A true GTA review

[Dahitman101]

Introduction:

It comes to my attention that the GTA series had took a kick in the nuts, as Rockstar released GTA IV in such a badly ported/coded state, but all technical issues aside GTA IV is still a great game.

 

I remember reading GTA IV reviews (xbox) when I was waiting for GTA IV to release on PC (yes, hype influenced). I came across a comment on GTA IV saying how it is a "smaller" and less fun version of GTA SA, where all the fun missions such as RC plane, train robbery, plane bombing, drive-bys, gang wars and in game car modding was taken out. This comment really got to me, since GTA IV had less features to present to the gamers, by taking out many fun vehicles, parachutes ect., But today I found out GTA IV is f*cking awesome, lives up to the hype, but not the hype you have waited for.

 

My setting and status:

 

Graphics setting:

Not really a spend all money on powerful rig person, but not a tone down setting for sh*tty PC person either. I play crysis at highest setting no lag/frame skips. GTA IV medium setting, not the highest setting compared to high power rigs but good enough to tell the difference between friend and foe while popping head shots.

 

In-game completion %:

50% all together, it is taking MUCH longer than I thought, maybe I wasted too much time on random sh*t like getting buddies to 100%. At game completion 50%, I have done pretty much everything available in sandbox mode, weapons, cars, races, heli rides, strip club, darts, pool, drinking, eating, bowling ect., Also tried out some modes in Multiplayer, Team Death Match, Cops & Robbers, Turf War, Free Mode, Party Mode, GTA Race.

 

Gameplay:

 

Controls [5/5]:

[5]Well placed controls for default, I didn't find any of them uncomfortable or in need of reconfiguring from controls menu. Everything was well placed, Sprint [shift] and Jump [space], enter vehicle [F] , pick up/use [E], switch weapons [Q]. (Improvements: Rockstar finally Switched Sprint and Jump,an issue that really bugged me when I played SA and VC on PC.)

 

Characters [4.5/5]

[5]GTA IV set Niko into a deeper environment, not just the clearly stated "good and evil", every character is where they are because something happened, more realistic cause and affect for all the characters Niko is involved with. Since Niko is a freelancer he does mission for pretty much anyone,as Niko helps out many people in Liberty city he also witness the "change" in many of the characters Niko encounters.

 

[-0.5]Characters are sometimes annoying, calling Niko around the clock for places to hang out, I stopped trying to get 100% with everyone and continued on with the missions. I find it impossible to have 100% with everyone and trying to complete missions at the same time, either finish all missions and attempt to establish 100% friendship or establish friendship but do no missions in between. Because they don't give a damn when you are almost at your destination to receive missions in the game, they'll call you up and say "hey Niko, want to hang out? Get me in the next hour" (2 minutes real time), and they will be 2 islands away, you drive and drive only to get a down thumb for arriving late.

 

Story [4/5]

[-0.5]Normally this game deserves a [4.5/5] I deducted the half because the description said the story involves the "American Dream", which is very vaguely interpreted for it to be the plot of the game. In the introduction, you are presented with the situation of, you are very poor, you are going to achieve the "American Dream" with your cousin, because he is more experienced and he can work with you to the top. Then sh*t happens and your cousin is useless, you did not come into America for the "dream", and it's all work and no satisfaction from that point on. I'm at a point in the game where I have so much money, I can start my own space program, but I STILL have to go through missions to get a few Gs. Where the f*ck do I succeed in the "American Dream"?

 

[5]If you disregard the "American Dream" cash cow idea, you can see that GTA is still the good ol' GTA. Many fun and exciting missions. Car chase, Boat chase, Motorcycle Chase, Chopper chase, on foot pursuit, bank robbing, shoot outs, assassinations, car bombs, snipers, personal executions. Up to this point at 50%, it is a VERY FUN game, very interesting story with the plot evolving around Niko Belic and Liberty City.

 

Interactions and features [3/5]

[-2]Interactions and features is what makes the game fun when you play it. Such as buying weapons and having stuff to shoot at, or having cars and finding roads to drive them. Unfortunately GTA IV did not do a good job balancing the features with the interactions in this game, there are places where the interaction between player and environment is very realistic and there are places where the player can only do so much with a certain features. For example, there is an ATM machine in strip clubs or in a street, you can check how much money you have, but it is easily accessible from your HUD or press ESC and money shows from there. Why put an ATM when you can't interact with it. Then there are other issues with money,such as when you have lots and there are not much things to buy. The most expensive thing I found was vehicles, sure you can buy expensive cars from the internet but I find it easier to jack them off the street since they are the same models. You cannot buy using your phone, I saw on GTA TV about this sale on a sword, call 1-800-555-5555 what I didn't know is the phone can only dial 10 digets! I was going to replace my baseball bat with that sword, but now it looks like this bat is going to have to stick with me. Most of the stuff you see online is not ready for interaction, such as the jobs, and craplist stuff. Another key interaction I felt was missing in subways/trains is the need of "in train" interactions, well at least let Niko walk around in the train like the game Mafia so you can take out the passengers to kill time, also there are train ticket machines but the entrance fee is free...

 

[5]Despite the good for nothing ATM machines you can interact pretty realistically with stuff in GTA IV, such as some of the buddy interactions, which includes Darts, Bowling, Pool, Drinking, Strip club and seeing a show. Pool is quite realistic, you can adjust how the ball spins. Drinking has a "drunk effect", strip club with personal lap dances ect. Also cars have been tuned up to be more realistic, the alignment of wheels can be altered from crashes, engine can fail at first start or not start at all, car wheel popping and deflating are two separate things, car parts can now be "removed" from gunshots and crashes (doors, windows, tires, hoods, bumpers), cars can get dirty, car wash improves the visual effect of your car's reflection/shine, and paint of car can be scratched, covered with dirt from barrel roll ect., Features are more diverse but shallow, such as using binoculars from high towers, and giving money to the poor, instead of gambling in casinos.

 

 

 

 

You might notice I wrote more about the bad things of GTA IV than the good, that is because I don't want to spoil too much, hype of GTA IV that people expected and the actual gameplay are two different things. The key point of GTA IV is the series lived on by it's standard but the hype of a revolutionary game did not live on.

Edited December 21, 2008 by Dahitman101

[Tomern11]

Nice!

[kenrom]

the part u said about the ATMS is true...but bare in mind some if the AI uses the atm machine...i have robbed many of them..just wait till they are finish..

i can see this game lasting a good while once rockstar bring out addons with more missions etc...game will be fun for a very long time...just cant wait for the guys to do some serious modding to the game