Why GTA 1 Is Better Than GTA IV

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Montrealien6581d ago

Although I love and play a lot of GTA4, what GTA 1 felt like on launch was something very special, very different. I understand his point of view.

MrPink6581d ago

Even though I LOVE gta4, the man has got a point. I have to agree with him. Maybe gta4-2(like vice on ps2) has a more unorganized and fun oriented theme.

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thisguywithhair6580d ago

When I read this article all I was hearing in my head was: "Back in my day..."

I know that I am going to be getting alot of disagrees on this but I have to say it. You are stuck in the past. The only reason GTA 4 was made the way it was made was because R* knew that people want to play games that are made this way. If people really did want a birds-eye view of everything going on then the game would have been made that way. I really do hate it when people try to prove their inteligence by saying that they prefer the old way of doing something simply because of the spirit of the way it was done. What people don't seem to realize is that people will be saying this about GTA 4 in 20 years when GTA XXX comes out.

The thing that people need to realize is that no matter what happens, no matter what new technologies come out, people are still going to want what came out in the past. What they have to realize is that just because it came first, doesn't mean it was better.

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wacko6580d ago

I think you've missed the point. Granted the graphics are better now then they were, but you cant compare that. Thats like comparing the Mario Bros Games now vs then. You have to look at the whole picture.

At the time GTA was almost a new breed in gaming, unfortunately now its just rehashed and isnt the same game.

Though some of you may not be old enough to remember the old games

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NO_PUDding6580d ago (Edited 6580d ago )

He's wrong and right.

The high point of the series was GTAIII, it really was, it was a superb piece of writing, it was totally it's own theme and very contemporary at the time (not 80's or 90's) and it had great writing.

GTA and GTA2 were awesome fun, but I think the step into 3D made the best of it. I personally dislike Vice City and San Andreas in comparison to GTAIII. The first and second GTA really wasted 2 summers for me. I was too yougn to be playign them really, but it was awesome.

Regardless GTAIV was actually the first milking of the series. The only thing that made it special was Euphoria, and without that, the game would have zero appeal.

And that was by Natural Motion. Bravo Rockstar.

GTA died this generation. Learn to accept it.

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Jack Meahoffer6580d ago (Edited 6580d ago )

Back in my day GTA was from a birds eye view and WE LIKED IT!... Yeah it felt more toy like.. Yeah not like you kids and your fancy 3D graphics! Bah!

We should just stop rebooting any IP according to this guy. Just keep everything the same forever.

This guy is reaching in a failed attempt to be controversial. GTA IV is more realistic now and thats a good thing.

Too bad when any game becomes mega huge you'll have those elitist haters. Happens with any game. Mario. Halo. GTA. Like a middle schooler that doesn't like a band anymore because they became popular and everyone else likes them now. Have to be different somehow. Conformist non-conformists.

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cLiCK_sLiCK96580d ago

I wouldnt know....I never played GTa1.
Heck, i only played GTA LCS for the PSP!!! And Now i Recently bought GTA4. To me..this upgrade was a big boom to me.
And Still dont see how GTa4 Is over rated. Maybe i shouldpick up all gta's n start playing them??

barom6580d ago

GTA1 sold terribly didn't it?

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ajeben8096580d ago

such as stealing the train, letting all the passengers out, then i wood flip out my machine gun and kill every1 in sight lol it was so fun watching ppl run onto the railway tracks and get electricuted

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Snoozer2826581d ago

The games are from different eras with different aims. Obviously a subjective comparison like this is going to arise.

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Presentist6580d ago

Well put, however, if you look at the comments on this story, it's apparent that most of these people aren't old enough to have played the first game when it was new anyway.

I feel like a geezer. I remember playing GTA1 on a PC in 7th grade lab the week it was released.

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ape0076581d ago (Edited 6581d ago )

was body harvest on the n64,it was like an early generation gta3,it has almost everything, cars bikes,helicopters,tanks,boats, planes and even ufo's(Im not kidding),few gamers played this instant classic, it was a forgotten gem made by dma design errrrr.errrrr rockstar north.

rockstar north need to make a sequel to this awesome game,it has tons and tons of potential,see this on youtube

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Hobgoblin6581d ago

Excellent point. Hadn't thought of that. Good man.

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wacko6580d ago

Now we are stepping way back, but you got a valid point

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BigKev456581d ago

Come on, IV is WAYYYYYYYYYYYY better then the 1st.

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Defectiv3_Detectiv36581d ago

This article definetly makes some strong points. GTA is more for kids to live out their adult fantasies then for its "so called" intended audience(adults).

Personally, I need more substance from a game. GTA just leaves me w/ an empty feeling. The missions in the game feel like a chore, you really just want to run around and wreak havoc.

I think the franchise should incorportate more RPG elements into the game - you can collect money to buy clothes and weapons, but other than that money serves no purpose. It would be cool if your actions in the game affected the city. The way you play evolves the city differently, something to that effect.

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Vip3r6581d ago

What's up with all the anti-gta4 articles?

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dktxx26581d ago

They think their badass journalists, take no crap from nobody, cool as the other side of the pillow, so they they go against the opposite of what people think.

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thisguywithhair6580d ago

The problem is that people had such high expectations that when the game came out they were, of course, disappointed. There are two ways to judge how good a game is.

One is to play it. And make sure to give it a fair try too. Play the first five levels or something like that. No one can tell you how to like a game because no two people look at the same thing the same way. It is just like watching a movie. You can't tell that you like it just by watching the opening credits.

The other way is to ask the developers if they were able to do everything that they wanted to. Is there anything that they had to cut out, not because it didn't fit with the overall design of the game. But they had to cut it because of lack of money or something like that. Ask any film director and they will tell you that more often than not they are forced to cut scenes simply because the production company didn't think people would want to sit through such a long movie.

*Just a side note here, the original DUNE movie was originally meant to be over four hours long. It was then edited to just under 2 hours. Since then the director has tried to retain as much control over his projects as he could from then on.*

All I am saying is that people are trying to force their opinions on you from all sides and it sure seems that everyone is either giving up and going with the flow, or giving up and fighting the flow tooth and nail just to avoid becoming a sheep. No one seems to think for themselves. That is why there is so many negative GTA IV stories out there.

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Jack Meahoffer6580d ago

Look at the all the people that buy into it hitting the disagree button on anyone saying anything positive about GTA IV. Lamers

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Shortstop6581d ago

Well it wouldn't be much of an article to say "GTA IV is better than GTA 1".

"GTA IV's graphics absolutely kick GTA 1's ass!"

"WTF is up with this top down view?!"

"Where's the cutscenes?!"

etc. :D

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clintos596581d ago

And yes I agree because if it wasnt for the first GTA, there would be no GTA4 so it makes sense. Me personally I loved Vice City and San Andreas better then GTA4 but GTA4 was also great. Heck there all bad a$$, I just think reviews are a little overhyping when it comes to GTA4. It is a great game like I said but not a perfect game. 9.7 would be more accurate especially with the problems it has on both consoles.

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Picnico6581d ago

'And yet GTA IV focuses its listless energy on exemplifying the world of organized crime. The entire purpose of Grand Theft Auto was basking in the hysterics of disorganized crime!'

A think that a nail has been hit on the head. I've removed the un-necessary swearing.

The original game was a guilty pleasure. The GTA series has now been canonised as one of the few games for which anything less than 10/10 has to be fully justified with LISTS of complaints.

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pow3r of t3h c3ll6581d ago

GTA1 was more fun than GTA4 because it was original whereas GTA4 is basically rockstar starting to milk the GTA open world formula so it got boring quickly.

And considering the review scores and sales figures there is no hope of rockstar changing the formula in any significant way so GTA5 is going to suck as well as 6,7,8......

Unless consumers stop buying the series but they wont because omfg its like teh GTA!!!

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highdro6581d ago

its gta3 that is better than past 4,...i think this gta4 was so over hyped that it just got redicolusy!!!, the game is an 8/10 game if u ask me,.....it was to downgraded...e.g(no jet packs,jumbo jets,jet fighters,gatling gun,flame thrower,...e.t.c) dont get me wrong i love this gta4 but if part 5 is as downgrade like this one i would not by it.

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The Dude6580d ago

I love how overhyped gets thrown around here so casually by fanboys. GTA4 lived up to the hype through the reviews, sales and records. It is also the number one multiplayer game on PSN and Live.

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PirateThom6580d ago

Yeah, and when I first got it, I bought it. Everything was amazing.

Then you play it more and more and realise how flawed and boring a lot of the game is, there's less to do than in San Andreas and the missions are the most repetative in the series, driving is no longer fun and the friends thing is a pain more than anything.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a great game, but 10/10 or GOTY? It's just not, for every step forward it took from the last gen GTA games it either went back a step somewhere else or created a new problem. There's a few moments of sheer genius and a lot of outright questionable choices.

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Jack Meahoffer6580d ago

These GTA IV hates are OUT OF THEIR ELEMENT!

The rug really did tie the room together did it not?

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omodis4206580d ago

@PirateThom

People that say that the driving is not fun are seriously mistaken in my opinion. I also don't think they have learned it well enough. It just takes practice. At first I sucked at driving and was kinda on the fence about it. But now after practice I get it and I am good. The trick is, (on PS3) When driving fast and needing to turn. Hit and the hold the X button to slow down before the turn and then as you turn tap R1. Perfect turns every time. There is a lot of improvements in the game. You just have to practice them. At first I hated the cover system. Now I love it. I love the cell phone. The taxis. Auto save. ETC ETC ETC.
I have played every GTA game. So i think I can safely say this with out getting what little bubbles I have taken away.

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perseus6581d ago (Edited 6581d ago )

It celebrates the original heart of GTA, which was seeing how many pedestrians you could run down in a row, NOT trying to take over a city.

I agree with this dude completely. The first GTAs were fun, and the next games were serious. They have been very cool games, (full disclosure: GTAIV hasn't been released here yet so I haven't played it) but they have been way too serious.

Like Cyndi Lauper, I just wanna have fun.

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escobahr6580d ago

this article is an excersise in overexamination, where he basically projects his own fantasies and needs onto a game....ones which were absolutely not there for me.

i played all the gta's...why didnt he mention the sh@tty graphics? the crap controls? theres a hundred complaints i have that he didnt even touch on.

this article is akin to a journalist telling u why he prefers ragtime on a victaphone and why all new music is just soul-less by comparison

its sad how so many sites have to publish anti gts pieces just to get traffic! lol

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thisguywithhair6580d ago

If he mentioned any of those things it would kill his argument. Watch out for people who never do both sides of the story as they probably would just attck you for not paying attention to the article. There is no such thing as an unbiased article, but this guy seems to be setting GTA 1 on such a high pedistal that he can't possibly see any of its faults.

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Banjoman6580d ago

Love the picture they've chosen to go with this! I think the big Gouranga sign summarizes everything. I didn't feel one way or the other to be honest, but I'd forgotten all about running down the line of hippies. It made me realize what's missing from GTA 4, and it's Gouranga! So I guess they're right. GTA 1 was better - in terms of comedy at the very least.

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PainisCupcake6580d ago

Give us the early games humour with the 3D world and ill be happy :D

Angelitos6580d ago

hmmmmmmmmmmm

Surfman6580d ago

i really liked the second one. GTA2 was nice.

Thoas6580d ago

GTA II was my favorite.

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LinuxGuru6580d ago

LOL "Polls are in! The Stone Age is seen to be better than the Digital Age! Regression is the new Progression! Everyone should start shredding their clothing and carrying around large, blunt objects to beat eachother with! Slur your words! Communicate through violent body language and agressive grunts and yells!"

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Lager6580d ago

"veryone should start shredding their clothing and carrying around large, blunt objects to beat each other with! Communicate through violent body language"

You mean like they do in the GTA games :-D

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LinuxGuru6580d ago

Can't anybody have a f*ckin sense of humor nowadays? 3 disagrees already? Explain yourselves, you overly-serious loonies!

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myabsolution6580d ago

I used to have GTA1 LAN parties... omg those were the days...

I have always enjoyed the first game the best, its just the feel of it. "killllll frenzzzyy"

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waljaber6580d ago

yah i agree :)

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sleepbox6580d ago (Edited 6580d ago )

most kiddies on this board don't know what GTA1 is. To them, GTA didn't exist prior to GTA3.

Yah, GTA4 sux lol, I'm so rebellious hating on the best rated game of all time!!!

2cents6580d ago

for everyone else I think GTA IV

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wildcat6580d ago (Edited 6580d ago )

It was like nothing I'd ever played. I still remember burning down a group of pedestrians and watching them scream and run the opposite direction; follow them and you'll see them collapsing simultaneously in a pool of blood. Or the first time I launched a rocket directly into a pedestrian's body. Pay n Spray, radio, dodging bullets, wanted level, they were all NEW.

Now imagine if they'd never released any sandbox or GTA games up until now. Imagine if GTA IV was one of the first sandbox games. Wouldn't you be astonished? That's basically how the first one became a classic. It's harder now for GTAIV to give you the same feelings that GTAI gave you simply because its newness has worn off.

But kudos to Rockstar for making an immersive, realistic world this time around. I'll continue to play each iteration of GTA.

omodis4206580d ago

GTA 4 is a culmination of the series and the vision of its designers. If they were able to do a game like GTA4 on the PS1 THEY would have. GTA1 was limited by the technology of its time. I mean you wouldn't sit there and say the 3D mario games are not as good as the side scroller's would you? (wait..maybe a bunch of you would) But regardless, GTA 4 is an awesome game that is one of the most realized games of all time. Oh no you can't lift weights. SO Buy a weight set. Games are not real life. If real life elements are left out of games, then go do them for real. Its like how I feel about Guitar Hero and Rockband. If you are going to take all that time to learn a game of a guitar, then why not but a real guitar and learn it.

2cents6580d ago

I concur

wildcat6580d ago

Then I think you misunderstood my post. I agree with you, I was just saying GTA 1 was such an instant classic because it was the first of its kind. People wanted GTA 4 to give them the same feelings that GTA 1 gave them and it's backwards thinking. The series is always progressing, and is the reason why I will continue to purchase and enjoy them.

omodis4206580d ago (Edited 6580d ago )

I was not replying to anyone in specific. But just the article and some of the people and their reasons sense the game was released.

ReBurn6580d ago

I don't think that GTA IV really betrays the original all that much. Steal cars, commit crimes...the basics are there. What has evolved, and much to my pleasure, is Rockstar's storytelling ability. With GTA III I spent most of my time causing havoc, but in GTA IV I'm immersed in the storyline.

Not to mention, Rockstar hasn't forgotten their roots. That's why top-down is still available, even though I think it's a shame to really use it.

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Turrikan6578d ago

This is always going to be one of those ancient wars between people that remember what gaming was like when we were the age of the Halo generation (and yes I am one of the older ones) and the very audience of which gaming is aimed for nowadays.

Every game has a soul (well, except Pit-Fighter..!) and it is how the games industry nurtures that sacred life force from a game to generate siblings who are more wise and powerful than the last. It is very true, GTA IV would not be here if it wasn't for it's forebearer, but it's also not to say the newest in a long and sustained franchise doesn't deserve the plaudits it gets today.

The original GTA was meant to be on the Amiga, but it never materialised, so found a new home on the PSX and from there a whole generation of admirers. Looking in todays gaming society, we're spoilt for choice graphically and it was gameplay that rode the waves at the time, so this is something to take into account here, but I still have a soft spot for GTA III of all things.

Mafia car + Stunt Jump = class.. ;)