GTA IV Trailer

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 29, 2008, 4:35 pm

Winnow wrote:Fry's has a bundle going. Buy GTA IV 360 or PS3 and get the Guide for $5.00.

Since the Guide is the most useful thing for me atm, I bought the PS3 version. I spotted a third party PS3 controller with decent (outward curved) triggers but didn't buy it as I want to research the various controllers. I grabbed the PS3 version because I don't think I can play, even with a legit copy of GTA IV on Live because my 360 is hacked. I'm still undecided on whether to buy a new 360 or stick with the PS3 copy and buy a new controller.

Either way, the guide looks well done. I don't know how long the bundle deal lasts but $5 for the guide is worth it.

I'm one of those people who think guides pretty much ruin the point of a game anyway. There's nothing in the guide you can't get online if you are stuck in a spot or need every last acheivement or whatever.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 29, 2008, 5:07 pm

Fairweather Pure wrote:
I'm one of those people who think guides pretty much ruin the point of a game anyway. There's nothing in the guide you can't get online if you are stuck in a spot or need every last acheivement or whatever.

$5

And I'd rather have maps. It's a city with locations. You don't need to use the guide as a walk through.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 29, 2008, 5:07 pm

I'll say this based on all the previous games. If you are a 100% achievement kind of person, you definately want to get the guide for the GTA games. There is a rediculous amount of hidden stuff, side quests, and freebie fun things to do and the guide makes it easy to find/do those things.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 29, 2008, 5:28 pm

From PS3Scene:

If you are a proud owner of Grand Theft Auto IV on the PS3, then you might not be so proud to know that the online multi-player mode is down. Or, at least it appears to be so for PS3 patrons. Numerous players have received errors upon attempting to connect; this blogger included has not been able to get the multi-player to work. An error message pops up: "Cannot connect to game provider, please try again."

Think I'll keep the PS3 version sealed for a few days.

Doesn't take long to be reminded how incompetent Sony is with online/networking.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » April 29, 2008, 5:38 pm

I got the guide last night, it looks great, but I haven't used it yet.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » April 30, 2008, 9:38 am

I don't want big time spoilers, but I would like to know how you make money. Do you get cash for stealing cars or beating people up? Can you sell cars you have stolen?

miir · Post by **miir** » April 30, 2008, 10:41 am

Winnow wrote:From PS3Scene:

If you are a proud owner of Grand Theft Auto IV on the PS3, then you might not be so proud to know that the online multi-player mode is down. Or, at least it appears to be so for PS3 patrons. Numerous players have received errors upon attempting to connect; this blogger included has not been able to get the multi-player to work. An error message pops up: "Cannot connect to game provider, please try again."
Think I'll keep the PS3 version sealed for a few days.

Doesn't take long to be reminded how incompetent Sony is with online/networking.

That's the problem with all these console blogs....
One guy has a problem getting online, posts a blog entry about it, it gets cycled around every single gamer blog and lemmings like Winnow latch on to it.

With the massive first day sales of GTA4 there was bound to be a few hiccups in service with (Rockstar's) servers being overloaded. Looking at the plethora of blogs that have regurgitated this post, most of the responses were from users that had brief issues connecting to the servers.

At least PS3 players don't have to pay $8 (monthly) like Xbox players have to pay for Live.

Here's a smattering of replies to the unable to connect to (Rockstar's) GTA4 servers:

it was working fine last night and i was up from the second i brought it home until 5 am this morning

Yeah i got this message too, i got worried for a seconds but i retried and it logged in

Hmm, working fine for me.

I played for about 3 hours with no probs. Another friend of mine was playing GTA4 with no problems.

so i just woke up at 11:30am west coast. I was up all night with friends playing online.

And to reiterate, the issue is with Rockstar's game servers, not Sony's online service.

miir · Post by **miir** » April 30, 2008, 10:44 am

You know, I seem to recall COD4 completely fucking the Xbox Live service when it was released.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 30, 2008, 11:01 am

I couldn't get into the Multiplayer mode all last night.

First, I read about all sort of problems the 60GB (launch) PS3s were having with GTA IV. There are huge threads with people that can't play GTA IV at all. Despite that, I waited for my PS3 to update to the latest firmware and then installed GTA IV.

I got a few temp screen freezes, jitters during the opening cut scene but after that it worked fine.

There is less loading time on the PS3 between missions. I can't comment on the graphics as I'm using HDMI with the PS3 and Component with the 360. I haven't been able to get the settings right with HDMI and my projector yet so the 360 looks better but that has nothing to do with the formats.

I played through the first several missions (PS3) and occasionally tried to jump into multiplayer mode but I received the message, "can't access such and such, try back later".

So far, I'm happy I can at least play GTA IV on my 60GB PS3 since there are a lot of unhappy people with launch PS3s atm.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » April 30, 2008, 11:19 am

miir wrote:You know, I seem to recall COD4 completely fucking the Xbox Live service when it was released.

I don't think there were any issues with COD4.. There most certainly were issues when Halo 3 came out though, man was I pissed.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » April 30, 2008, 11:22 am

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:I don't want big time spoilers, but I would like to know how you make money. Do you get cash for stealing cars or beating people up? Can you sell cars you have stolen?

So far (I'm not as far as other people here into the game) the way I have made money is by completing missions, and that's all. That being said I'm sure there are other ways later in the game as well.

Post by **Sylvus** » April 30, 2008, 11:45 am

Here is some spoiler speculation.

[Show]: Michelle is totally an undercover cop, right? She won't talk about work, keeps prying, asking if Roman is into organized crime... I wish it weren't so transparent, but I've thought from the first date we went on that she's going to end up being a cop/fbi/etc.

Not sure if that's a common scenario with these games, haven't really played one since either PSone or the first one that was released for PS2, I can't recall exactly.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » April 30, 2008, 12:13 pm

Sylvus wrote:Here is some spoiler speculation.

[Show]
Michelle is totally an undercover cop, right? She won't talk about work, keeps prying, asking if Roman is into organized crime... I wish it weren't so transparent, but I've thought from the first date we went on that she's going to end up being a cop/fbi/etc.
Not sure if that's a common scenario with these games, haven't really played one since either PSone or the first one that was released for PS2, I can't recall exactly.

[Show]: I'm wondering that myself. I'm not to worried though, might have to off her if it comes down to it! It's too bad too, the pussy is good

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 30, 2008, 12:43 pm

Re Michelle:

[Show]: I don't think Michelle is an undercover cop. I think they just wanted to make it easy to get the first date/GF out of the way so let her ask the questions while Nikko dodged. I'm not reading ahead in the guide or anything so don't know for sure.

I don't see why you couldn't dump her once you start dating internet women or the other women that come later in the game. I haven't seen anything that requires Michelle to still be with Nikko.

Since I was past Michelle, I looked her up in the guide (initial contact). It shows her likes and dislikes (what clothes she likes, cars she likes, and places she likes to go on dates. Each place has a rating for how she'll react.

I'd think of Michelle as part of the tutorial. She's a sure thing. (although I haven't tried punching her to see if she'd still sleep with me! If she does, she's a cop!) Michelle didn't mind me hijacking a car on one date after going to a bar.

Bad Idea to start mowing people over on a date.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » April 30, 2008, 1:09 pm

Stopped over at GameStop... they asked if I had a reserve and I said no... they complained that they don't even have enough for their reserves, and sold me it anyways.

picked up the guide too. 5 hours till I can play (unless I sneak out early)

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 30, 2008, 1:22 pm

I've played about an hour of this so far. It's GTA all over again. It's the same formula, although it looks better and is refined in several ways. I'm not really seeing the 10/10 here. With all the awesome reviews, I was expecting more innovation. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's more of the exact same, only better.

Also, the music is a huge let down so far. Nothing stands out. There's nothing to look forward to hearing. The soundtrack dosen't hold a candle to the previous 3 entrys in the series IMO.

Would you all give it a 10/10? I'm thinking more like 8/10 so far.

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 30, 2008, 1:24 pm

Fash wrote:Stopped over at GameStop... they asked if I had a reserve and I said no... they complained that they don't even have enough for their reserves, and sold me it anyways. picked up the guide too. 5 hours till I can play (unless I sneak out early)

I got mine yesterday at Wal Mart when I bought groceries. I bet they had 50-75 copies in the cabinet. It was taking up about 10 rows and they were all full.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » April 30, 2008, 1:35 pm

Yeah, the music is not as good as it was in San Andreas tbh.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 30, 2008, 1:36 pm

Fairweather Pure wrote:I've played about an hour of this so far. It's GTA all over again. It's the same formula, although it looks better and is refined in several ways. I'm not really seeing the 10/10 here. With all the awesome reviews, I was expecting more innovation. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's more of the exact same, only better.

Also, the music is a huge let down so far. Nothing stands out. There's nothing to look forward to hearing. The soundtrack dosen't hold a candle to the previous 3 entrys in the series IMO.

Would you all give it a 10/10? I'm thinking more like 8/10 so far.

maybe that's why myself and others have said get about 10% into it before making snap judgments. An hour is nothing for this game. You've seen jack shit so far of the variety in this game and haven't been introduced to most of the things you can do.

Post by **Sylvus** » April 30, 2008, 1:39 pm

Could you ride as a passenger in a cab in the old games?

I LOVE that in this game. Call me crazy if you like, but driving in GTA has always been my least favorite part.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 30, 2008, 2:19 pm

Winnow, since you hate sony and your ps3 so much...i'd be happy to buy yours off you. I can't afford a new one.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » April 30, 2008, 2:33 pm

Fairweather Pure wrote:I've played about an hour of this so far. It's GTA all over again. It's the same formula, although it looks better and is refined in several ways. I'm not really seeing the 10/10 here. With all the awesome reviews, I was expecting more innovation. I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's more of the exact same, only better.

Also, the music is a huge let down so far. Nothing stands out. There's nothing to look forward to hearing. The soundtrack dosen't hold a candle to the previous 3 entrys in the series IMO.

Would you all give it a 10/10? I'm thinking more like 8/10 so far.

I think you are way off base and I'm only 6 or 7 hours in.

I don't think innovation means huge leaps and bounds in the game, I think it's the subtle things that matter. Things like your cell phone so that you control who you talk to and when, not to mention you can seek out recreational activities, the huge improvements in physics and attention to detail, and just refining this type of game in general make this game a huge step forward in games.

What exactly would you expect above what you've seen? I guess I don't really know what could get much better.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 30, 2008, 2:43 pm

Truant wrote:Winnow, since you hate sony and your ps3 so much...i'd be happy to buy yours off you. I can't afford a new one.

I need it for FFXIII.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 30, 2008, 2:59 pm

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » April 30, 2008, 3:37 pm

OMG....you nazi! How can you hate driving? You can travel full speed around the city with no gas used at all...you can run people down with no police action...and you can plow right through every light in the entire city. It is like utopia.

Post by **Sylvus** » April 30, 2008, 3:42 pm

Forgive me, I don't mind driving and do enjoy crashing into stuff and running over people. It's the forced driving events/missions, and "racing" aspect that I don't care for that much. A lot of times I just want to get across town so I can ice some drug dealers, and I'd rather not be bothered to drive.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 1, 2008, 1:08 pm

This is kind of neat. An interactive google map of Liberty City:

http://grandtheftauto.ign.com/maps/1/Liberty-City-Map

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 1, 2008, 2:28 pm

I bought the component cable for my PS3 last night so I could directly compare the 360 to the PS3.

I fiddled around with the settings all night but the 360 ended up looking better. (both component, I'll need to try the HDMI again on the PS3) On the PS3, it was either too dark, saturated or washed out dependig on my adjustments. I kept freezing the game (options/display) with various lighting and textures visible to try and make the adjustments.

It's subtle but I prefer the 360 version of GTA IV visually. I was switching between the two using my Dell 24" monitor. I'm not meaning to fanboi the 360 in this case. There are some spectacular demos I've downloaded on the PS3 that look great. I'm not sure what the deal is with GTA IV in particular. I tried to view the exact same things with the same time of day/lighting which was hard considering the weather etc in GTA. It's not enough to matter (the visual difference).

A good place to adjust contrast, saturation is in the strip club. The pink sign on the wall after entering will be washed out if your settings are wrong.

I also got into multiplayer last night on the PS3. I entered a deathmatch with only 2 other people and had a great time. You'd think that with the city being as big as it is, it wouldn't be fun with just a few people but you close in on each other pretty quick. I'm looking forward to a match with 10-16 peeps in it.

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » May 1, 2008, 4:32 pm

Funkmasterr wrote:I don't think innovation means huge leaps and bounds in the game, I think it's the subtle things that matter. Things like your cell phone so that you control who you talk to and when, not to mention you can seek out recreational activities, the huge improvements in physics and attention to detail, and just refining this type of game in general make this game a huge step forward in games.

By that criteria, Bioshock, CoD4, and I'm sure several more games should've recieved a 10/10 rating. Besides, much of GTA 4's "innovation" ironically came from copying GTA clones.

The gunfight system has been reworked to feel natural by using a cover system similar to that of Gears of War and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, as the combat system in previous games was awkward and cumbersome.

The size of this radius increases with the player's wanted level (the more stars, the bigger the radius) and re-centres itself on Niko's location if he is spotted by the police (similar to Scarface: The World Is Yours). Instead of utilizing the "Pay 'N' Spray" as in previous games, Niko has to realistically disguise himself by clandestinely changing vehicles in empty areas such as parking garages, a feature seen in the video game Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven.

Funkmasterr wrote:What exactly would you expect above what you've seen? I guess I don't really know what could get much better.

Driving still sucks donkey balls, which is a pretty big part of the game. Also, the music isn't 1/2 of what any of the previous GTA's brought to the table. Seeing as that the music was one of the defining aspects of the GTA experiance, I consider it a let down.

It did a lot right, but I'm kind of sick of reading all the reviews where people drop down on thier knees to suck rockstar cock over the game and ignore the flaws. I'm sticking with my 8/10 rating for now, but will revise it if needed after I get further into the game.

Try not to get too pissy with me because I don't think GTA4 is the best thing since Jesus. I am definately enjoying the game so far. I just don't get all the 10/10 ratings.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 1, 2008, 4:43 pm

I'm not a Rockstar fan but think this game is a 10 or very close to it.

People love the GTA games. The fact that this game improves on what people already really like kinda makes sense don't you think?

If GTA V is the same concept but improves on the game as much as IV did over III, it will get near 10's again.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » May 1, 2008, 4:44 pm

Fairweather Pure wrote:
Funkmasterr wrote:I don't think innovation means huge leaps and bounds in the game, I think it's the subtle things that matter. Things like your cell phone so that you control who you talk to and when, not to mention you can seek out recreational activities, the huge improvements in physics and attention to detail, and just refining this type of game in general make this game a huge step forward in games.
By that criteria, Bioshock, CoD4, and I'm sure several more games should've recieved a 10/10 rating. Besides, much of GTA 4's "innovation" ironically came from copying GTA clones.

The gunfight system has been reworked to feel natural by using a cover system similar to that of Gears of War and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, as the combat system in previous games was awkward and cumbersome.

The size of this radius increases with the player's wanted level (the more stars, the bigger the radius) and re-centres itself on Niko's location if he is spotted by the police (similar to Scarface: The World Is Yours). Instead of utilizing the "Pay 'N' Spray" as in previous games, Niko has to realistically disguise himself by clandestinely changing vehicles in empty areas such as parking garages, a feature seen in the video game Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven.

Funkmasterr wrote:What exactly would you expect above what you've seen? I guess I don't really know what could get much better.
Driving still sucks donkey balls, which is a pretty big part of the game. Also, the music isn't 1/2 of what any of the previous GTA's brought to the table. Seeing as that the music was one of the defining aspects of the GTA experiance, I consider it a let down.

It did a lot right, but I'm kind of sick of reading all the reviews where people drop down on thier knees to suck rockstar cock over the game and ignore the flaws. I'm sticking with my 8/10 rating for now, but will revise it if needed after I get further into the game.

Try not to get too pissy with me because I don't think GTA4 is the best thing since Jesus. I am definately enjoying the game so far. I just don't get all the 10/10 ratings.

Not getting pissy, I'm just curious because I feel it is 100% deserving of the rating.

Bioshock and COD4 did not have GREAT multiplayer AND single player like GTA does, which would be the logical reason I would think they didn't get a perfect 10 score.

There is a cover system, but it is by no means stolen from gears of war, it works much differently than Gears of Wars did (I have no clue about the other game.

Pay N Spray is still a part of the game.. but those other methods will work as well.

I think driving is better and tolerable, cornering could be improved a bit, but then again in RL you wouldn't be able to take corners in a dodge neon at 100 mph so I can't complain too much

I don't get why everyone is so upset about the music. I enjoy both of the raggae channels, both the hip hop channels, and one of the rock stations, and the talk radio is pretty funny.

To each their own I guess

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » May 1, 2008, 5:00 pm

I have only played for about an hour or so, and I think I got about 4% into the game, but I think the radio is lacking as well. I was looking for the channels with the music that you can hear in the first safehouse when you wake up and stuff, but it is not available. Personally, I cannot hear the person speaking on the cellphone when driving. I haven't looked through the settings yet to see if there is something that can be tweaked to make it easier for me.

The "control tutorial" prompts have been annoying, as they flash once and leave the screen before I can read them. A sound or something as they did so would have alerted me to look in the top left corner of the screen instead of enjoying the pretty graphics.

I don't mind the driving at all, and I never did. It is, after all, Grand Theft Auto, which implies that you will be stealing vehicles, and vehicles are driven.

I am still looking forward to the multiplayer, but I have been busy levelling my Monk in EQ2!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 1, 2008, 5:06 pm

Boogahz wrote: The "control tutorial" prompts have been annoying, as they flash once and leave the screen before I can read them. A sound or something as they did so would have alerted me to look in the top left corner of the screen instead of enjoying the pretty graphics.

You have audio issues with your home theater audio setup. There is a sound when tutorial notes pop up in the upper left corner and you should be able to hear calls just fine while driving.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » May 1, 2008, 5:09 pm

Winnow wrote:
Boogahz wrote: The "control tutorial" prompts have been annoying, as they flash once and leave the screen before I can read them. A sound or something as they did so would have alerted me to look in the top left corner of the screen instead of enjoying the pretty graphics.
You have audio issues with your home theater audio setup. There is a sound when tutorial notes pop up in the upper left corner and you should be able to hear calls just fine while driving.

Yeah I have a shitty 19" standard def TV with only mono sound cause one speaker is blown out, and I heard the notifications and can hear the calls just fine

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » May 1, 2008, 5:11 pm

Winnow wrote:
Boogahz wrote: The "control tutorial" prompts have been annoying, as they flash once and leave the screen before I can read them. A sound or something as they did so would have alerted me to look in the top left corner of the screen instead of enjoying the pretty graphics.
You have audio issues with your home theater audio setup. There is a sound when tutorial notes pop up in the upper left corner and you should be able to hear calls just fine while driving.

No home theater setup. Sound is from the TV from the 360.

Also, I cannot hear the phone well when driving for the same reasons I do not like to use Ventrilo in MMO's. I have problems separating sounds/voices. Too much loud music in the DJ booth has stolen my ability to hear

Post by **Sylvus** » May 1, 2008, 5:20 pm

I'm 99% certain that you can view any tutorials that you miss by hitting start, and then going to the briefing tab.

If music is too loud when you get a call, hold left on the d-pad for like 2 or 3 seconds and it'll shut off your music. You can tap left again to turn it back on. If you miss what someone says, it's all written down on the briefing tab too.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 1, 2008, 5:33 pm

I use TOS (digital optical) 5.1 dolby digital for 360/PS3. It'd be worth it for you to buy a cheap little all in one package. Makes for a much more immersive experience, especially with games like Bioshock, Mass Effect, etc.

If you have hearing problems, you should try some quality headphones.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » May 2, 2008, 3:21 pm

[Show]: The bank heist is sheer brilliance!

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » May 2, 2008, 6:01 pm

I have not played a GTA game since Vice City. Think I will pick this up for the 360 tonight.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 2, 2008, 8:39 pm

Digg thread that leads to 360/PS3 GTA IV comparison.

There are differences. I'm not crazy for preferring the 360 version afterall.

http://digg.com/gaming_news/GTA_IV_Comparison_Video

It's personal choice but the 360 is sharper for me. Check the text on signs that are on sides of buildings etc. On the other hand, I guess someone said the explosions are better on the PS3. I like things sharp (that's why I don't like clearfont on LCDs.)

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » May 2, 2008, 8:50 pm

I have not seen a 360 on LCD yet. I would test, but I do not have the HDMI version and I do not want to fuck around with adapters just to test.

I run it on a 42" Samsung Plasma, so testing on a LCD is pretty much pointless to me!

cadalano · Post by **cadalano** » May 3, 2008, 2:00 am

been doing a lot of multiplayer free play. you must all do this:

have a friend pilot a helicopter over a ramp so that you can jump a motorbike into the rotors. Your character will be catapulted at light speed hundreds and hundreds of miles across the city. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

miir · Post by **miir** » May 3, 2008, 9:35 am

Winnow wrote:Digg thread that leads to 360/PS3 GTA IV comparison.

There are differences. I'm not crazy for preferring the 360 version afterall.

http://digg.com/gaming_news/GTA_IV_Comparison_Video

It's personal choice but the 360 is sharper for me. Check the text on signs that are on sides of buildings etc. On the other hand, I guess someone said the explosions are better on the PS3. I like things sharp (that's why I don't like clearfont on LCDs.)

There's fuck all difference.
Rockstar intentionally made the two versions look as identical as possible.
That included lowering the resolution and AA on the PS3 version to lower it down to 360 quality.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » May 3, 2008, 12:40 pm

cadalano wrote:been doing a lot of multiplayer free play. you must all do this:

have a friend pilot a helicopter over a ramp so that you can jump a motorbike into the rotors. Your character will be catapulted at light speed hundreds and hundreds of miles across the city. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

LOL, NICE!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 3, 2008, 6:02 pm

miir wrote: There's fuck all difference.
Rockstar intentionally made the two versions look as identical as possible.
That included lowering the resolution and AA on the PS3 version to lower it down to 360 quality.

There is a difference. Like I said, it's not big but there is a difference. Have you compared both yourself on your TV?

To our eyes, it looks like the color palettes differ slightly, with the 360 version looking brighter in most areas but dimmer in some others. It could be a wash in the end, but draw your own conclusions and let us know what you think below. Also, be sure to check out our review of the title

The PS3 appears more saturated to me. I can cut that down using the controls but no matter what I did, the 360 was sharper. Both had some positives and negatives so don't fag out making this a fanboi thing.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » May 3, 2008, 6:09 pm

Having a lot of fun with this game... about 11% through. Love the driving in this one, it took a little while to get used to but I like how differently the cars handle. Helicopter rides are a fun time, spawn the annihilator with 359 555 0100

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » May 4, 2008, 11:58 am

Kept getting disconnected while connecting to multiplayer games last night, and froze in single player as well...on my 360 ><

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » May 4, 2008, 9:14 pm

http://www.wikicheats.com/index.php/Gra ... _PS3_XB360

This has some basic mission info for help without being too revealing.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » May 5, 2008, 3:03 pm

Ok, a week later. My cursory review.

Graphics: The graphics (I have a 360) are great. The cut scenes are grand on High Def, the lip syncing is of a really high quality, much better than I expected.

The car damage is pretty good, although I wish it could be a little more dramatic. I would love to see full on write offs appearing in the game. If I smash into a wall at 150mph the car should be a mangled metal fuck up, not slightly dented. However, the car damage is of a substantially higher standard than in previous games.

Pedestrians are varied. I don't think I've seen two identical models yet. This is also fantastic because all pedestrians act differently. Sometimes they will cower before you or run away if you hit them, others will call for help and other pedestrians nearby will start kicking your ass. Some pedestrians shout and preach on the street. Some will straight up start fighting if you so much as bump into them. There is a massive range of behaviour here, never seen before in GTA. Also, the little occasional pedestrian side missions are a cool feature.

Sound As with all games with cars, the sound of engines revving can become horrifically tiresome. I've sorted this out by just turning in game sounds down a bit. However my biggest gripe is with the radio. The radio in previous GTA games was fantastic (San Andreas in particular had a fucking shitload of fantastic timeless songs). In GTA4, the music on the radio is 99% bullshit. It's probably my biggest complaint about the whole game. I can't quite believe the shitty soundtrack they've put into GTA4, it detracts from the rest of the game such is its shittiness.

The talk radios (Weasal news, laszlow etc) are hilarious though, so I spend most of my time listening to those. They are a direct insult to all who support the way America is these days. From mocking shows like cribs (also seen on the GTA4 tv shows) to celebrity culture + unjust imperialism. The political element of GTA4 cant be ignored, it should hopefully prove a humbling experience to those, such as Winnow, who feel that playing Devils Advocate to the detriment of millions of Iraqi's lives and livelihood is something to strive for.

I've seen people say that the political message is "awkward". Yes, it is awkward if you're a fucking moron. Rockstar have managed to school about half their player base for being idiotic confederate douchebags in this game. This makes up for the crappy soundtrack alone.

Missions - These are similiar to any other GTA game. But the piece de resistance so far (i've not completed it yet) is the "three leaf clover" mission. I wish this was a repeatable mission, it alone makes the game worth buying. All in all, I've enjoyed the missions. Unfortunately I've managed to lock myself out of the taxi missions for Roman, which is shit

.

Characters: - A lot of the characters are fuckwits. Some are cool. My favourites are probably

[Show]: Niko, Brucie and Little Jacob

.

[Show]: I hope to fuck Roman dies, he is a total shithead and imo detracts from the game. I think he's an annoying little idiot, and I don't find him funny at all. He is just a worthless dick. I was glad when he got shot.

[Show]: The storyline thing with Michelle is pretty cool,

but I haven't pushed the issue with other girlfriends (mainly because I think the idea of girlfriends in a computer game is retarded. I wish Rockstar had made the game less "friend centric." It's a bit of a stupid idea, and they have sacrificed a lot of the cooler aspects of San Andreas to expand on this , imo, fairly mediocre addition to the game.

Problems - No garages, no buyable property, no gyms, no planes. These are criminal flaws in this game. No excuses. The reasons Rockstar have put forth for leaving these things out are bullshit. If anything, in this respect GTA 4 is a step backwards. It's inexplicably retarded.

I think it's a truly fantastic game, but in some ways its a bit of a let down. Although I suppose I had such high hopes for it it was inevitably going to be a let down. There are some nice updates, ie graphics/some characters/the slightly more serious tone of the game, but the things they have left out (garages etc) are inexcusable, and the soundtrack is dire.

I'd give it an 8/10 so far.

Also, it's far too short considering how long it was in development for.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » May 5, 2008, 3:09 pm

Jesus fuck, you couldn't even make a review of a video game without spewing anti-america bile.