GTA IV review

[Maverick]

I dunno if anyone is interested but here are my first impressions after the first 4 hours or so.
The storyline is fairly good, not the best I have come accross but it is entertaining if a little scripted at times.
Graphically, not quite as good as I had imagined based on the hype, this could be to me running it on non HD, will be interesting to see how large difference it makes.
Control wise it is a bit clunky, still sufferes from the same slightly clumsy feel of the previous games but the camera tends to be even worse. The option to change to an bonnet mounted camera makes high speed driving easier (IMO) but does limit visibility to the side, (not great when going through intersections).
The addition of the cellphone is quite cool, and seems to work well for the most part. The Taxi's are excellent.
The city is quite immersive and feels large and easy to get lost in.
In terms of the questionable content, and there is a lot of debate over the merits of the GTA series,
NZ has the same censored version as Australia. This is because Australia has no R18 catagory for Video Games, so products must either meet a M15 classification or be banned. Since NZ is such a small market and so far away it doesnt make sense to ship copies of the R18 version to NZ only, so we get stuck with the AU Version, M15 reclassified R18.
So essentially how bad is it? Well about as bad as a r16 movie IMO.
I have been playing 4 hours and have not seen any hookers, grauitous nudity, sex scenes, there is hardly any blood effects in the game, and dead bodies disappear almost instantly. These would be my estimates on the major edits from the full release.
Is it something that I would let kids play? no. Is it soul corrupting and evil? again no.
Personally I like it, Im not sure that the un edited version would make it much "better" as while people (mainly critics) get hung up on the unethical things you "can" do, it doesn't mean thats what the game is about. Its still a lot of fun.
Anyone else got thoughts?

Fav evil moment sofar - accidentally ran over a pedestrian, an ambo turned up a minute or so later, stole the ambulance and went joyriding with sirens blaring while everyone got out the way. Muahaha*cough* ahem... now back to our regular broadcast...

My score sofar 8/10

[sAsLEX]

Well enjoy the 31 hours you have left to clock the game....... one review I read suggested only 35 hours to complete the missions...... this seems ridiculously low?

[Str8 Jacket]

Well enjoy the 31 hours you have left to clock the game....... one review I read suggested only 35 hours to complete the missions...... this seems ridiculously low?

Maybe it would depend on if he "really" clocked the game! It took me at least a couple of months to clock San Andreas and that was only 98% the book really helped me out alot. Shame I had to go to work or it may have taken less time.... Is there a book coming out with GTA IV?? Kinda feels like cheating...

[scumdog]

Fark.. a game for instant gratification kids and wannabe gangstas and a bigger waste of time and 1% of the value of KB!!

[Str8 Jacket]

Fark.. a game for instant gratification kids and wannabe gangstas and a bigger waste of time and 1% of the value of KB!!

Well, you are welcome to your opinion. As am I....

[Ixion]

..
So essentially how bad is it? Well about as bad as a r16 movie IMO.
I have been playing 4 hours and have not seen any hookers, grauitous nudity, sex scenes, there is hardly any blood effects in the game, and dead bodies disappear almost instantly. ..

Well, that's THAT off my Christmas list then.

[marioc]

So the big question is?????
What are the bikes like?

[Str8 Jacket]

So the big question is?????
What are the bikes like?

hehe, yeah, what he said! Im very tempted to go out and buy a PS3 just so I can get this game.....

Man I need to get a life!

[Maverick]

So the big question is?????
What are the bikes like?

Well, the only bike i found sofar was some oversized chopper, seemed to handle similarly to the previous games, i.e. not at all lifelike.
Was running from the police and saw a slight ramp over a large cliff,
though "this will loose them".
Mis judged it, crashed half way down the steep cliff (big ouch), highsided, bike went crashing to the bottom, I rolled down, picked myself and the bike up (wow, no damage) and went on my way..
Did manage to loose the cops though...
I dont wanna know where he pulls the helmet out from when he gets on a bike,

[imdying]

for wannabe gangstas and a bigger waste of time and 1% of the value of KB!!

Like the Godfather series of movies?

[scumdog]

Mis judged it, crashed half way down the steep cliff (big ouch), highsided, bike went crashing to the bottom, I rolled down, picked myself and the bike up (wow, no damage) and went on my way..
Did manage to loose the cops though...

All so very life-like eh?

[Maverick]

All so very life-like eh?

Hardly, but then thats the point, to be able to pull off, or fail miserably at incredibly stupid or crazy things that you would never attempt in real life.

[scumdog]

Hardly, but then thats the point, to be able to pull off, or fail miserably at incredibly stupid or crazy things that you would never attempt in real life.

Sadly for some they can't dfferentiate between the game and real life...

And are most disappointed (or dead) when things don't work out like they did on GTA....

[marioc]

oh god here we go,how about you stay out of our gaming thread then mr nanny state

[Maverick]

Sadly for some they can't dfferentiate between the game and real life...

And are most disappointed (or dead) when things don't work out like they did on GTA....

Geno-clean anyone? Fine if their stupidy takes themselves out, its when their actions hurt others that I have an issue.

I actually think the last game San Andreas was worse. It was based around an american Hip Hop culture, which promoted and glorified the "Gangsta" life etc.

GTA 4 is based more on russian/eastern european mafia and comes across more like GTA 3 or Vice City. It actually portrays the characters who are drug users as being pretty screwed up and nasty inderviduals in no small part because of their drug use, the players character is actually quite a decent guy in comparison.