Grand Theft Auto IV Comments by Kieron Gillen

@Shabtai:
"It makes you loke as a joke"

That comment lokes as a bit of a joke.

Re: That bit about over-estimate. While rescuing a typo, Tom edited my original paragraph and accidentally reversed its meaning half-way through. It should be fixed now.

KG

While GTA games were never really for me, this game is quite obviously a blockbuster of epic proportions. If you don't think it's as much fun as a previous one, fair enough but don't try to be all high and mighty by pretending its crap. If you disagree with Kieron just make your points and then STFU.

Another buy, I'll need to start robbing banks myself to get up-to-date with the great PC games in this last part of the year. If only publishers would spread releases out a little more...

Shabtai, you need to go out and get laid.

You are complaining it got 9 and not 10? Seriously how fucking spastic can you get? You are now on ignore.

I have this on pre-order, but from reading all these comments AND this review, I'm actually a bit worried. I had a go on a friends PS3 once and fiddled around with the driving (which I think was worse) and a few missions (which I thought were unspectacular), but I really hope there's more to it than that..?

I loved San Andreas (my favourite in the series so far) and I already know you can't get fat or go to the gym anymore in IV. But there are still hidden jumps and collectibles at least, right? Right..?

Yes

Why wouldn't it be worth a 10 on pc, merkdot? The game is a little demanding tech. wise, so what?
It should have scored the same, "as pc owner", its the same damn game, but better!

I think you are coming from the point of PC gamers (and reviwers) being more strict and less hyped about games. Be that the case, it shouldnt affect titles like that. Is a gaming site a random collection of people, with different scoring methods? It isn't.
A 9 for GTA4 is a more suting score for the game, but when a site scores the same game that got a 10, six months later, and drops it score for really not any major issue (and one that is well-known to pc gamers), it just loses alot of credibility. And this isnt EG specific, if the PC version will be underscored at other sites as well, then really, the review industry has nothing to offer.

It is certainly true for EG, they have been lost in the hype when GTA4 for consoles shipped, and now they are trying to ractify the situation by underscoring the PC version with no real reason.
Yes, yes, different reviewers - different opinions, PC gamers more strict - all fine and dandy, but not when it shows gaming "journalism" in all its nudity. Thats when EG should have stepped in to over-ride the score and let the reviewer vent about the overscoring of GTA in an article, without marring the PC's review, sending a misleading signal for readers and consumers and continuing to diminish the status of professional reviews.

Oh, and for the record: I actually agree with Shabtai. I must say I was surprised by finding a nine after reading the review. I remember the console version getting a ten and everything in the review tells me this is better.. and then it gets scored down? It just felt.. wrong. Not that I really care, my pre-order stands :P

@thedaveeyres
"HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?
HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?
HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?
HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?
HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?
HEY COUSIN, WANT TO SHOOT SOME POOL?"

Aye. I thought that crap was tedious beyond belief. Every time I was about to get something done that knob-end would phone me wanting to go do something. Anyone know how you remove the batteries from the phone?

I'm in a shoot out with the cops, I don't have time to play pool.

It was a terrible idea to have refusing to go pissing about affect your standing with people, don't they understand you're busy? I just wanted to play through the missions, maybe do a little work on the side, I wasn't looking for (fake) friendships with (fake) people who constantly needed attention and sulked if you didn't give it to them.

Then I found out that you can call back straight away to cancel and they don't mind. By that stage I'd been worn down. Maybe over Christmas again.

@Shabtai

It's kinda difficult to take your "end of Eurogamer" prophecies seriously. Kieron gave the reasons why he marked the PC version down. You don't agree that they're enough. That amounts to a simple difference of opinion it does not mean that the site has lost its "integrity" or is "sliding down the ladder".

Edit: my English, she is not so good.

If you don't want to have to tweak settings to get your game looking and running best, you'd have got it on a console anyway.

The integration of 360 controllers like this isn't new, Bioshock did it last year, so did Tomb Raider Anniversary. 360 pad support is a requirement MS have put in, and they should be applauded for it - makes things so much easier.

My Brother is a PC only gamer now so this will be great, he has a 4850 and a 360 pad so should be fine.

I think 9 out of 10 is fair. Havent completed it on the console yet... normally I would get it on the PC.. but they have taken so much content out, that its just not as much fun as the others.. probably better for me to replay the older GTA's on PC

Pc's are for nerds anyway

And consoles are for people incapable of operating keybord and mouse at the same time :D

...while the really smart people play and enjoy games regardless of platform/format.

It's great not being a fanboy, I'd recommend it.

The aspect that I hate the most in GTA IV is the fact that I HAVE TO DRIVE EVERY BLEEDIN' TIME BACK THROUGH A MISSION WHEN I GET KILLED OR ARRESTED! I really hate Rockstar for this, four fuckin' GTAs and they still haven't resolved the issue?!
This ain't no 9 or 10 in my shop, I think a 7 is more than enough...
Love all the rest but this is A MAJOR issue...

Yes yes genuinely happy to be a gamer, but not so good to us as a gaming reviewer.

sweeet

360 pad support is a requirement MS have put in, and they should be applauded for it - makes things so much easier.


That's only half correct. 360 pad support is only a requirement for GfW games if the game has pad support at all. But that is for the devs to decide.

I happen to know this because I thought the same until quite recently, and was corrected. :p

sneetch, the reason is purely technical. I dont think this kind of an issue sure bring the score down. GTA4 for pc is the best realized form of the game. Marking it down just because its system requirements are high and you may need to tweek settings is not vaild to me. The same can be said for every game in history which got a 10.

Like i said , my problem isnt with the review(er) but with a consistency a site should present and the integrity of the journalisms.
The review holds GTA pc as the best version of the game, or at least as good as. Thus, i can't find a reason why the site should score it lower. Yes, i would have scored the game as a 9 too for it has some gameplay issues, but seeing as the review should also allign with A site's "policy" and framework, it should have gotten the same score. Anything lower just makes the site look un-professional at best.
Were it to be the original review, or one posted at a PC-specific only site (which ofc haven't done a review for the console version) then i wouldn't have any problems at all. But for a Gaming site, reviewing a multi-platform game, scoring one version lower even it the review states it as being as good and even better, is just wrong and undermines the integrity of the site.

This incident is just another one in a year full of questionable reviews from Eurogamer, a site which i consider to be the most accurate one. Don't tag it as an EG bash , there have been alot of reviews on other sites that put a big question mark over video-game journalisms and validness of reviews.

A very fair review as usual from Kieron.

If there are issues at least we should be able to mod it to our liking, too. Eg. handling.cfg.

"Driving and shooting in a sequel to a game about criminals shooting and driving around, what an absurd notion...

I can't understand comments like this, what were you people expecting? 4 has always been a direct sequel to 3 NOT SA.

Don't listen to 'em Rockstar, your sequel to GTA3 (you know the one with shooting and driving) is an amazing experience (which I'll enjoy again just like all the other ones)."



it is absurd, when they talk about it like the next big thing. It is visually stunning and it works as a shooter, I concede, but it's an empty room you're looking at. Very basic and ultimately boring dating system, useless bars and restaurants that add nothing to the gameplay, gigantic amount of buildings that offer nothing because you can't explore them, terribly repetitive mechanics that go like: drive to Roman pick him up, go to the titty bar, enjoy a sexy dance for the 13th time go home. Oh, but you can decide to drive Jakob to Whatever Plaza and make a drug deal, Oh but you can drive there and do that for the millionth time.

It has the scale, but it's a very basic game at best, and definitely a repetitive one. 6/10

360 pad support is only a requirement for GfW games if the game has pad support at all

11th commandment: Thou shalt not USE ONE PRODUCT TO MAKE PEOPLE BUY ANOTHER ONE!

That's definitely evil. I stopped buying NBA Live FOR EVER since they decided to not let you play properly without a console controller. Gently caress you EA.

It has the scale, but it's a very basic game at best, and definitely a repetitive one. 6/10

Hm, that would be my description of pretty much every GTA game so far. The series always was a lot broader than it was deep, with all the single elements (driving, shooting, mini-games) being a bit undercooked if you look at them isolated. Now they've removed some of the breadth again because people were complaining how it was all a bit too much in SA, but (from what I've read) have made the driving (whether people like it or not) and the shooting mechanics a bit more, hm, sophisticated?

I am definitely looking forward to finding out what I'll think of it. :)

During certain missions there are mid mission checkpoints though

LOLs I love GTA and thats my opinion. You shouldnt shove your OMG THIS GAMEZ SUXXX0RR down people's throats.

You know, I swore there were on the 360 version too...

KG

And also for people complaining about random people phoning you, theres a sleep mode on the phone which stops all story progressions in the game so you get no phone calls or anything!

"11th commandment: Thou shalt not USE ONE PRODUCT TO MAKE PEOPLE BUY ANOTHER ONE! "

How are they -making- you buy a 360 controller by including support for it?

Personally I don't like this progression towards realism, so I'm kind of glad to see other people opposed to it. I even think graphics are trying too hard to be photo-realistic, as if that naturally goes with better technology. There's no abstract element in a photo and it's boring. GTA:SA had an awesome art style, and so did Spore. I would pick Spore graphics over Crysis graphics any day. Though I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me on that :p.

I have both 360 and PS3 versions of this to play online, and I will be getting the PC version for the video editor.

Not bad for a "crap" game?

"it is absurd, when they talk about it like the next big thing. It is visually stunning and it works as a shooter, I concede, but it's an empty room you're looking at. Very basic and ultimately boring dating system, useless bars and restaurants that add nothing to the gameplay, gigantic amount of buildings that offer nothing because you can't explore them, terribly repetitive mechanics that go like: drive to Roman pick him up, go to the titty bar, enjoy a sexy dance for the 13th time go home. Oh, but you can decide to drive Jakob to Whatever Plaza and make a drug deal, Oh but you can drive there and do that for the millionth time.

It has the scale, but it's a very basic game at best, and definitely a repetitive one. 6/10 "

Well I've never heard Rockstar call it the next big thing anyway. In fact they were always pretty straight with what we were getting IMO. "A direct sequel to 3 not SA that would concentrate on story and realism - with no planes".

As for the rest of your post, you might as well be describing every GTA. In fact most sandox games, so I don't see why GTA4 is getting it in the neck! I absolutely LOVE all the 3D GTAs but I think many look at GTA through rose tinted glasses, because truth be known, most of the time you were carrying out the same missions just like you do in GTA4. Drive somewhere, kill someone, photograph someone, fly around, take a boat somewhere to shoot people etc etc. It was the whole experience that made it fun not just the gameplay.

I'll admit the lifespan is damaged by the real lack of any extra side missions but lets be honest here most of the "extra" missions always mostly involved shooting, driving or flying anyway so what's the big deal that GTA is more story focused this time? As UncleLou rightly posted, when SA hit the fussy moaners were complaining there was TOO MUCH to do and the story lacked focus. Now it has focus that's wrong to!

I would pick Spore graphics over Crysis graphics any day. Though I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me on that :p.

It's not mutually exclusive. I like highly stylsied games, but I am also fascinated by the technological progress that allows something like Crysis.

I never quite understand why photorealism is called "boring" compared to other styles though - that always seems like a really understanding of artistic means. It's not like artistic design is restricted to the degree of stylisation. Films can look very different, yet they're all photo-realistic. Neither "Paris, Texas" nor "Blade Runner" look boring.

Crysis has some pretty strong art direction as well - in the way it sets up landscapes, for example.

I don't understand the "oh its so overhyped" comments at all. To me GTA4 is, in every aspect, better than every other entry of the series.
Above all the new driving model and the amount of details.

"I don't understand the "oh its so overhyped" comments at all. To me GTA4 is, in every aspect, better than every other entry of the series.
Above all the new driving model and the amount of details. "

Hardly a "new" driving model, they nicked it off driver as far as I can see, but I know what you mean ;) The one-touch cinema camera though is something i wish could be in the older games. I must say though my BIGGEST disappointment with GTA4 was the new "in-car" view, I loved seeing my car and passengers and hoped the next gen would show my dashboard (like GT or PGR). I can see why they chose what they did (admire more of the glorious detail) - but I prefer the old one!

I also can't agree it's better in every aspect. Like it or not there IS too much focus on story and less drive about do a rampage/empire building/gang war whatever you want style of play. It does change the "GTA" experience, for better or worse is opinion. Personally, while GTA4 is an amazing game worthy of 10/10 (remember that score does not actually mean "the perfect game" review cry babies!) I'm hoping GTA4: VC will open up the mission structure a bit more....

O, Eurogamer commenters! It's so cute and predictable the way they needlessly debate scores without examining the actual text.

@UncleLou: Were you saying a really basic understanding of artistic means perhaps? Well think what you want to think, but I think you're twisting my argument a bit. I still say designers are trying too hard to be photo-realistic. If that's what they're aiming for then fine, but the reason shouldn't be because that's considered better. Just saying "it's boring" was pretty thoughtless though I admit.

yes

I dont use to make comments on Eurogamer, but damn...now I have to.

I'm a big GTA-Fan since part 2. My personal favorite: Vice City. The atmosphere, the soundtrack, the characters, the story. It was magic.

Couldn't wait till GTA4 would come out. I thought: "Wow Next-Gen-GTA will knock my socks off!"
But GTA4 just never really caught me. I can remember when SanAndreas came out I couldn't stop playing for a month or more. Almost had problems with my girlfriend...
GTA4 just didn't touch me. I found the story quite superficial, the multiple-choices were more of a joke, didn't really have an impact on the story. (at the end there seems to be different endings).
During the game I was always thinking: Something special is gonna happen, something will surprise me. Will Roman betray Nico? Will we learn more about Nicos Past? Nothing at all. Strangely it was San Andreas plus better graphics minus content. Driving around Liberty City in GTA4 was just boring compared to San Andreas, where you found something at each corner.
And why the hell did they take out the customisation options (training, driving lessons, running) out? That really was very silly from Rockstar.
And the Online-Multiplayer was awful. Simply not one good idea. Very disappointing.
O.k. I'm not gonna bash it totally: There are some good ideas in the game, they just lead nowhere.
10 points for the console version was definitely totally overrated.

sorry for my bad english.

ah yeah: And the mobile phone idea was a good one... but it was just ringing much too often. It is just annoying when you are on a mission, and Roman calls you the whole time and wants to do some stupid things with you.

and: I just didn't get this feeling of climbing up the criminal ladder. Till the end you're doing shitty jobs for others. That's simply stupid. And your appartment doesn't really get any better. The more you progress in the game, the more powerful you should get... but it just doesnt get like this.

Very disappointing.

Yeah, great, why don't you post a few more story-spoilers in the review thread of a yet to be released version.

*sigh*

Don't worry UncleLou, he's not really said anything that you wouldn't already know about from playing previous GTa's, with regards to story progression and structure etc.

Is the swing glitch still in there does anyone know?

I spent several hours this evening repeatedly launching Niko across Liberty City, longing for the replay editor of the PC release!

This game runs like dogshit on even a decent rig, fuck rockstarr and their shitty ports, pc games get pirated to shit can't see this being any different, with their securerom crap and poor optimisation.

i can't understand, the review says it has some minor problems and i can't give it a 10 and it says about the checkpoints.. those checkpoints wasn't on the consoles versions? why they give a 10/10 in those versions?

Shouldn't the review have spent a little more time on new and exciting (and more significantly, deal-breaking for some) things like the inclusion of SECUROM as copy protection on top of the online registration and GfW bullshit, and less on old and pretty much integral features like how nice it is adding your own music, which is true, but has been in the game since GTA III?

I really love GTA4, my only real problem with it is, there's nothing to spend your money on really, apart from clothes and guns, and hospital bills. Building an Empire would be nice.

Noooo, it runs like dogshit because they've made it futureproof! Honest. They said so in a press release and everything.
So glad i didn't buy this on PC yet, i'm waiting and having to have SecurRom, bloody gfw AND Social Club running at the same time?
Sod that.

I'm disappointed, not that Rockstar will care. Probably pull a UbiSoft and release DLC before even patching things.