Comments on: Videogame Review: Grand Theft Auto IV

By: puppyknuckles

puppyknuckles — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 18:14:15 +0000

I agree that GTA4 is a great game. And I agree that in many ways, San Andreas was greater. I miss the sense of unbridled chaos that could be had in past games. Rampages, silly cheats, etc. Now that I beat GTA4, I still play it from time to time, mostly to crash cars in cinematic slo-motion mode. It seldom disappoints when Niko flies through the windshield.

By: Flashpoint

Flashpoint — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:01:14 +0000

Antoine.

I don’t believe that.
the story of GTA4 was straightforward. You arrive, get in trouble with the mob and do hits…its the same exact thing on each game.

Frankly, San Andreas had much more exciting missions – as well as more of them.

I’ll never forget the mission where I had to drop from a small plane and sneak into a Citation to kill everyone on board. The 360’s technology could make San andreas ridiculously better.

By: Antoine Parmentier

Antoine Parmentier — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:23:46 +0000

@flashpoint: it really boils down to scope. GTAIV is far more of a story than San Andreas which, while cool and having great voice acting, was just too chaotic and extreme to be believable. GTAIV is more of a movie, and it does pay for it in the gameplay department. Although I haven’t played Saint’s Row 2, I heard that it fills that niche that the GTA series left.
As for me, I got immersed in the amazing atmosphere of GTAIV, and don’t regret it.
Multiplayer is fun, but rapidly limited, except for free roam and the GTA racing. Pure racing is pwned by Forza, and the shootout modes by the Call of Duty series.

As for handling, see the debate above: it’s really not that bad. The character could be better, but cars do the job well.

By: Flashpoint

Flashpoint — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:15:49 +0000

GTA 4 was the worst handling game I’ve played in a while.

The cars drive like shit and on top of that, sometimes the character’s movements are too difficult to determine when near edges of buildings. The character actually steps forward by himself when you don’t want him too. Especially in multiplayer online games.

The helicopter controls suck balls compared to Vice City. Why is there no Hydra jet for multiplayer fighting? why can’t the helicopter lock onto cars?

I played this game, beat it and put it on the shelf. San Andreas was alot better.

If you upgraded san andreas to HD quality everything and put it on 360 – that game would be ten times better than this crap. Nickoli sounds like Borat.

By: Antoine Parmentier

Antoine Parmentier — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:16:02 +0000

just lost interest. It really did get too repetitive… and I also ran out of free time to play, but that’s another matter.

I do agree that missions are more repetitive than previous iterations, but the simple fact that if you drive with somebody and re-try the mission, you’ll get a different dialogue (I counted 3 on a particular mission) makes up for that. Starting the review with Taxi Driver is not random. While as a game, it sometimes suffer from a few details, it’s one of the best stories ever told in a game.

What a good game. I disagree with the review of the driving physics, though.

I’d actually say it’s the only game that offers the possibility of real-city driving (I really don’t count Burnout, as it does not offer a real city at all). That said, I don’t feel handling is very realistic. Movie-like, yes. Fun, yes, but realistic, in the sense of Forza-like accurate? No. But as you say, it does a fine job of reflecting city-situations. As as a part-time New Yorker, I can tell you it does a pretty fine job of recreating the conditions of NYC….

By: BMW325I

BMW325I — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:11:31 +0000

What is really sad is that GTA IV has more realistic driving physics than the most recent need for speed game.

By: bolhuijo

bolhuijo — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:42:52 +0000

Here’s a fun tip: Grab a rwd car and mash the throttle and brake at the same time to do a big smoky burnout. Use the steering to do donuts and leave skidmarks all over. Do it for too long and the tires explode. This also works with stretch limos and fire trucks. Less realistic but more hilarious.

By: skygreenleopard

skygreenleopard — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:29:32 +0000

What a good game. I disagree with the review of the driving physics, though. Of course it’s no Gran Turismo, but with the exception of the world’s best race driving simulation, I say this one is top-notch when it comes to simulating city driving. You can’t turn when you’ve locked the brakes. You can’t actually take 90 degree city block turns at 70 mph. SUVs will flip when you pull the handbrake at speed. And crappy cars handle weirdly – floaty, slowly, numbly, depending on your choice of clunker. Escaping cops, even one, is a nightmare in an econobox, but it’s strikingly easy in a Ferrari. I’ve never really encountered a game that reflects real-life conditions like this.

The non-driving parts are great fun, too.

By: Michael Ayoub

Michael Ayoub — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:54:34 +0000

I played it for a while, but about half-way through the game, I just lost interest. It really did get too repetitive… and I also ran out of free time to play, but that’s another matter.

I traded it in, but I’ll probably buy it again later. Driving in that game was great fun.

By: RedStapler

RedStapler — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:41:11 +0000

One of my most gratifying moments playing GTA4 was driving the Firetruck and Armored Car around Manhattan smashing all that was before me.

By: beeb375

beeb375 — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:33:12 +0000

Bonus: the weather changes randomly, including rain and fog, which alter a car’s handling.

Fog alters a car’s handling?! Good review though, I’ve had this since it came out and it’s seriously stonking great fun, the dialogue is indeed superb, the city feels properly alive and atmospheric, and the Gears of War style cover system makes combat way more satisfying than GTAs of olde.