Grand Theft Auto 4

[Ghostface 0]

Just curious if you guys think its worth buying a ps3/xbox360 to play this game. Another thing I was wondering about is anyone getting it at midnight?

[3xK.Sykotik 0]

"Every now and again, a game comes along that everyone is excited about that does absolutely nothing for me. As this game gets closer to release and everyone gets more excited I get branded as some sort of heretic.

 

 

 

Crowd: “Why aren’t you joining with us in our praise for this game about to be released?”

Me: “Meh, I’m just not that interested.

 

”

Crowd: “Get a rope! He’s not one of us!”

 

Currently, that game is Grand Theft Auto IV.

 

 

 

Now, before I begin explaining why I’m not the least bit excited about this game I want to make it clear that I’m not judging anyone for being excited. You want the game, then go buy it and I hope you enjoy it. That’s all I can do. I think it’s bad form to say “I hope it sucks and you’ll be wasting your money.” That is not what I want at all. I hope it’s a truly enjoyable game. This is not about you, it’s about me. I’m not excited about the game, that doesn’t mean you can’t be.

 

 

 

I’m not excited about GTA4 for several reasons.

 

 

 

 

* I’ve already played it

Seriously, I’ve played this game already at least twice now. More than that if you count Saint’s Row, which I think you almost can. Let me guess, it’s a “sandbox” game where you play a criminal and commit all sorts of acts ranging from petty crime to mass murder as part of the “story”. Am I close? Did I give away the game for you? I think Saint’s Row is a quantum leap improvement for this kind of game, and even its premise is wearing thin. All the little extras they do now, custom cars, outfits, etc. are just window dressing for the exact same game we’ve been playing for years. Not that I’m against “More of the same”, since that is exactly what Guitar Hero Aerosmith and Super Smash Bros. Brawl is, but in this case I am tired of the criminal protagonist.

 

 

 

* It looks like crap

Going off of the above, everything from the trailers so far makes it look like a minor graphical update from the previous games. Maybe they’ll use the extra processor they aren’t using for graphics to do more with a persistent world, but I doubt it. So despite being the same game we’ve already seen before, it doesn’t even really look like a current generation title.

 

Let me reinforce this point, it’s not a crime that the graphics aren’t cutting edge, but since the game is just more of the same what am I getting for my super powerful console?

 

* The protagonist may be the worst yet

I did not play GTA: San Andreas because I found nothing appealing to being a street thug. I like the improvements that Saint’s Row has made to this type of game, but part of the reason it’s wearing on me is because I’m playing a common street thug. There is nothing cool about that. I don’t fantasize about being a loser. What’s next? The hero is a fry cook at a fast food joint with no future? While I like GTA4’s focus on the “Red Mafia” as I saw someone refer to it, the main character looks like his mother was having sex with a garden gnome, or was it the other way around? He’s an ugly, malformed, homicidal thug. He’s a fresh off the boat immigrant who quickly enters a career where he kills people. Even if that is what he was doing in whatever Eastern European craphole he comes from, he still stands out about as much as a henchman for a Batman villian. I’m having a hard time believing that some random immigrant is going to just pick up a gun and willingly kill people for money.

 

 

 

* Oddly, I do not want to play as a guy who is uglier than me

There is an acceptable range I have for a protagonist. Lara Croft with her incredible triple-D chest is not someone I can relate to. Likewise, if you made the protagonist Fabio-esque I’d probably avoid them as well. I’m never going to be the cover of GQ, but I’m Mr. Fabulous compared to the main character of GTA4. There’s something off putting about it that I just can’t put my finger on. I don’t want to play this ugly little bastard as “me”.

 

 

 

* Protagonist issues aside, I’m tired of being the “bad guy”

The Grand Theft Auto games are crime simulators, where you exploit other people to advance the game. The murdering of innocents is par for the course. Brutalizing people is practically a gameplay element in the series. When Grand Theft Auto III came out, I could ignore this because there simply wasn’t much else like it at the time. I never really liked that aspect of the game, but it’s not like there were a lot of choices. Even as Vice City came out, other “sandbox” games were usually poorly executed or not really “sandbox” games at all. Now we have high quality choices and I don’t have to be some scumbag sociopath to play this style of game. The novelty of the GTA series wore off with Vice City. An excellent game, but really only tolerable if you liked movies such as Goodfellas, Scarface, or Carlito’s Way. Once that hook was gone, so was my interest in playing any games that followed.

 

 

 

* I’m really tired of the negative stereotypes

I know there is a strong trend towards Nihilism in Grand Theft Auto games, so the overall portrayal of humanity is not a positive one. I don’t want to cry racism just because they do a few common stereotypes, that wouldn’t be fair. However, at some point I have to wonder where they crossed the line. I could ignore the comments about the Cubans in Vice City and even how they played off Italians to some extent because of the movie connections. San Andreas struck a nerve with me that I just didn’t like. GTA4 seems to be continuing that trend. It’s gone beyond just a simple wink and a nudge. I’m generally able to ignore the race card and hypersensitivity, but I have to admit that the series is starting to make me uncomfortable. I may not be hypersensitive but I don’t like racism either and even if its just me alone in a room I’m not some closetted racist who can secretly enjoy such things when no one is looking.

 

 

 

All of this is what bothers me, maybe not you. That’s a distinction I wish more people would make. My reasons are different for new Final Fantasy games or the deluge of salespeople who tried to get me to buy Full Spectrum Warrior when they found out I owned an X-Box. Quit trying to convert me and quit acting so surprised that I don’t want to partake with you.

 

This is not Holy Communion at church, I cannot be excommunicated from the Most Benevolent Society of Gamers for not buying Grand Theft Auto 4 at launch!"

[ViperSRT3g 224]

lolz my thoughts exactly XD

[ARMEDnPISSED 0]

Still waiting for a PC version...I say 9 months tops.

[Ghostface 0]

What i plan to do is buy a used ps3 and rent a copy of GTA4, after 7 days u can return it to gamestop for full money back no questions asked ^_^

[Magical_Trever 60]

i wish it was so simple in australia...

[Ghostface 0]

so anyone play it yet? i heard is really good so far.

[Suteki 114]

My friend has it, and loves it. I personally haven't played it yet though.

[Fc3sZero 78]

I would never sit and camp out in front of a store or spend full price for any game on the first day. it's not that important.

 

GT4 I think would be badass. I enjoyed 3 but I never finished it. I just mod'ed it, stole cars and killed street hookers

[Dull Freedom 40]

ive been playing it all morning, yeah its fun as hell but the graphics are messed if ure TV isnt LCD or HD ive been using my regular small 20 inch tv few years old but it did the job. But with GTA it hurt my eyes within 1hr of gameplay, I hooked it up to my 24 inch LCD flat screen monitor and its much better. Ull see when u play graphics look blurrey if ure not on a new end Tv i find, I dunno maybe it's just my Tv but i used it for every other game n it was fine

 

Watch this :D

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/dor/objects/793799/g...our_042808.html

Edited April 30, 2008 by Dull Freedom

[Ghostface 0]

nice video