GTA IV: A 1.5 STAR out of 5

[biggeo]

From users review GTA IV get 1.5 STARS out of 5 at AMAZON.COM and not only.

 

I agree with most review there: http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/product/B00...erBy=addOneStar

 

Actually a user there with name ROCCO say them all, I post here just few wich happen to be my oppinion too:

 

How it should happen.

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Run it

4 Have many hours of fun

 

How GTA4 does it.

 

1 Buy it

2 Install it

3 Register online

4 Try to run - get BSOD

5 Try again - get cryptic error message (alpha code, no description)

6 Google message to discover it means the game won't run without XP SP3 (why couldn't the error say that?)

7 Download and install SP3, then reboot

8 Run it again

9 Create (unwanted and should be completely optional) logins and gamertags for both Windows Live and RS Social Club - after installing Windows Live software (and an immediate follow-on) update, then reboot again

10 Link the two tags - eventually, when both sites are available and accepting logons

11 Start playing - get woeful performance (OK, my PC isn't a great spec any more but it still ran Crysis perfectly well)

12 Get fatal crash that takes Windows out as well

13 Reboot, then go online to see if there are any tips or tricks to getting this monster to work even a little bit

14 Find, download and install slightly dodgy Nvidia beta driver which has been rushed out just for this game

15 Reboot one more time, then run it again. A marginal improvement but still not playable by any stretch of the imagination

16 Leave it for a day, then come back and try some more tricks

17 Run it, get about 5 minutes into the game (after waiting nearly that long for it to load) then get a different crash, again with a cryptic alpha code

18 Google the code, find out it is possibly caused by either the DRM (SecuRom) or faulty install disc with a corrupted .CAB file somewhere

19 Consider ordering RAM, CPU and GPU upgrades, then reconsider and write this review instead.

 

Finally, unless they get on top of the situation in the next 2 weeks (i.e. before Christmas) I expect this to be the end of the line for the GTA franchise, and possibly Rockstar as well.

 

WELL DONE R*

 

 

[SoftUnderbelly]

Shut up.

 

Sloppy French Kisses,

 

SoftUnderbelly

[postem]

GTa is over.

 

EA demanded that R* screwed it because it was too violent to join the roll of "big good games" of EA.

[camdean]

 

 

 

 

1 Buy it

2 Install it

3 Register online

4 Try to run - get BSOD

5 Try again - get cryptic error message (alpha code, no description)

6 Google message to discover it means the game won't run without XP SP3 (why couldn't the error say that?)

7 Download and install SP3, then reboot

 

 

It's needed to run the game, your silly fault for not checking box that comes with game !

 

 

8 Run it again

9 Create (unwanted and should be completely optional) logins and gamertags for both Windows Live and RS Social Club - after installing Windows Live software (and an immediate follow-on) update, then reboot again

10 Link the two tags - eventually, when both sites are available and accepting logons

 

 

 

Oh no, a few minutes work, dam I think it's time slit my wrists !!

 

 

19 Consider ordering RAM, CPU and GPU upgrades, then reconsider and write this review instead.

 

 

Obviously your PC would be not capable of running it if you had to think about all these choices.

 

 

Good try kid

 

[SoftUnderbelly]

What a rim-licker. *rolls eyes*

[camdean]

 

What a rim-licker. *rolls eyes*

 

 

Yummmmy

Edited December 15, 2008 by camdean

[GTAIVMAC]

Best review ever:)

[microsnakey]

 

 

 

1 Buy it

2 Install it

3 Register online

4 Try to run - get BSOD

5 Try again - get cryptic error message (alpha code, no description)

6 Google message to discover it means the game won't run without XP SP3 (why couldn't the error say that?)

7 Download and install SP3, then reboot

 

 

It's needed to run the game, your silly fault for not checking box that comes with game !

 

 

SP3 is not needed it is just gfwl/microsoft forcing you to upgrade.

A simple registry change to tell the computer that is had sp3 is all that is needed

[Vanzant]

 

Finally, unless they get on top of the situation in the next 2 weeks (i.e. before Christmas) I expect this to be the end of the line for the GTA franchise, and possibly Rockstar as well.

 

WELL DONE R*

Yeah uhh, surely the CEO's are already cleaning Their desks out.

 

 

[Weses]

For me it was like this:

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Register for Social Club and GFW

4 Run it

5 Have many hours of fun

 

YOU are the one with the issues. Keep your computer up to date regularly and all would be fine.

[camdean]

 

 

 

1 Buy it

2 Install it

3 Register online

4 Try to run - get BSOD

5 Try again - get cryptic error message (alpha code, no description)

6 Google message to discover it means the game won't run without XP SP3 (why couldn't the error say that?)

7 Download and install SP3, then reboot

 

 

It's needed to run the game, your silly fault for not checking box that comes with game !

 

 

SP3 is not needed it is just gfwl/microsoft forcing you to upgrade.

A simple registry change to tell the computer that is had sp3 is all that is needed

It said it on the box lol, don't be a dumb ass

[evilrex]

For me it was like this:

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Register for Social Club and GFW

4 Run it

5 Have many hours of fun

 

YOU are the one with the issues. Keep your computer up to date regularly and all would be fine.

+1

[Alexis27]

 

For me it was like this:

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Register for Social Club and GFW

4 Run it

5 Have many hours of fun

 

YOU are the one with the issues. Keep your computer up to date regularly and all would be fine.

 

I'm assuming you don't have an ATI card and have a 360 controller, or love to play with keys and mouse only.

 

Not quite sure what kind of person would like driving with keys...

[Lord of the Flies]

I can see where the guy is coming from. I thought the process needed to get the game to actually run was damn long. I don't want Windows Live and I don't care about Rockstar's Social Club. Although I had texture problems and crashes, migrating to Vista 64 solved all the issues. I know a load of people who are having major problems with the game; as long as you have above-average hardware (especially a good CPU) it seems you'll be okay.

 

If Rockstar can just fix the game to run more efficiently and introduce vehicle brakes and handbrakes that are actually roadworthy, then I won't have any more gripes with GTA IV.

[CharmingCharlie]

Hm I must be a super wonderful intellect because I had no bloody problem getting GTA 4 set up on my PC. Look if you want a system that practically wipes your own arse for you then piss off and buy a damn console. Sorry I am just getting sick and bloody tired of these whiners going "ohhhh it's too hard".

[sonofhendrix]

Amazing how these angry people keep popping up here and there claiming that they have great frame rates, absolutely no problems, easy install etc etc. Makes you wonder who they might be working for......... nuge nuge, wink wink.

[newb1e]

pretty nice review.. I done all that steps to run this game and still cant have a normal performances.. TOO GOOD .. I never buy any PC games

[CharmingCharlie]

Yeah that's it I work for Rockstar, my secret is finally revealed I have been here for years I spent most of them complaining that Rockstar are treating the PC like crap by not releasing the game on the PC. So that must mean I actually knew it was going to be released on the PC and just for sh*ts and giggles I went and bought an Xbrick.

 

I am the first too acknowledge that there are issues with the game, this is not the best port on the planet. However the crap the whiners keep posting is hardly the true picture either. I don't know why but some people on this board have an agenda and will take any opportunity to bash GTA 4.

 

I run GTA 4 at 30 - 40fps on my quadcore with 2 year old 8800gts at 1280 x 720, it works perfectly fine, it installed first time the only issue I had was on the day of release when the social club was f*cked. Like I said the PC has always been a more involved system so if you don't want a bit of "work" then please do us all a damn favour and buy a console. Who knows you might find your intellectual match there.

[Lord of the Flies]

 

Hm I must be a super wonderful intellect because I had no bloody problem getting GTA 4 set up on my PC.  Look if you want a system that practically wipes your own arse for you then piss off and buy a damn console.  Sorry I am just getting sick and bloody tired of these whiners going "ohhhh it's too hard".

Since when is ease of use a bad thing?

 

At the end of the day, the port is shoddy and doesn't use system resources effectively. People with lower spec systems have every right to complain.

Edited December 15, 2008 by Lord of the Flies

[ShXIII]

Yes and everyone that has problems with GTA IV for PC apparently doesn't know sh*t about computers. Nope makes perfect sense that only people without computer knowledge are having problems with the game. Yeah keep trying you queer fanboys.

[CharmingCharlie]

 

Since when is easy of use a bad thing?

 

At the end of the day, the port is shoddy and doesn't use system resources effectively. People with lower spec systems have every right to complain.

PC's have never been more easy to use. I remember when we had to do an entire boot disc to reconfigure the mouse driver to go into highmem to get a game running. These days it couldn't get any easier. however if you are incapable of doing a few easy extra steps then please go and buy a console. There is certainly nothing easier than a console so if that's what you want then DO IT.

 

As for people with lower specs than me ???? I couldn't get much lower fair enough my quad is still semi decent but my 8800gts is out of the damn ark it's got to be nearly 3 years of age by now and yet it runs GTA 4 better than the consoles. So once again I say if you cannot get this game running reasonably well on your PC then you need to ask if PC gaming is for you.

[Mr Heckler]

So once again I say if you cannot get this game running reasonably well on your PC then you need to ask if PC gaming is for you.

 

That is just a cop out comment and if you seriously believe that then you should be reconsidering being a PC gamer. There are clear issues with the game that are not related to hardware, but to the games programming. Obviously some people are playing it and some are not. But to spout that kind of reasoning, is to take a very narrow minded and ignorant view of things.

 

The problems others are having are very real and those experiencing them come from the entire spectrum of gamers... from the very competent to the non technical. So your argument becomes moot.

 

If the game was without flaws and worked out of the box... as anyone should expect any game to be... then your argument might hold water. But as it stands it's got more flaws in it than the game itself.

 

If/when rockstar fix the problems and the game can be run on systems within the recommended specs, and the same people are making the same arguments and complaints... then I will gladly stand behind your comments. But as that is not the case, please remove your rose tinted specs and see what's really happening.

 

 

[CharmingCharlie]

 

If the game was without flaws and worked out of the box... as anyone should expect any game to be... then your argument might hold water. But as it stands it's got more flaws in it than the game itself.

 

If/when rockstar fix the problems and the game can be run on systems within the recommended specs, and the same people are making the same arguments and complaints... then I will gladly stand behind your comments. But as that is not the case, please remove your rose tinted specs and see what's really happening.

Guess what my copy of GTA 4 did when I got it ? That's right it worked straight out of the box no faffing about or anything. Sure I had to sign up to the social club etc etc. My point is that this is being blown way out of proportion to what it is, those 19 steps that the TC listed well guess what ten years ago you could have added another 20 steps onto them just to get a game working.

 

This is what PC gaming has ALWAYS been like, I remember buying Mechwarrior 2 after seeing all the fancy screenshots. I got it home installed it and the game looked like a bloody dog on my pc. It was nearly 2 years before I could play it with any decent graphics. I remember having to hop through rings to install games no end of time in the past. In short GTA 4 is not doing ANYTHING different to every other single damn PC game that has ever come out.

 

That is why I say if you can't handle it then buy a console, if you want an absolute guarantee that the game you buy will be 100% working on your machine then buy a console. If you want to be hand held and led every single step of the way then buy a console. The nature of the PC means there is always a chance that the game you buy MAY not work on your machine, this is not unique to Rockstar it is unique to the PC though.

[Rcguy150]

My experience:

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Run it

4 Have many hours of fun

 

(I pre-registered beforehand)

 

 

Sorry you can't get it running.

[ShXIII]

 

This is what PC gaming has ALWAYS been like, I remember buying Mechwarrior 2 after seeing all the fancy screenshots. I got it home installed it and the game looked like a bloody dog on my pc. It was nearly 2 years before I could play it with any decent graphics. I remember having to hop through rings to install games no end of time in the past. In short GTA 4 is not doing ANYTHING different to every other single damn PC game that has ever come out.

 

I agree, PC games almost always need "some" kind tweaking.... BUT NOT f*ckING BETA TESTING ON AN OFFICIAL RELEASE. This game is just terribly coded and should never have been released like this.

[FredFredrickson]

If the game was without flaws and worked out of the box... as anyone should expect any game to be... then your argument might hold water. But as it stands it's got more flaws in it than the game itself.

 

If/when rockstar fix the problems and the game can be run on systems within the recommended specs, and the same people are making the same arguments and complaints... then I will gladly stand behind your comments. But as that is not the case, please remove your rose tinted specs and see what's really happening.

Guess what my copy of GTA 4 did when I got it ? That's right it worked straight out of the box no faffing about or anything. Sure I had to sign up to the social club etc etc. My point is that this is being blown way out of proportion to what it is, those 19 steps that the TC listed well guess what ten years ago you could have added another 20 steps onto them just to get a game working.

 

This is what PC gaming has ALWAYS been like, I remember buying Mechwarrior 2 after seeing all the fancy screenshots. I got it home installed it and the game looked like a bloody dog on my pc. It was nearly 2 years before I could play it with any decent graphics. I remember having to hop through rings to install games no end of time in the past. In short GTA 4 is not doing ANYTHING different to every other single damn PC game that has ever come out.

 

That is why I say if you can't handle it then buy a console, if you want an absolute guarantee that the game you buy will be 100% working on your machine then buy a console. If you want to be hand held and led every single step of the way then buy a console. The nature of the PC means there is always a chance that the game you buy MAY not work on your machine, this is not unique to Rockstar it is unique to the PC though.

There are quite a few rockstar sympothizers on this board. It's surprising. True, it may not be neccessary for so many people to complain. But when you're sitting at your computer with a brand new $60 game that doesn't run on a perfectly good machine- it's nice to vent.

 

The fact is, there's an overwhelming majority of people here complaining that it's not working well, and about 3 people who have it running perfect.

 

Let us have venting space. If you want to talk about anything else- maybe you should contact rockstar and beg them to fix it for everybody ELSE who IS having problems, instead of sitting here and gloating about how special you are and how you magically got this POS to run at ungodly speeds. Stop telling people to shut up. We're all in pain here.

[proh1]

This is probably the best post made in efforts to show Rockstar what a bad job they did, good post dude.

[RedEnd]

 

1 Buy the game

2 Install it

3 Run it

4 Have many hours of fun

 

 

This is my expirence so far!

beatiful game, shame that me E4600 managed to run it really good on 1280X1024 on Med other one High with 30 Vehicle Denisty (shadow 3, others 1)

 

 

What a rim-licker. *rolls eyes*

 

 

Yummmmy

 

 

Freakin crap, nice rim

BUT! there is always better, take a look at this one :

i dont care people would call me rim licker, THIS IS ONE AWESOME RIM!

[CharmingCharlie]

 

I agree, PC games almost always need "some" kind tweaking.... BUT NOT f*ckING BETA TESTING ON AN OFFICIAL RELEASE. This game is just terribly coded and should never have been released like this.

Oh really tried fallout 3 on the PC lately, that game still crashes at the drop of a hat, come to think of it I had a fair few crashes with Mercs2 and farcry2 as well (and no I didn't go spamming the forums about the problems). Yet after nearly 58 hours of gaming on the PC version of GTA 4 I have had in total ONE crash. Now I will totally agree that this is not the most efficient port I have ever seen and on a technical level it could be seen as a failure. However many of the problems a lot of people are experiencing are down to THEIR hardware not the game. However it is a hell of a lot easier for them to blame Rockstar than blame themselves.

 

 

There are quite a few rockstar sympothizers on this board. It's surprising. True, it may not be neccessary for so many people to complain. But when you're sitting at your computer with a brand new $60 game that doesn't run on a perfectly good machine- it's nice to vent.

Dear god will you listen to yourself, apparently anyone that enjoys the game and gets a lot of pleasure from the game is now a "Rockstar Sympathiser" tell me are you noting our names in a lil black book. I am not a Rockstar Sympathiser I have been a very out spoken critic of Rockstar's activities in the past and I will do so again if I feel they warrant that criticism.

 

I have noticed an inordinate number of posts from people going "Rockstar suck because I can't play high settings on my 8600gt", for the record High settings is better than the console settings and the 8600gt is WORSE than the gpu in the consoles. So is that Rockstars fault then ? How about all the dozens of posts from people going "this game runs badly on a single core" ? I mean Rockstar specifically state you need a Core2Duo so are Rockstar to blame for that as well ? I could go on and list dozens of other complaints users have had about GTA 4 and they all have ONE thing in common it was THEIR machine and nothing to do with Rockstar.

 

 

Let us have venting space. If you want to talk about anything else- maybe you should contact rockstar and beg them to fix it for everybody ELSE who IS having problems, instead of sitting here and gloating about how special you are and how you magically got this POS to run at ungodly speeds. Stop telling people to shut up. We're all in pain here.

Venting space !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you whiners have practically taken over the forum. The minute anyone tries to say anything remotely positive about the PC version they are lept upon and accused of either "working" for Rockstar or being a "Rockstar Sympathiser". This is a free forum if I want to "vent" my frustration about people "venting" then I will do so. Oh and I don't believe I ever told anyone to "shut up" I am merely expressing my opinion that 80% of the stuff that Rockstar is being blamed for has sod all to do with them and more to do with the user.

[ShXIII]

I agree, PC games almost always need "some" kind tweaking.... BUT NOT f*ckING BETA TESTING ON AN OFFICIAL RELEASE. This game is just terribly coded and should never have been released like this.

Oh really tried fallout 3 on the PC lately, that game still crashes at the drop of a hat, come to think of it I had a fair few crashes with Mercs2 and farcry2 as well (and no I didn't go spamming the forums about the problems). Yet after nearly 58 hours of gaming on the PC version of GTA 4 I have had in total ONE crash. Now I will totally agree that this is not the most efficient port I have ever seen and on a technical level it could be seen as a failure. However many of the problems a lot of people are experiencing are down to THEIR hardware not the game. However it is a hell of a lot easier for them to blame Rockstar than blame themselves.

 

 

There are quite a few rockstar sympothizers on this board. It's surprising. True, it may not be neccessary for so many people to complain. But when you're sitting at your computer with a brand new $60 game that doesn't run on a perfectly good machine- it's nice to vent.

Dear god will you listen to yourself, apparently anyone that enjoys the game and gets a lot of pleasure from the game is now a "Rockstar Sympathiser" tell me are you noting our names in a lil black book. I am not a Rockstar Sympathiser I have been a very out spoken critic of Rockstar's activities in the past and I will do so again if I feel they warrant that criticism.

 

I have noticed an inordinate number of posts from people going "Rockstar suck because I can't play high settings on my 8600gt", for the record High settings is better than the console settings and the 8600gt is WORSE than the gpu in the consoles. So is that Rockstars fault then ? How about all the dozens of posts from people going "this game runs badly on a single core" ? I mean Rockstar specifically state you need a Core2Duo so are Rockstar to blame for that as well ? I could go on and list dozens of other complaints users have had about GTA 4 and they all have ONE thing in common it was THEIR machine and nothing to do with Rockstar.

 

 

Let us have venting space. If you want to talk about anything else- maybe you should contact rockstar and beg them to fix it for everybody ELSE who IS having problems, instead of sitting here and gloating about how special you are and how you magically got this POS to run at ungodly speeds. Stop telling people to shut up. We're all in pain here.

Venting space !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you whiners have practically taken over the forum. The minute anyone tries to say anything remotely positive about the PC version they are lept upon and accused of either "working" for Rockstar or being a "Rockstar Sympathiser". This is a free forum if I want to "vent" my frustration about people "venting" then I will do so. Oh and I don't believe I ever told anyone to "shut up" I am merely expressing my opinion that 80% of the stuff that Rockstar is being blamed for has sod all to do with them and more to do with the user.

Nice try moron i have fallout 3 and farcry 2 and the "tweaking" i had to do to these games to work is a f*cking wet dream compared to GTAIV. Go promote this game to people who don't know what they are talking about and sell them a sh*t salad.