Why is TLAD not as popular as TBOGT?

[FanEu7 677]

On reddit and other gaming forums it seems like people really love TBOGT and easily prefer it over TLAD (some even prefer it over IV..).

 

I don't get it. TLAD had a much better story and characters and it still had plenty of mission variety too. 

 

Edited January 8 by FanEu7

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

Personally I don’t care if it isn’t as popular. It’s just like GTA IV in comparison to other GTA games.

 

These games have a strong, almost cult like following who understand what makes them so special. TBOGT gets trumped by TLAD in every conceivable way.

 

I don’t care what some randoms think on Reddit.

Edited January 9 by Algonquin Assassin

[Payne 263]

Is it not? I think it is. I haven’t been using Reddit much lately but I don’t remember what you mention. 

Maybe it is liked by a few more people but many more? I don’t feel that way.

Edited January 26 by Payne

[FalconKing 1,474]

I think that the average gta player or gamer seems to hate GTA 4 and it's episodes due to being too grounded to their taste or gritty themes or something like maybe the vehicle handling (even tho i think both IV and V's car physics are way better than most if not all of the other open world one's like Watch Dogs and Cyberpunk).

As for TBOGT over TLAD? It's probably more to do with TBOGT being more wacky, less serious and flashier tone. I don't agree with that but i kinda understand why they seem to prefer TBOGT. IMO, TLAD had a better story than TBOGT.

Edited January 9 by FalconKing

[TWIST_OF_HATE 384]

Personally, I don't like TLAD at all

TBOGT is much more fun and interesting

[Thelema93 1,909]

Tankzzzzz, paruchutes shiny stuff and bling bling guns.. it's like IV with some glamour sprinkled on.. I for one love it... TLAD gets benched  

[JaeDan 101 694]

It is because GTA TBOGT got the best graphics among the three

 

As @Thelema93 said, it got tanks, parachutes and golden guns

People just ignore it's story, they focus in the side missions (Drug Wars) and mini-games (LC Cage Fighters, parachuting etc.)

[Guest]

Because Tbogt had the word "Gay" in it.

 

 

[Rhoda 7,527]

TLAD (and following that, TBOGT) were the first instances of episodic content. I never saw either of them as separate, full games - rather, they were add-ons at best. Having each eventually tell a story from a different point of view that cumulates in Three Leaf Clover was very interesting and smart. However, as much as I enjoyed the two at the time, the interest for TLAD remains rather niche. It's very heavily centred on the culture of biker gangs which isn't for everybody. Those that were turned off from the gritty realism of IV weren't likely to find much excitement in motorcycle cavalcades and a few shoot-outs.

[TheSantader25 7,572]

Because bikers.

[kubon352 914]

It's apple and oranges.

[NikoLiberty2008 72]

It's a very short storyline, and a very character-based game, on another GTAs, the player kinda chooses what is the personality of the character, some players are educated and play to complete 100%, another ones are psychotic and kill everyone they saw after the first mission, different of TLaD, that you are basically obligated to interpretate a biker badass guy the whole game.
And in my opinion, might be infamous, is that Rockstar didn't detailed TLaD as much as they did with TBoGT, like, Niko mysteriously appearing on Alderney in the introduction when he was stuck on Broker-Dukes and Bohan at that time in the game, and another stuff like that.

[universetwisters 36,304]

Because Johnny was p unlikable who ripped off Ray for no good reason and lives in sh*tholes

[CreepShow 1,290]

You talk like Ray was a saint or something. f*ck that guy. And you.

[universetwisters 36,304]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:58 AM, CreepShow said:

You talk like Ray was a saint or something. f*ck that guy. And you.

 

I never said he was a saint lmao, I just said that Johnny really had no reason to rip him off, especially since Ray helped Johnny's faction out by telling them where Brian was hiding out

[Niobium 11,846]

maybe because they're SA fanboys who see that TBOGT has parachutes and tanks and think "oh wow TBOGT is da best DLC eva" or some sh*t.

 

or maybe they think that TBOGT has more content than TLAD (technically true, TBOGT has many vehicles ported from TLAD)

 

or maybe they don't like the dark atmosphere of TLAD (or IV even).

 

or maybe it's not that they enjoy TBOGT per se, they just don't like TLAD because "jOhNnY Is a sImP BiKeR" or some idiotic reason like that.

 

it's too bad TLAD is not popular. TLAD is a much bigger deal than people realize. it was the first single-player expansion rockstar ever made. this DLC offered so much content (a full new campaign, new weapons, new vehicles, new side missions, etc). we would later get more of these kinds expansive DLCs in TBOGT and undead nightmare. too bad rockstar stopped creating these great DLCs.

Edited March 3 by Niobium

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

16 minutes ago, Niobium said:

it's too bad TLAD is not popular.

 

Not really. A lot of things are popular, but that doesn't mean they're good.

 

Infact I kind of like that TLAD has a cult like following and is more "niche".  

[B Dawg 10,817]

On 3/4/2021 at 12:41 AM, Niobium said:

or maybe they think that TBOGT has more content than TLAD

Not if you count Multiplayer. Tbogt is barebones in that regard 

[dantedenirodeniro 959]

TLAD is very good, it do what a expansion need to do. But TBOGT just feels bigger in my opinion, almost like a standalone game

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

11 hours ago, dantedenirodeniro said:

TLAD is very good, it do what a expansion need to do. But TBOGT just feels bigger in my opinion, almost like a standalone game

 

Except TBOGT isn't a standalone game. It should've been though if we're what lead to believe it was only made to cater those that bitched and moaned about GTA IV and TLAD being too "depressing" and not being "fun". TLAD works better as an expansion IMO as while it has its own theme, style etc it feels more like a companion to GTA IV. It generally has more crossovers and it feels more tightly connected. TLAD's full title is "Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned". 

 

The saving grace for TBOGT is it's basically just a reskin of GTA IV so it has all of its awesome core mechanics, physics etc which I obviously love. It's just when I start thinking of it as apart of the "trinity" and how it's meant to be interwoven with the other two much superior games it starts to feel sh*tty.

Edited March 6 by Algonquin Assassin

[Legomanarthur 1,536]

12 hours ago, Algonquin Assassin said:

 

Except TBOGT isn't a standalone game. It should've been though if we're what lead to believe it was only made to cater those that bitched and moaned about GTA IV and TLAD being too "depressing" and not being "fun". TLAD works better as an expansion IMO as while it has its own theme, style etc it feels more like a companion to GTA IV. It generally has more crossovers and it feels more tightly connected. TLAD's full title is "Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned".

It's funny because I always thought TLaD would benefit from being a full length game (or a really long DLC) as opposed to TBoGT whose length is perfectly fine with me. I think TLaD has a lot of unexploited potential.

I love TLaD for its story and its uniqueness but I find the story extremely short regardless of the fact that it's a DLC. The game doesn't spend much time with its secondary characters like Angus, Terry, Clay, hell, even Brian and Jason. And while I know you can hang out with some of them I would've loved to learn more about them and their relationship with Johnny in their own missions, like what we got with Jim for example. That would've added some depth to the whole gang and their history and especially when you get to the end of the game. As much as I try to immerse myself in Johnny's world, I've never really felt like I was really involved in the gang as opposed to RDR2 for instance. Brian's whole faction after Billy's arrest comes to mind. Apart from that one mission, I don't really feel like there's a schism within the Lost whenever I go back to the clubhouse. All these elements make the game feel rushed to me. The ending also feels rushed, which as a result isn't as impactful as I would've liked it to be.

Now this is just my opinion, but these things are detrimental to my own enjoyment of the game. This is mostly about the story though and not everybody plays GTA for its story, so I wouldn't take this as the main reason behind TLaD's popularity (or lack thereof). And regardless of these points, the story is still relatively fine the way it is anyway.

 

The gameplay is probably its biggest weakness. The biker life surely isn't for everybody and this core element of the game can be restricting too, whether it be in missions or in freeroam. I never drive cars or fly helicopters when I play as Johnny which I suppose is how the game intends its players to play (you didn't like IV's bike handling, well guess what, now you will exclusively ride bikes, deal with it. -R* probably). I can see why some players would prefer TBoGT over TLaD for that reason. TLaD doesn't feel that versatile in that regard, especially if you immerse yourself in Johnny's character. Stealing cars, trucks, boats or helicopters doesn't feel right when I play as Johnny. That doesn't mean you can't do any of that obviously. The game's content is certainly another reason, especially if you, again, compare it to TBoGT. The new vehicles and weapons other than the grenade launcher and the sawed-off shotgun don't offer much in terms of fun. When it comes to activities like bike races and gang wars, I think they're perfectly fine. I'd even say they're more fun than TBoGT's triathlon and drug wars.

 

TLaD is in my opinion a game that requires its players to immerse themselves in the protagonist and his life as a biker in order to fully enjoy it. Not everybody will necessarily like it if they do, but as it's been said before, it's a niche game. Some people will like it and others won't, or at least not as much as other entries in the GTA series. I think Rockstar knew that when they conceptualized TLaD. Making it a DLC helped in that regard, it allowed them to use that format to experiment with the GTA series, giving them enough knowledge and experience for future games like RDR2 and I commend them for that.

 

[universetwisters 36,304]

I Think people think tbogt is superior because Luis is more likable (he doesn’t rip people off for no reason) and he actually knows how to lay down in a bed to sleep

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

3 hours ago, universetwisters said:

I Think people think tbogt is superior because Luis is more likable (he doesn’t rip people off for no reason) and he actually knows how to lay down in a bed to sleep

 

Personally I've disliked how Luis comes across a bit like a condescending douchebag especially when he's around Armando and Henrique. He rarely has any redeemable values unlike Johnny who actually gives a sh*t about his closest friends and whatnot, but seemingly ripping off someone who was only a business associate to him makes him the spawn of Satan. 

 

Luis is a pretty stale and one note character IMO. He's ok, but nothing special. Probably why there's not a single reference/mention of him in GTA V. Luis who?

[Legomanarthur 1,536]

2 minutes ago, Algonquin Assassin said:

 

Personally I've disliked how Luis comes across a bit like a condescending douchebag especially when he's around Armando and Henrique. He rarely has any redeemable values unlike Johnny who actually gives a sh*t about his closest friends and whatnot, but seemingly ripping off someone who was only a business associate to him makes him the spawn of Satan.

To be fair when you have friends as ungrateful as Armando and Henrique and even did time for a crime they committed I would be pretty moody too. Heck, you can even add all the people around him who are just as annoying: Tony, Mori, Rocco, Gracie, Evan, Bulgarin, Timur, Margot, and even his own brother and mother. I mean, all the people around him are either demented or straight up assholes 24/7. The only person who shows Luis some respect is Yusuf, but even he sends Luis into suicide missions most of the time so yeah... Luis sure got the short end of the stick there.

[universetwisters 36,304]

19 minutes ago, Algonquin Assassin said:

 

Personally I've disliked how Luis comes across a bit like a condescending douchebag especially when he's around Armando and Henrique. He rarely has any redeemable values unlike Johnny who actually gives a sh*t about his closest friends and whatnot, but seemingly ripping off someone who was only a business associate to him makes him the spawn of Satan. 

 

Luis is a pretty stale and one note character IMO. He's ok, but nothing special. Probably why there's not a single reference/mention of him in GTA V. Luis who?

 

Yea Luis is stale and he runs like he’s holding in a sh*t but he comes off as nicer and more chill than Johnny. Maybe it’s cuz we’re the same ageish I dunno.

 

Although props to him for successfully making it out of the ghetto and wanting to be more than a slumrat 

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

20 minutes ago, Legomanarthur said:

To be fair when you have friends as ungrateful as Armando and Henrique and even did time for a crime they committed I would be pretty moody too. Heck, you can even add all the people around him who are just as annoying: Tony, Mori, Rocco, Gracie, Evan, Bulgarin, Timur, Margot, and even his own brother and mother. I mean, all the people around him are either demented or straight up assholes 24/7. The only person who shows Luis some respect is Yusuf, but even he sends Luis into suicide missions most of the time so yeah... Luis sure got the short end of the stick there.

 

Every GTA protagonist has to put up with annoying people so Luis really isn't alone there. Just saying. I just find it hilarious how Johnny gets condemned for ripping off Ray like it's somehow the most cruel, disgusting, reprehensible act ever in a series where we're often murdering people for paper thin reasons and other things that would be worthy of a prison stint in real life.

 

14 minutes ago, universetwisters said:

 

Yea Luis is stale and he runs like he’s holding in a sh*t but he comes off as nicer and more chill than Johnny. Maybe it’s cuz we’re the same ageish I dunno.

 

 

He probably comes across as nicer and chill because he's younger and lacks the life experience that Johnny has and hell even Niko. Johnny's in his late 30s in TLAD and I assume he's seen a lot in his time so he probably has a lesser tolerance for bullsh*t than Luis who is still pretty naive/easily led on. 

 

I don't think Johnny's a saint (none of the protagonists really are), but he's hardly rotten to the core either. 

Edited March 6 by Algonquin Assassin

[Legomanarthur 1,536]

2 minutes ago, Algonquin Assassin said:

 

Every GTA protagonist has to put up with annoying people so Luis really isn't alone there. Just saying. I just find it hilarious how Johnny gets condemned for ripping off Ray like it's somehow the most cruel, disgusting, reprehensible act even in a series where we're often murdering people for paper thin reasons and other things that would be worthy of a prison stint in real life.

Sure, but In Luis' case it constitutes like 98% of his relations, he doesn't really have anyone outside of work, and Armando and Henrique aren't good for moral support. At least Niko has Roman, Little Jacob and Packie just to name a few. Johnny has Jim, Terry, Clay and Angus too I guess. Luis isn't perfect either but I can understand why he can come across as a jackass most of the time to the people he hangs out with. Maybe it's a Liberty City thing.

 

I mean Ray is a snake and it's not like he shows a lot of respect for Johnny, but it does feel a bit dumb for Johnny to suddenly choose to rip him off when he keeps telling Billy that war is bad for business and for the survival of his chapter. I guess seeing all those Lost members on that bridge made him feel invincible, it sure made me feel badass so yeah...

[MiamiViceCity1986 52,681]

1 hour ago, Legomanarthur said:

Sure, but In Luis' case it constitutes like 98% of his relations, he doesn't really have anyone outside of work, and Armando and Henrique aren't good for moral support. At least Niko has Roman, Little Jacob and Packie just to name a few. Johnny has Jim, Terry, Clay and Angus too I guess. Luis isn't perfect either but I can understand why he can come across as a jackass most of the time to the people he hangs out with. Maybe it's a Liberty City thing.

 

I get that, but it just would’ve been nice to see a different side of him instead of being a jackass because he doesn’t like being surrounded by idiots. Niko’s surrounded by idiots too, but we get to see a different side of him from time to time.

 

TLAD’s pretty short, but all things considered R* done a pretty solid job of fleshing Johnny out over just 21 missions. Love the comradeship he has with Jim in particular.

 

Luis on the other hand feels like an after thought. Like Vic and Franklin.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7 by Algonquin Assassin

[Niobium 11,846]

personally, when it comes to johnny driving cars, helicopters, and boats, it never really bothered me with immersion. for a few reasons

 

1) at the end of the day, this is a grand theft auto game and not exclusively a biker game. GTA games have you driving all sorts of vehicles, such as a tacky looking supercar, a tourist helicopter, a military tank, and even an airtug.

 

2) just like TBOGT, TLAD is still GTA IV at it's core. it still has the exact same driving, shooting, physics, etc. anything niko can do, johnny (and luis) can do as well. so why wouldn't johnny have the same ability to drive a car as niko?

 

3) johnny has some voicelines that has him referring to a car as a "cage". "cage" is just biker slang for "car". when jacking a car, sometimes he'll say stuff like "dude the cage is mine!" and sometimes when crashing into another vehicle, he'll say stuff like "the caaaaaage!" and "cagers, man...." johnny's use of biker slang for cars can still help people immerse themselves as a biker, even if they are using a car instead of a bike.

 

i would drive even an infernus as johnny. i don't give a sh*t lol

Edited March 7 by Niobium

[JaeDan 101 694]

Just now, Niobium said:

i would drive even an infernus

Then why did you say that GTA 5 got the ugly supercars? IV's Infernus are just the same as V's Infernus.