all the hype.

[Renegade]

I've put about 19 hours into it, according to the pause menu. 41% in as I've been sandboxing my ass off ;)

Rapidly becoming my favourite game, although if it can oust Ocarina of Time I will be truly amazed :D

Definitely my favourite 360 game - just thanking god it wasn't as big a letdown as Halo 3...

[carocat]

It does take like a couple hours to get into, at least it did for me. But after a few missions and starting to get used to the new handling, etc it definitely exceeded the hype for me.

Edit My playing time is 28h, but I've had it running with music when doing other things, so about 10 hours is from that. And I'm on 44%.

[Gaskin]

Well in fairness I just got bored after the first few missions, I've never really been a mission person, but the first lot were boring as ****, like usual. But now I am craving to play it, but it was still over hyped to the max.

[Renegade]

Not at all - it was nowhere near as hyped as Halo for example, at least not from my perspective. It just gets better and better as it goes on - I've been in some seriously tough but brilliant missions now, and loving it. The story is simply brilliant.

[Gaskin]

It was more hyped than Halo imo. But Halo lived up to it, as soon as I touched the game I felt it, and I loved it. How the competitive scene plays now is fantastic and exceeds the hype. I also don't really like the main story line of the new GTA, some Russian guy, total lameness.

[carocat]

The way GTA's story is told is the future really, at least for me. You still have your standard sandboxing vs missions concept, but with the phone you can get calls and be on missions if you want. It all sort of weaves into each other. Then there's all the sidestuff, like activities, dates..

I like how you have to make decisions in this game and how they actually matter.

And this was hyped far more than Halo 3 and delivered if not exceeded.

[Renegade]

I also don't really like the main story line of the new GTA, some Russian guy, total lameness.

:confused::confused::confused:


He's not Russian, that's made quite clear from the very start of the game and how people still think he is Russian I don't know. It's about a man who has gone through turmoil in his life and had to run from his homeland and his family, to try and escape from himself - except his problems chase him. It's about the struggle of living the American Dream, and the problems a man faces by making the wrong choices in his life. It's about loyalty, respect and revenge. It's very gritty, and very real.

I love pretty much everything about it, apart from the camera.

[Gaskin]

I thought he was from Russia? Either way, he is a lame main character. I like to look cool as a character, he looks like a total pleb.

[carocat]

I love how Nikos story develops with occasional tidbits being released at the most random points.

I disliked him as a character at the beginning, but 10-15 missions I started liking him.


I love his dialogue like with the Irish family and Roman. I've just met Florian and that cutscene and Niko's disappointment was impressive. And Florians first mission in the park hilarious!

[Roadpog]

So you like to look like CJ Mr Gaskin? :p

[Renegade]

Niko grows on you (in a non gay way) when his facial expressions start to become more forefront, and when he gets used by certain characters it endears him to you. I didn't like him at first though so I know where you're coming from - when you get a suit he looks f*ckin mean though.

Now Jacob and Badman - awesome characters.

[Gaskin]

He'll never look as bad ass as you, Dan. :p

[carocat]

So.. Funland. Ever open?

[kurosaki7]

Whasay! Jacob is a damn good character, enjoying his missions the most too. I dont like the fact that niko (the name not his voice) sounds too much like neko (cat in japanese) so not so great really.

Anyhooo think I will keep the game till Gaiden is released now, it is a good game but not a overhyped 10/10 game imo.

As for the whole serb thing, its an easy mistake to make, did that mission last night where he mentions he is a serb. How long does it take to complete the main storyline?

[carocat]

Quite a while. Consierng there's an achievement to complete it in 30hours, I reckon it's quite long.

I still don't see an end, I reckon I'm maybe 2/3 through. Could be wrong though.


Ahahaha, anyone been in a copcar that flipped over and then tried to use the siren? It's little things like that that make me smile.

[Cormac]

Why all the reviews?

Anyone who needed to read a review before making up their mind is an idiot.

[Bonzo]

Why all the reviews?

Anyone who needed to read a review before making up their mind is and idiot.
Say WHAAAT?!

[Terbinator]

vice city is still the best gta to date

[Cormac]

The only thing I can think based on your use of bold on my quote is that you doubt idiots have minds. They do they're just not as good as regular minds.

Alternatively you're suggesting that people needed to read the reviews because there was some doubt that GTA IV would be the groundbreaker that it is.

Why would anyone doubt the genius of Rockstar?

[Roadpog]

Because if your new to the GTA scene. Even after all the countless games. You best do research before you buy. Thats like buying a Flat screen tele without reading reviews.
I played the previous ones so i knew what i was looking forward to.

[NeoKubrick]

Why would anyone doubt the genius of Rockstar?
One person I talked to before the release doubted their genius, and I don't know why. I won't mention whom.


Yeah, Pirate Balloon, I always have to tap the R3 button - I even did with San Andreas, which had a faster camera - too slow still though.


Niko and Roman are great characters, and that's based on what little I've heard from cut-scenes as my console is ****ed up at the moment and is only playing the audio of a cut-scene and