I know GTA.
You know GTA.
Heck, even you're Grandma knows GTA.
It's one of (if not 'the') biggest game franchises of recent years, matched only be Halo and... erm...
That's probably it.
It has gathered itself high scores in the reviews department, but with that, a lot of controversy.
You're Grandma may know GTA.
But you don't want to show her it.
Anyway, since this is my first review, that was probably a tedious introduction, but, what you gonna do?
Gameplay:
Every game needs good gameplay (insert sarcastic comment here). It doesn't matter how content-rich the game is, or how luscious the graphics are, without decent gameplay it is all pointless.
Thankfully, this is not.
Odds are, I'm going to forget to write about something in this section, because there is just so much to do, but I'm going to attempt anyway. Movement in GTA IV has been done precisely as it should be done. Since walking isn't the reason you are looking to buy GTA IV for, I'm going to move on.
Shooting in GTA IV. Obviously an integral part to this game. It has two modes; auto-aim and manual. Auto-aim is a bit fidgety, I understand, however I have not used this much as manual aiming is much more fun. There is a cover system (similar to that used in Uncharted) which is, for the most-part, easy to use, but when aiming can sometimes not want to look where you want to (if you are aiming far-left or far-right), but that is just a minor niggle, doesn't happen too often.
The car handling in Rockstar's latest outing has been under-fire (to a certain degree) lately... I can understand why this is, but, in my opinion, it has been changed for the better. The cars handle more realistically (of course, not matching Gran Turismo physics) as you cannot now cruise through a corner at 100mph. It will probably take slightly longer to master the driving, but, isn't that part of gaming?
Content:
I'm sure, if you have played a GTA game before (if not, where have you been?) you will understand how much there is to do in this game. Obviously there is the main story-arc (more on that later), but if you need a break, or can't be bothered to try that mission you've been failing at for the last 2 hours, you can relax with friends (I'm talking about offline here) at the local bowling alley, darts board, bar, pool table or, if you're into polygons, take a visit to a nearby gentlemen's club. But, like the rest of the series, getting chased by the police is the highlight.
Graphics:
GTA IV is 640p (at least on the PS3 version, I haven't looked into it on the 360). GTA is also the game that has impressed me the most graphically this (console) generation bar Prologue.
I dont care if the game is 640p or 1080p.
It looks fantastic. 'Nuff said.
Online:
For most games this generation, online has decided a game (probably because there aren't games with a single player mode that lasts more than 6 hours anymore, but thats a rant for a different day) but not this one. GTA IV is a perfectly solid game without the online mode. In fact, this review would've gotten the exact same score without the online mode in, mainly because it doesn't impress me very much. I mean, it does the job, but doesn't have any depth. I mean, some matches can be downright chaos, a right laugh, but others simply don;t hold a candle to some of the fun that can be had in the single player.
Final Comment:
The game is violent. The game is rude. The game is immoral.
The game is GTA.
Buy it now...
...if you're old enough.
GTA IV turned GTA into a more grounded franchise where storytelling and immersion became just as engrossing as wrecking up open-world sandboxes.
Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."
Here here
Those that were around before 2000's i am sure are like me that think we entered a world of non readers or those that follow without question.
I can not wait to see fallout 3 a goty game even though it was about water with non content until you add the dlc/updates then you got the performance/crashing
1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.
It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!
I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.
Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.
Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.
Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:
- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2
I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.
Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.
I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.
I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.
But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.
Just about every year in the 7th generation was great and something we most likely won't experience again.
2009 for example had Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age: Origins, Uncharted 2, Halo 3: ODST, Killzone 2, Borderlands, Bayonetta, and Demon's Souls to name a few.
It still amazes me we got over 7 rockstar games ps2/ps3 but 3 for the ps3/ps4/ps5
Dragon age 1-3 and mass effect 1-3 in 7ish years what a generation.
Grand Theft Auto 4 is an important game for Rockstar, not least because it was the first title in the franchise to use the newly created RAGE engine.
The game is violent. The game is rude. The game is immoral.
The game is GTA.
Buy it now...
...if you're old enough.
^ Love that Great review!