GTA IV review on Sunday

By Tom Bramwell Published 25 April, 2008

Since you're probably wondering.

With Grand Theft Auto IV due out on Tuesday, you're probably wondering where our review is! The answer is that our review will be going up on Sunday at 5pm BST.

As with all good things, such as the weather and hats, that timing is subject to change, but we thought you would want to know the current plan so that you can stick your head round the internet on Sunday and find out.

In the meantime, of course, you can keep track of all the latest GTA IV news and assets on our Xbox 360 and PS3 gamepages. Hope to see you on Sunday, calling us names as usual.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (229) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • gingerlink #1 4 years ago

    I don't get embargoes so much, what do the devlopers have to hide?

  • space_ace #2 4 years ago

    you have a gta4 review? what's it like, what's the score? ;)

  • tinners #3 4 years ago

    internet reviews?

    cos i read a load of mag scans already?

  • MrXBob #4 4 years ago

    This must have also been in with the supposed $50 million Microsoft payed, since the Official Xbox Magazine already had their full review complete with brand new screenshots a week or so ago.

  • japstersam #5 4 years ago

    yaaay i get to read the review before tuesday :D even though i'm going to buy it anyway ;)

  • Xerx3s #6 4 years ago

    Blog? BLOG? wtf? I like EG without the fancy pancy web2.0 bs. Can we just stick to calling it what it is? An article?

    /grumpy old man mode off

  • HiddenAway #7 4 years ago

    "stick your head round the internet on Sunday"

    Or in my case, avoid it at all costs :-)

  • jonsaan #8 4 years ago

    It's well out of order really. I am not doubting the quality of the game but it 'could' be absolute shit and the bastards have already sold the thing out many times over on hype alone. And yes I have preordered it:)

  • X201 #9 4 years ago

    "calling us names as usual."

    Well, if you insist. Stinky Bramwell.

    :)




  • sem1604 #10 4 years ago

    got this from a unscrupulous person working for a retail chain last night, but will keep my opinions until sunday 5pm.

  • ApeTheDog #11 4 years ago

    As to the embargos: This is probably to avoid the whole race to be the first website reviewing the game - leading to reviewers putting in half an hour of time, rush-writing up some piece and publishing it online for the advertisement revenue being the first website to break it brings with it. Rockstar might have wanted to avoid people doing such a sloppy job and thus the embargo. It's not a case of having something to hide, rather the contrary - it's a case of wanting people who write the reviews seeing everything.

  • Psychotext #12 4 years ago

    MrXBob: Despite the name, OXM isn't owned by MS.

  • MrXBob #13 4 years ago

    Psychotext: Doesnt need to be, OXM get a lot of their information straight from Microsoft. If Microsoft want 'their' magazine to be the first to get the review, then they can arrange that. What I'm saying is it looked like they did.

  • Psychotext #14 4 years ago

    MrXBob: Future publishing paid for the rights on both OXM and OPM. You do know they both have reviews out right?

  • Bealsy #15 4 years ago

    I'm going to call them Dave.

  • TheJuriel #16 4 years ago

    Watched yesterday about 7 hours of a guy playing the game... Seems very similar to GTA3, except visually, of course. Still not sure if I'm getting it or not, but the multiplayer does tempt me.

  • MrXBob #17 4 years ago

    Psychotext: Nope, I did not know that. All I saw were scans of OXM.

  • Killerbee #18 4 years ago

    Sunday 5pm is a bit of a crap time for an embargo to end - still, I very much look forward to reading EG's thoughts.

    Are we going to get a double-header review? It's been a while since we last had one of those...

  • PatrickEwing #19 4 years ago

    7 hours!!!!!

  • OnlyMe #20 4 years ago

    If I'm not mistaken, Official Playstation Magazine UK and Xbox World Magazine UK have both reviewed the game as well.

  • slave23d #21 4 years ago

    Its the magazine's competing with the interweb really. Why buy the magazines if you can read a mag scan?

  • mattniche #22 4 years ago

    You watched seven hours of someone playing the game?

    Fuck. Me.

  • Skeletor #23 4 years ago

    Haha, yeah right.
    Reviewed, scanned, and distributed via torrent/ rapidshare etc.
    Embargo my arse!
    Edited by Skeletor at 25/04/08 @ 10:39

  • Peew971 #24 4 years ago

    Sunday is fine, at least it's before release.

  • Pulsar_t #25 4 years ago

    I saw the advert and it had framerate issues. I'll be waiting for the PC version, the world doesn't end with GTA IV! Rather it ends with you on the DS :D

  • penhalion #26 4 years ago

    The official Playstation and XBox magazines have already reviewed the game as have any magazines that came out in the latter half of this month. It is always dodgy when the embargo deliberately tries to stop buyers recieving any information about a product until it is too late to cancel any pre-orders or change their minds in any way about their purchase.

    Without giving any spoilers out, a lot of early sentiment is that the game isn't as amazingly advanced as all the hype suggests. This isn't to say it's a bad game in any way, just that it's definitely not a 10/10 game. It has a lot of the same mission issues that San Andreas had i.e. that you end up doing them multiple times due to random events such as traffic, loosing the car you are chasing etc. etc.

    Out of principal I went to cancel my pre-order, only to be told that it had already been packaged and dispatched in time for release day. Given the attitude of the guy on the phone I am not alone in this request.

  • BobsUncle #27 4 years ago

    Better than Halo?

  • TheJuriel #28 4 years ago

    "You watched seven hours of someone playing the game?"

    A guy in NY put a live stream up yesterday, commenting on stuff as he went. I let it play in the background and checked in when it sounded like something was happening. It did start off slow and continued pretty slow, as he'd never played GTA before...But I thought it was a very nicely communal thing to do. He also took requests, such as 'get thrown through the windshield'.

    Anyway, the gameplay felt to me like 'just' regular GTA3, although the character animations were neat. Especially the way people sometimes clung to their car's door as it was getting driven off, or were only bumped by a moving car instead of hit hard (brought to you by Euphoria, the system that gives us Stormtroopers holding hands in Force Unleashed).

    What did bother me the most about the animations was how Nico sometimes leaned to the side at a 60 degree angle when turning while running/walking...you are meant to be a human, not a race motorbike driver! This happened in cutscenes as well.

    Anyway, looked promising, if you like the same old with added little things.

  • TheJuriel #29 4 years ago

    Oh yeah, the game was played on a 360, and the only loading times were when restarting missions (as you were transported to another part of the city) and before plot cutscenes (or private dance at the strip club, I think). Also, didn't seem to have any framerate issues, although when the stream channel got 9000+ viewers it started to be harder to gauge as most people started having occasional lag in the video.

  • penhalion #30 4 years ago

    @pulsar_t

    The world ends with you is actually a very good game (I have it finally) but, has a huge amount of waffling between fights. The good news is that you get to choose when you do the fighting as enemies are only visible when you want them to be. This changes later in the game with suprise attacks though.

    If you have a DS go get this!

  • Bitkari #31 4 years ago

    Interesting that they've required people wait until almost the very last moment..

    I assume that the notoriety of the game is such that there is no need for early reviews to build up steam for the GTA publicity train, instead they've opted for a singular onslaught right before release to pitch the game to the wider market.

  • Ryze #32 4 years ago

    If it gets 7 or less (unlikely) then I won't get it from Asda at 11pm-midnight like I'm planning to.

    I'll wait for my 1000 point pre-order to come from postie/HMV some time on Tues.

  • systems #33 4 years ago

    Mine shipped yesterday so I don't care about reviews. If I don't like it I'll take it back, but that's unlikely as I've liked SA and VC.

    The official reviews are already on Metacritic for both consoles. Both gave 10/10 as you'd expect from an official magazine.

  • hiddenranbir #34 4 years ago

    This is so silly.

  • HyperShadow #35 4 years ago

    Stonewall 10/10 as everyone is expecting, despite the faults, or not living up to the hype? I'm slightly interested.

    Given the fact that a lot of the missions repeat over all of the games, if this gets 10/10 i'm calling shenanigans on all the Assassin's Creed reviews ever.

    I'll be back to crash the site on Sunday :p

  • TheJuriel #36 4 years ago

    I'm pondering whether to go buy the game on Monday midnight, just so I could grin at americans who are a few hours late for that. I've wanted to do that for ages, but it'd be weird to do for a game I'm sort of interested in, but not enamored with.

  • Stu #37 4 years ago

    Maybe it's rubbish.

    Actually, I don't think I can stand to even humour the idea that it might be rubbish, it's just too painful.

  • cyacomini #38 4 years ago

    Why put an embargo on a review? That's just totally pointless.

    Unless of course your game is expected to get a lower score - which of course, GTA wont.

  • Madafunkola #39 4 years ago

    Metacritic have brief summaries of 2 X360 reviews and one PS3 (OXM, OPM and some other Xbox one) if you are that way inclined.

  • Moz #40 4 years ago

    Embargoes worry me, to me it suggests the company doesn't have faith in it's product and want to make sure that by the time people find out it's not good it's too late to cancel their pre-orders.

  • M83J01P97 #41 4 years ago

    Embargo's are mainly used now a days to stop journalists doing rushed jobs on reviews. If everyone has a set date and time at which they can release the reviews then in theory it means more time and effort will be put into the review.

  • Moz #42 4 years ago

    Without giving any spoilers out, a lot of early sentiment is that the game isn't as amazingly advanced as all the hype suggests. This isn't to say it's a bad game in any way, just that it's definitely not a 10/10 game. It has a lot of the same mission issues that San Andreas had i.e. that you end up doing them multiple times due to random events such as traffic, loosing the car you are chasing etc. etc.

    Same could be said about Halo 3, and that still got plenty of 10/10!!!!!!!

    Out of principal I went to cancel my pre-order, only to be told that it had already been packaged and dispatched in time for release day. Given the attitude of the guy on the phone I am not alone in this request.

    Did you order from GAME by any chance, cos i've been noticing a worrying trend with them later. Both my pre-order MK:Wii and Wii Fit showed as "despatched" the weekend before release yet MK did arrive til late on the friday. And i'm still waiting for Wii Fit.

    Give as it's sent either Royal mail 1st class or parcel the longest it should take to arrive is 3 days!

    Which suggest to me that they have stuff packed on crates sitting in there warehouse and actually give it to Royal mail tuesday and wednesday. So are effectivly lying on your order statis.
    Edited by Moz at 25/04/08 @ 11:46

  • gingerlink #43 4 years ago

    @penhalion

    Why does that not surprise me? Thie generation of games everyone has got far too hyped up about everything. Hyped far too much and expect things they're never going to have. This isn't even the developers and publisher's fault as much because they know what's going to happen and they

    I havn't been disapointed by a single *mass hype* game that I've bought this generation, you know why? Because I havn't really cared, I don't camp outside the store expecting it to be the best game ever. I just wander down to a local store to see if they've still got some in stock (argos didn't fail me with mario kart the day after release. I would've got it in the evening on release but I was busy). Only exception to the not caring being smash bros. (import +freeloader), but even the *disapointment* of subspace emissary (which people seem to consider a far larger part of the game than it actually is) caught me by surprise, spent half the weekend doing subspace emissary with a friend on probabbly a far too hard difficulty level for him but it was still great fun, despite what reviews out (although it's not quite the same on single player).

    Same goes for Zelda, Super Mario Galaxy, Halo etc. I've never made any sort of overexpectations about these games. I havn't been disapointed by them and I've had a great amount of fun with them

    (double post due to some crazy upload limit I have right now)

  • gingerlink #44 4 years ago

    You see, this is why there probabbly shouldn't be sequels. It's not that they're bad (try playing the sequel to a game first, THEN play the original). it's that people create their own stupid amount of hype expecting it to be twice as good as the original, which was already an amazing game. Seeing new (or even well established devlopers) bringing new games completely out of the blue has a far greater effect on gamers and the industry as a whole. Take Okami for instance and Portal and Psychonauts. In fact the majoritory of past eurogamer no. 1 games. If you want a sequel to actually be considering great, then you've probabbly got to make the first game pretty rubbish.

    Now excuse me while I go down to the store later today and get wii fit and probabbly ignore GTA for the next month.

  • OrgasmicMutton #45 4 years ago

    I have to laugh at comments about cancelling pre orders because of this.

    If you're the type of person whose decision to buy a game is influenced to such a large extent by reviews then what the blazes are you doing placing a pre order in the first place!

    Sometimes the mind boggles. Ah, boggle . . . quite fancy a game of it now.

  • Moz #46 4 years ago

    @gingerlink

    I think there is a need for sequals when a game has a plot, as it can lead to a better emursive experience.

    However when it comes to GTA, Final Fantasy, Burnout. It's nothing but a brand. Some would say they are being lazy and can't think of new names for games. other probably think it's good as it give you an idea as to the style of the game.

    Personally i'd prefer they gave each one a different name, but then on the box and advertising use "From the creators of...."

  • Prodigy_BE #47 4 years ago

    Calling us names.
    So it won't be a 10 or a 9 then?

    From the gameplay footage I saw on youtube, looks like more of the same to mee.
    Cool, but no revolution, like Bioshock, Final Fantasy VI, God of War 1, MGS1 or Metroid Prime was. Or Mario 64.

    8 it is then.
    Nice score, EG!

  • Moz #48 4 years ago

    Could EG not slip and type the wrong time and date into their auto post system, then go a woops and take the review back off the site, even if it's only there for 5 minutes one of us will spot it and be able to save it.
    So we can put it on a blog and put a link here ;)

  • menage #49 4 years ago

    I'll buy this when the hype dies down and I know which version is more up my alley.

    I fucking hate embargoes, totally useless, customer unfriendly, bullshit, makes me want to boycot games that enforce them.

  • monkie_king #50 4 years ago

    Anyone know what's up with the tilting sideways when running? It looks ridiculous. I'm guessing it's down to Euphoria, and is actually realistic, despite how silly it appears.

  • Fwing #51 4 years ago

    9/10 on 360
    8/10 on PS3

    /scarper

  • agparrot #52 4 years ago

    @monkie_king

    "Anyone know what's up with the tilting sideways when running? It looks ridiculous. I'm guessing it's down to Euphoria, and is actually realistic, despite how silly it appears. "

    I've just been out in the street practicing this, and I've badly grazed my knee and my elbow. I don't feel the slightest bit of Euphoria, and now need some TCP, which I know is probably going to hurt more than the original wounds. At least it has taken my mind off waiting for the GTA IV reviews.

  • Moz #53 4 years ago

    @monkie_king: If your refering to running round corners then yes that is realistic.

  • syphaa #54 4 years ago

    Well Official XBOX Magazine UK have given it 100%

    "Utterly stunning in every resepct. [May 2008, p.79]"
    [Which includes typo! Excellent] [Source: Metacritic]

    Can't see many scores dropping low than this to be honest, only the reviewers that are trying to cause controversy...

  • menage #55 4 years ago

    @syphea

    On the other hand, the only way is down I think.

  • Socrates #56 4 years ago

    EG will give it an 8.
    It's the same as GTAIII, instead of Afro-Americans there are Albanian immigrants in GTA IV.
    Instead of Los Angeles it is set in New York.

    That are the only differences between III and IV.
    The visual quality is good, but not mindblowing.

    Voice acting is as usual of the highest level, especially the Jamaican accent of Little Jacob is priceless.

  • M83J01P97 #57 4 years ago

    You appear to have confused 3 with SA.

  • penhalion #58 4 years ago

    @Moz

    "Same could be said about Halo 3, and that still got plenty of 10/10!!!!!!!"

    Yep that's what annoys me so much. It's getting obvious that someone somewhere in these well established internet review sites is taking backhanders of some kind to boost the review scores. Sometimes it's even obvious that the reviewer didn't play the game at all and simply did a review off of some press release blurb (not sure how else they would somehow miss the obvious bugs in some games).

    You're also right in that I pre-ordered GTA 4 from Game. It suprised me that they would have dispatched already but, my card has been charged and the order does indeed say dispatched!. The guy on the phone seems to have been taking calls like mine all morning and was well pissed from the sound of things.

  • byron_hinson #59 4 years ago

    @Syphaa - yeah heaven forbid you realise that OXBM got the exclusive first review and considering MS paid for exclusive DLC, paid for all the GTA 4 advertising etc that it wouldn't get anything less than 10 in that mag. Not saying the game isn't great mind you - but sometimes people have to realise that is the "official" Xbox Box Mag that gives even the crappy exclusive games higher than usual marks.

  • MBar #60 4 years ago

    /is still waiting for the reviews before ordering

    These rumours of repetative, more-of-the-same gameplay are exactly what I expected from GTAIV. Rockstar talk a good game, but when it comes to code, they find Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v get used a lot.

    Still, this could all be bullshit and lies. We'll see on Sunday I guess.

  • paulf #61 4 years ago

    oh come on all you doubters, this is gonna be one of the best games of all time, you can just tell by the previews in Edge and Eurogamer that its gonna get 10 in both cases,

    Leaked youtube videos of some bloke driving around arent gonna show you any of the character development, any of the feel of the city, any of the context and little bits of genius that make GTA games so special. And that is just the single player game, add the multiplayer on top of that and well 10 all the way

  • KreyAtiv #62 4 years ago

    Probably want all the reviews on a world wide release date too.

  • Kropotkin #63 4 years ago

    I think they should give it an OLL mark of 7/10 but that's just me...

  • penhalion #64 4 years ago

    @Moz

    I do fun runs and marathons and believe me you don't do 40 - 60 degree leans around corners. The human body simply doesn't have that low a center of gravity! You actually tend to either slow down while cornering, grab onto a wall for a quick swing round or fall over if you lean to counteract the forces of the turn. This is why olympic tracks are slightly tilted around corners and full sprint races are only held in straight lines!

    The one thing you can't do (unless you are on a bike) is do a 40 - 60% lean into a turn at full speed. I guess it looks just as rediculous in GTA as it would in real life from the comments people are saying.

    Edit: Good proof of this is to watch an episode of "Police Stop" where they are chasing a guy on foot. I guarantee the guy falls over going around corners (as frequently do the police chasing them). The human body is designed for full on straight line sprints (how our ancestors caught dinner with spear and foot!). Full speed sharp cornering leads to foot slippage and face planting or sprained ankles and much crying.
    Edited by penhalion at 25/04/08 @ 12:56

  • MasterNameless #65 4 years ago

    I just picked up a copy from my local game shop in London... I can't say where I'm afraid though, I was promised not to tell! Although if it was a chain I would obviously say who it was straight away. Have to protect the little guys though! XD

    I'm not posting this to antagonise the obvious vast majority that are still waiting. I am just a little apprehansive about going online with it over the weekend, I don't want to get banned! I remember all the bollocks about getting banned if you went online with Halo 3 early, which was actually only MS employees getting banned. MS surely can't ban me for the mistake of a shop selling it early can they?

    And again, I don't mean to rub it in!!!

    edit: grammar
    Edited by MasterNameless at 25/04/08 @ 13:03

  • Redeye #66 4 years ago

    Not fussed about reviews, hype or this somewhat blatant attempt to drive potential purchasers into a mindfroth before Tuesday -I'll be buying it anyway, and looking forward to all sorts of shitstorms that break out across the length and breadth of teh interweb.

    *stocks up on M&Ms and OJ and prepares for the sheer unadulterated comedy of the inevitable fanboy crapfest*

  • peterfll #67 4 years ago

    If it's truly outstanding then all I want to know is which is the better version to go for. I know many people don't like the fact that EG points out defencies that crop up on multiformat PS3 and 360 games, but for joint owners its a blessing.

  • KingOfSpain #68 4 years ago

    Kropotkin -

    It would not get a 8/10 because they have changed their scoring system.

    BRING BACK THE 7/10.

    Oh and +1 to Talia doing a GTA review :)

  • MasterNameless #69 4 years ago

    @peterfll

    With the 360 often winning out on multi-format games, although probably not in this case as it's such a huge release, and the 2 x 10 hour chapters getting released in the autumn, I reckon 360 would be the version to go for. It also depends on whether you plan to play online much, and what console the majority of your friends have.

    If you don't play online and/or don't care about the downloadable content, it's probably just a case of which controller you'd prefer to play it with!

  • M83J01P97 #70 4 years ago

    @MasterNameless

    You can't be banned for playing a game on Live early. If you have a proper retail version of the game then there is nothing Microsoft can do to stop you, it would be against the law if they did... but again, that is if you bought the game lawfully.
    Edited by M83J01P97 at 25/04/08 @ 13:23

  • gingerlink #71 4 years ago

    you do realise the 3 reviews so far are 100/100/98, right?

  • MasterNameless #72 4 years ago

    @M83J01P97

    Thanks, I just wanted someone to set my mind at rest! I did buy it lawfully yes! The guy in the shop said not to take it online, but that was probably more to limit the chances of me telling people wher I got it from so they don't get in the shit. As I just said in the forum too...

  • defdaz #73 4 years ago

    Had the chance to play it for a fews min. Not overly impressed, have to say. Seemed just like all the others with a slightly improved engine. I.e. if you're bored of gta gameplay then this isn't sufficiently different to warrant bothering with. In my opinion. Difficult to hear the voices on the phone, difficult to see much at night.

    We then loaded up fight night round 3 and had much more fun. ;)

  • badabing #74 4 years ago

    @MasterNameless


    http://kotaku.com/383534/microsoft-looki...

  • M83J01P97 #75 4 years ago

    As I said, if you have actually gone out and purchased the game from a reputable retailer then you are doing nothing wrong by playing the game online and Microsoft or Sony couldn't do anything about it. If anything, they would track down where you purchased the game from and lay the blame there.

    They are only going to start banning people who have been playing illegal copies of the game online, but then they do that with every game anyway.

  • rogueJT #76 4 years ago

    Gameplay.co.uk have it arriving since yesterday.

    http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=qXkeAtnC0b0

  • Razz #77 4 years ago

    Bramwell is a poo head

  • MasterNameless #78 4 years ago

    @badabing

    Cheers for that, but that link doesn't worry me as it seems to relate to people who have downloaded the leaked version from the internet. And as M83J01P97 says, I did buy the proper game from a retailer so all should be good. I will be online with it tonight, my fears have been lifted.

  • Amazing Bryan #79 4 years ago

    10 out of 10 isn't it? The industry needs a game for everyone to rush out and buy, as there hasn't been anything since Christmas. My 360 is the least used machine in the history of all consoles I've owned.

    I don't want to have to get a Wii.

  • Lonestar #80 4 years ago

    From reading various forums it seems that some of the underlying problems of the GTA series are still evident. Which - for me - undermines the living city Rockstar were tryng to achieve.

    I think the review will be along lines of "Best GTA yet; more detailed and refined but still retaining some of the old game engine faults of the previous games. 10/10"

    But...




    it could well be a 9.

  • Velios #81 4 years ago

    EG have reviewed it, and have given it 9/10

  • rogueJT #82 4 years ago

    @velios
    "EG have reviewed it, and have given it 9/10"

    How do you know?

    That said, I was laughing when I saw the gameplay footage for the first time. The way he sprints when you hold down the "x" button. Pure GTA. (maybe it wasn't the x button, used to the PS2 versions)

    No wonder Rockstar held back the gameplay footage.

    Anyway, as we all know, GTA games take weeks even MONTHS before you unlock their inner treasures.
    Judging the game on watching some American piratign geek play for a few minutes doesn't tell us anything.

    Is vigilante back again this time?
    Edited by rogueJT at 25/04/08 @ 14:36

  • mingster #83 4 years ago

    I've heard the retail version has a nasty bug causing it too crash....

    will need a patch to fix it.
    Edited by mingster at 25/04/08 @ 14:50

  • monkie_king #84 4 years ago

    Hmm, shame if it is just more of the same. Yes, it'll be harder, better, faster, stronger, but it damn well ought to be after years of development on a new generation of hardware. That's the least it should achieve.

    Maybe all those incremental improvements will add up to a significantly new experience, but if not it'll be hard to go back to GTA after Crackdown, which did take the genre in a new direction. And didn't look ludicrous when you ran round corners.

  • elephant_stone #85 4 years ago

    @Eurogamer

    Will you be reviewing both versions?

  • bigbadbeasty #86 4 years ago

    I just can't help but feel this will be a bit of a disapointment. I always felt that GTA has been an over-rated franchise, and nothing I have seen has shown me that they are doing anything really new.

    A review embargo just makes me suspicious....

  • monkie_king #87 4 years ago

    Embargoes are part and parcel of jounalism, it's nothing unique to GTA4.

  • Triggerhappytel #88 4 years ago

    Unless EG's gonna go against the grain and mark this an 8/10 or lower, the review doesn't really matter. Pretty much everyone here with the relevant console will be buying, I suspect.

  • elvenscroll #89 4 years ago

    That guy opening the gameplay package, arent new 360 games usually sealed down the side? That one wasnt....

  • 8bitMofo #90 4 years ago

    I remember when Eurogamer used to be first at these things...

  • ps3owner #91 4 years ago

    if anyone wants to see ingame footage.
    here you go...

    [link url=http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/25/gta_iv_leaked_online/
    ]http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/25/...[/link]

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #92 4 years ago

    Hi guys! I hadn't realised that the word "embargo" might stun and upset anyone, and I don't think Rockstar had either when they said it would be fine to mention it. This sort of thing is pretty standard on big games, as it gives everyone the chance to play the game in a relaxed fashion rather than having to compete with other publications to get it done as soon as possible. It's certainly not Rockstar being mean or controlling - the same was true of Orange Box, Halo 3, BioShock, Assassin's Creed, Army of Two, and various others - but it's not always made public beforehand.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #93 4 years ago

    "I remember when Eurogamer used to be first at these things"

    So, last month with Mario Kart of GT5P? :) We would have struggled to be first if we hadn't worked with Rockstar, since we wouldn't have had the game until two days after the embargo expired.

  • ratso #94 4 years ago

    are you allowed to say which version you think is better?

  • TagemandBagem #95 4 years ago

    I've seen some of the gameplay of GTAIV and I'm not impressed one bit. It looks like all you do is steal cars and shoot people. I mean according to the hype, which I have been loyally buying into, Rockstar promised a game that would answer the meaning of life. If it doesn't, or gets below 5/10 in reviews I will definitely cancel my preorder! I rang up Game today and told them I planned on cancelling because of the review embargo and the fact GTAIV isn't set in space and the guy on the phone seemed quite cross. I'm certain this is due to other people like me making similar complaints. In the end it's Rockstar who are going to LOOSE because they insist on not making a game that lives up to the expectations of 14yrs on XBOX forums.
    Edited by TagemandBagem at 25/04/08 @ 19:57

  • gooners2006 #96 4 years ago

    The Suns entertainment section gave it a score of 95%....but gave no facts about the game what so ever, instead they had an interview from some guy from Rockstar....looks like they can give a score but cant give us any info on the game

  • monkie_king #97 4 years ago

    Holy article rewriting, Batman!

  • smelly #98 4 years ago

    EDIT : This was in reply to Fightman, who's post has now disappeared

    ^^^ I hope microsoft sue's your ass and cuts off your live service...
    Edited by smelly at 25/04/08 @ 23:32

  • smelly #99 4 years ago

    back to the review.. i'm not bothered by the review at all.

    It's like halo 3.. there's been so much hype about it.. even if it was a complete dogs turd (which i'm sure it's not) it'll still get high review scores everywhere.

  • monkie_king #100 4 years ago

    zomg fightman invented usenet! and swearing!

  • monkie_king #101 4 years ago

    hope you get those self-esteem issues worked out soon, dear.

  • TagemandBagem #102 4 years ago

    Enjoy pushing trollies around Asda carpark fight"man".

  • M83J01P97 #103 4 years ago

    If you don't have a retail version of GTA 4 (apparently they have a way of telling a retail version from one downloaded illegally) then by even signing into Live with the game will result in a lifetime ban and a system block. Have fun with that.

  • RichGL #104 4 years ago

    Ah sweet, fightman thinks he has the game, that's so cute.

    You've just been staring at the tv for three hours, and it's not even on, is what really has been happening.

  • Bumhug360 #105 4 years ago

    I aM on teh InterNets I cna call peepol CUNTS. My mum is so proad of me cause I aint in prisun lick my dad and my sista is up the duff wif my kid. CUNTS

  • George-Roper #106 4 years ago

    LOL@fightman

    And actually, yeah, I do enjoy paying for stuff. Got a good amount of cash going spare, on an ongoing basis. Unlike your ratty hide, i'd wager.

    Hows the broadband upgrade coming, anyway? Got a proper connection yet or just making do with your '2mb Dole Plus' ADSL service? =)

    Oh, Cunt!?

  • Fuser #107 4 years ago

    My - isnt this a lovely friendly forum...

  • Blackthorned #108 4 years ago

    Fightman,

    You are a true inspiration. Quick-witted and a man of means. Please humour my assumptions but I wager you wear a white tracksuit and ride a mountain bike around the town centre of an evening too, barking four-lettered insults at couples with your fellow leisurewear knights.
    A 21st century warrior, it's a wonder you have any spare time for trivialities like video games.

  • smelly #109 4 years ago

    Personally i define "cunt" as anyone who claims to love gaming but will still pirate one of the BIGGEST game releases of the year.


    (edit: changed "best" for "biggest" as we dont actually know if it is the best yet)


    Edited by smelly at 25/04/08 @ 23:16

  • killyourtv #110 4 years ago

    what happened to those embargos? IGN have their review up already

  • smelly #111 4 years ago

    LOL @ Fightman's post being deleted.

  • TagemandBagem #112 4 years ago

    "what happened to those embargos? IGN have their review up already"

    Thanks for headsup on that. Some truly excellent gameplay footage in that video review (although a little dark). Really avoid however if you don't want spoilers because in hours of watching that stream yesterday I didn't see 70% of what's shown in that vid. The city at night from the heli looks real nice. Also the RPG blindifring and shooting up at the heli.

  • BBIAJ #113 4 years ago

    IGN's review is up:

    [link url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/869/869381p1.html
    ]http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/869/8693...[/link]

    Any chance of EG putting theirs up early now?

  • Dabs #114 4 years ago

    Fuck me, a perfect 10?!

    :o

  • Altrezia #115 4 years ago

    Wow - the ign review is good (nice vid footage too)

    What a score. What a game! I really can't wait.

  • gmmonkey #116 4 years ago

    Umm, how come ign can put theirs up and not yours?

  • TagemandBagem #117 4 years ago

    "Umm, how come ign can put theirs up and not yours?"

    What do the words "Exclusive review" mean to you?

  • BBIAJ #118 4 years ago

    Erm, there's no indication that it is "Exclusive", is there?

  • TagemandBagem #119 4 years ago

    "Erm, there's no indication that it is "Exclusive", is there?"

    Other than the words "Grand Theft Auto IV Online Exclusive Review" ...no.
    Edited by TagemandBagem at 26/04/08 @ 03:13

  • BBIAJ #120 4 years ago

    I looked all over the review page and didn't see anything of the sort, so either I must be blind, or my PSP hid it from me?

  • Davemanz #121 4 years ago

    It says "exclusive" on the front page of IGN. It's also on the Video Review.
    Edited by Davemanz at 26/04/08 @ 09:03

  • BBIAJ #122 4 years ago

    Not quite, the video only says "World Premier Video Review", nothing about it being an exclusive.

    But yes, I see it on the front page now, thanks!

    Odd that they didn't big it up as such on the main review page though...

  • DieselDragon #123 4 years ago

    This surprised me a bit in the IGN review:

    For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3. The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in. The 360 has richer colors, but the PS3 has better anti-aliasing making it look a little cleaner. Because GTA IV can preload onto the PS3 hard drive, the in-game loads are faster. Don't worry Xbox owners, the load times are rarely more than 30 seconds and don't occur very often. The slight visual edge goes to PS3, but the 360 is no slouch. Either version will do you proud.

  • Widge #124 4 years ago

    "leisurewear knights"

    best phrase of 2008

  • Widge #125 4 years ago

    10 from the UK too....

    http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/869/86964...

  • TriggerHippie #126 4 years ago

    Hey EG, how about surprising and helping those of us with both consoles out by offering some thoughts on the respective versions merits in tomorrows review. Instead of saving it up for the inevitable Super EG Fanbait Champion Comparison Turbo 2: The Next Generation arcticle in 2 months time.
    Edited by TriggerHippie at 26/04/08 @ 12:09

  • Hobo #127 4 years ago

    That "far less" popup might just be enough to swing this one for me now.

  • bigbadbeasty #128 4 years ago

    I will wait and see some proper reviews when they are out. I am afraid 10 all the way down is a little bit far fetched, and has an Assassins Creed smell to it....

  • macmurphy #129 4 years ago

    Um, pretty sure the review was explicit in that both versions are good, PS3 slightly better but just pick whatever version that most of your friends get, as the online mode is tidy and the differences are marginal.

    As an aside if you're torn it may be worth getting the 360 version. Microsoft have paid all that cash for the exclusive content - if the extra stuff is as good as the main game it seems likely you'll want to indulge.

    I'm thinking this will kill all banter dead but I know it won't.

    (Waits for usual half-arsed pissing contest)

  • sharpfish #130 4 years ago

    RE: IGN's review stating that visually the PS3 has the edge (better anti aliasing and less texture pop up)....

    At last PS3 proves it's worth and frankly this is far more important than some "DLC" (like the ps3 version won't get some form of add ons at some stage).

    Factor in the *FREE* online play (that will be just as good but without PAYING for NOTHING) and that makes the PS3 the overall better version to me and makes me glad my 360 dying continually forced my hand and persuaded me to buy a PS3.





  • macmurphy #131 4 years ago

    Yes Sharpfish, I was talking about twats like you.

    At last PS3 proves it's worth and frankly this is far more important than some "DLC" (like the ps3 version won't get some form of add ons at some stage).

    This is subjective for one thing. But arguably since the differences are marginal, you would want a version that has downloadable content. It's exclusive and Microsoft have paid millions for it, i don't know the exact details and conceivably it could appear on the PS3 but it wouldn't be for a very long time. To put it in inverted commas like it's going to be a spare costume is bollocks. It will be significant, so please don't try and bullshit people.

    Factor in the *FREE* online play (that will be just as good but without PAYING for NOTHING) and that makes the PS3 the overall better version to me and makes me glad my 360 dying continually forced my hand and persuaded me to buy a PS3.

    Shut up. What the hell has X-box live got to do with this? My point was aimed at people with both consoles, they'd already have x-box live. At the end of the day you'll get it for whatever console you have, if you have both you'll probably get it for the one on which most of your buddies will play (no doubt a hypothetical problem for yourself). As regards which is the best version the differences are described as almost non existent. The only time you'll be able to make a reasoned judgment is when the downloadable content comes out, and if you think it's not going to be half decent after all that microsoft have paid you're either naive or a fuckwit.

    I'm thinking the latter.

  • sirtacos #132 4 years ago

    Two thumbs up for inserting "fuckwit" into a sentence. I love that word. It's not used nearly enough.

    I'm ambivalent about my having pre-ordered the 360 version. Ultimately though if it has to boil down to a cross-console comparison, I like the 360 controls better, so even if the pop-up is annoying and the DLC is non-existent I'll still be happy.
    Truth is, I only use my PS3 for watching movies. I just consider it a cheap BluRay player - and that won't change until developers start favoring the big black machine instead of the big white one.

  • TagemandBagem #133 4 years ago

    "The only time you'll be able to make a reasoned judgment is when the downloadable content comes out, and if you think it's not going to be half decent after all that microsoft have paid you're either naive or a fuckwit."

    Hardly anyone finishes GTA games so you're assume the DLC will be worth it. Also just because Microsoft threw a lot of money at them does not guarantee the DLC will be good. Go watch Waterworld you assuming fucknut.

  • SeesThroughAll #134 4 years ago

    [...] a lot of money at them does not guarantee the DLC will be good.

    No, but the fact that it's Rockstar making the DLC does.

  • TagemandBagem #135 4 years ago

    "No, but the fact that it's Rockstar making the DLC does."

    The point is we don't know what the DLC will be. Most likely it will be more missions in which case as I said already most people won't be interested as they barely finish all the missions in GTA games regardless.

    If it's significant MP stuff, or more weapons/vehicles in SP then it might be worth a look.

  • Prodigy_BE #136 4 years ago

    Well Official XBOX Magazine UK have given it 100%

    "Utterly stunning in every resepct. [May 2008, p.79]"
    [Which includes typo! Excellent] [Source: Metacritic]

    Can't see many scores dropping low than this to be honest, only the reviewers that are trying to cause controversy...

    Hm... I used to work at Official PlayStation Magazine in Benelux, and know for a fact that Rockstar only gives permission to publish a GTA review if it scores 95% or higher. I went public on it when the did it with Vice City, and got LOTSof heat for it.

    But the strategy works. Get a few big magazines to write biased reviews, and all the rest follows, too scared to have an opinion that's different than the rest.

    Long live the reader review, imo.
    Power to the people!

  • Prodigy_BE #137 4 years ago

    Well Official XBOX Magazine UK have given it 100%

    "Utterly stunning in every resepct. [May 2008, p.79]"
    [Which includes typo! Excellent] [Source: Metacritic]

    Can't see many scores dropping low than this to be honest, only the reviewers that are trying to cause controversy...

    Hm... I used to work at Official PlayStation Magazine in Benelux, and know for a fact that Rockstar only gives permission to publish a GTA review if it scores 95% or higher. I went public on it when the did it with Vice City, and got LOTSof heat for it.

    But the strategy works. Get a few big magazines to write biased reviews, and all the rest follows, too scared to have an opinion that's different than the rest.

    Long live the reader review, imo.
    Power to the people!

  • WinterSnowblind #138 4 years ago

    @TagemandBagem

    But you have to take into account $50 million is about the same amount as it costs to make most movies, those expecting the DLC to be nothing more than a mere few missions are being a little naive. They've been giving a lot of money to do something big with, I don't think we're talking about one or two small additions.

  • TagemandBagem #139 4 years ago

    I don't know exactly what the $50 mill encompasses. From the barrage of GTAIV tv ads they're all pimping Microsoft and the 360. I assume that is part of the deal. And companies spend millions on advertising. Not $50 mill obviously, but it's still a significant sum.
    If it is just SP content with some token MP stuff I just don't see it being that big of a deal considering how big Liberty City and the standalone game are atm. I heard 35/40 hrs gameplay mission wise.

    I think MP DLC would be the most significant add-on.

  • TagemandBagem #140 4 years ago

    "hahaha you idiot... Gamespy servers (which is what the poor PS3 users are going to suffer) are notoriously bad so you're going to get some reeeeeeeeeeeally choppy gameplay."

    That's reeeeeeeeeally believable.

  • mkreku #141 4 years ago

    What if the DLC is a co-op mode for the entire single player story..? That would be excellent :D

  • TriggerHippie #142 4 years ago

    @Wintersnowblind

    Seriously? You think that the $50 million dollars was paid to cover the development costs rather than, say, to cover the revenue lost from not making the DLC available to PS3 users? Or as payment for MS's exclucivity for whatever period? I don't think you should be so quick to throw around terms like "naive" at people.

    I'll be getting the ps3 version, as things stand at the moment. If, in 4 months time, the DLC turns out to be as godly as some people seem to expect, and if there isn't half a dozen other games demanding my time then I'll pick up a 360 copy :p
    Edited by TriggerHippie at 26/04/08 @ 20:40

  • OrgasmicMutton #143 4 years ago

    I really hope that Rockstar have stuck some cutting "console war" satire into the game. It would be enjoyable just to see all the fanboys miss the point!

  • TagemandBagem #144 4 years ago

    "What if the DLC is a co-op mode for the entire single player story..? That would be excellent :D"

    That seems like too much. I doubt the engine could handle it anyway.

  • TriggerHippie #145 4 years ago

    Why the hell aren't MS shouting down the roof with details of the DLC at this point. Its all very well talking about "exclusive content" coming in August but people are chosing which version to buy right now! MS should be saying "THIS IS WHAT YOU'LL BE MISSING IF YOU DON'T GO WITH US" right now. Not "you'll be getting something exclusive later in the year".

    Seriously, if its THAT awsome, whats the bloody secret?
    Edited by TriggerHippie at 26/04/08 @ 17:58

  • des #146 4 years ago

    I am hoping to see a good critical and balanced review.
    I am getting sick of OMG GTA 10,10,10,10...blah,blah,blah style reviews!
    Edited by des at 26/04/08 @ 17:59

  • Greebo #147 4 years ago

    "I am hoping to see a good critical and balanced review.
    I am getting sick of OMG GTA 10,10,10,10...blah,blah,blah style reviews!"


    Agreed. And I also want to see an unbiased comparison between the two versions, even at the cost of getting annoyed with the fanboys when I look at the comments!

  • TagemandBagem #148 4 years ago

    "Agreed. And I also want to see an unbiased comparison between the two versions, even at the cost of getting annoyed with the fanboys when I look at the comments!"

    How exactly are IGN biased between Xbox and PS3? How is Sam Houser biased between the two versions?

  • Greebo #149 4 years ago


    @TagemandBagem

    Fair play. Lazy post on my part.

    My point - I'd like to read some more detailed (yet unbiased) comparison between versions so I can make my mind up which version I want. Then Fightman will annoy me in the comments...

  • BBIAJ #150 4 years ago

    @TagemandBagem: Hardly anyone finishes GTa games...

    And how do you know that exactly!?

    I've completed GTa III countless times, same with Vice City. I've also done San Andreas, Liberty City Stories, and I'm almost done with Vice City Stories, many of them to 100% completion.

    Not to mention GTa, GTa 2, and GTa London 1969.

    Now stop presenting wild speculation as fact please, okay?

    kthnxbai!

  • TagemandBagem #151 4 years ago

    "The Grand Theft Auto series (1997-2008, DMA/Rockstar) Controversial series of "sandbox" games that gift the player an entire city in which to misbehave. It began in 1997 as a cheeky mayhem simulator with a top-down, 2D viewpoint and a ZX Spectrum vibe. In 2001, it graduated to 3D and became an unstoppable blockbuster. The sun-kissed San Andreas is my favourite GTA, at least until the next-gen GTA IV arrives in a few weeks. Few Brits realise these games are made in Scotland: we should be far prouder of this stuff than we are."

    While I don't fully trust any reviewer, even with the most blissfully optimistic (Insincere Dave) you can still read between the lines to get at some grains of truth. Also video of gameplay helps, a lot.

  • TagemandBagem #152 4 years ago

    "Now stop presenting wild speculation as fact please, okay? "

    Where did I say it was fact? Do you think I interviewed every single person who played the GTA games and presented my findings? No, obviously not. So stop trying to present my opinion as if it were fact just to attack it, okay?

    Secondly it's not "wild speculation" to say most people don't 100% complete the GTA games, it's very-extremely-how-fucking-thick-are-you-probable they don't.

  • BBIAJ #153 4 years ago

    Exactly, if you haven't asked everyone, then you're just assuming that it must be true, therefore you're presenting it as fact.

    So either I'm the exception to your belief, or you're an ignorant misguided fool.

    I know which I believe...
    Edited by BBIAJ at 26/04/08 @ 19:57

  • TagemandBagem #154 4 years ago

    "Exactly, if you haven't asked everyone, then you're just assuming that it must be true, therefore you're presenting it as fact. "

    Yes, of course. Estimates, probability and educated guesses don't exist in your delightfully black and white world. I should have known.

  • penhalion #155 4 years ago

    @Tagemandbagem

    As you can see, this is the point where your sarcastic comments and attempts to put other forum posters down has come back to bite you in the ass enjoy :)

  • Widge #156 4 years ago

    mah...
    someone on my psn list is playing
    tried to bluff tesco, they believed me that its was out last fri.. but wouldn't go look for my 'out of stock' copy!

  • TagemandBagem #157 4 years ago

    @penhalion

    Still butthurt over my post? You should be.

  • smelly #158 4 years ago

    Im as excited by this game as the next man - and i'm EVEN going to use it as an excuse to buy a ps3 to play it on.

    However, I dont think trusting 10/10 reviews is necessarily wise. Especially with the amount of hype going around at the moment.

    Remember - reviewers are paid by the advertisements on the site...

    with something like gta, no-one would tell us the truth even if it was average.

  • defdaz #159 4 years ago

    Can't believe this is getting 10's across the board. If it was the first 3d gta then yeah, maybe, but as it stands its just more of the same and frankly from the (admittedly short) time I played the game I wouldn't give it more than an 8.

    Am I paranoid? Is the gaming industry pulling together to hype the game into the stratosphere and thus pull in some non-gamers who learn about the game through all the hype and hopefully stay around to sell more mags, games and adverts too in future? Hmmm. \shrug

  • barchetta #160 4 years ago

    Sunday? Excellent, gives me time to cancel my pre-order then!

    / IS JOKING

  • smelly #161 4 years ago

    @defdaz

    Advertising (or "exclusive review" allowance) in return for high review scores have been happening since the 80's.

    "look, we'll make a review embargo.. no-one is allowed to review our game.. But we'll let you review it early if you give it 10/10.. And we'll also give you 100k's worth of advertising"

    See also halo 3.

  • subtlesnake #162 4 years ago

    I recall Bungie saying that the completion percentage for their games is around 10% and even HL2: Episode 1 & 2 had completion percentages of 51% and 43%, respectively, so I don't think it's unreasonable to suppose something in that ballpark for GTA games, which are much, much larger.

    http://steampowered.com/v/index.php?area...

  • captainrentboy #163 4 years ago

    After playing it on the 360 in work, for a few hours now, I think it's fooking brilliant, and this is coming from someone who couldn't stand ANY of the other GTA titles.
    There just seems to be soooo much to it, soo many hidden gems, just the fact that I could flick through 15 or so different channels on the ingame TV, right from the off, was pretty darned cool. (The Master Chief pisstake cartoon being my fave)
    The only thing that bothers me slightly, something that has been mentioned in the reviews so far, is the texture pop in.
    A couple of times it was bloody terrible, an entire shop interior took a good 3 seconds once.
    Ohh and the framerate in general kind of gets to me, my work colleagues didn't give a shit, and thought it was fine, but the character movement throughout the city just seems slightly 'off'. :/
    Definitely buying it on Tuesday though.

  • defdaz #164 4 years ago

    @smelly

    Nicely put, and thanks.

  • subtlesnake #165 4 years ago

    It's certainly the case that in the past publishers have only allowed high scoring reviews to be released early: such with Assasin's Creed, where Ubisoft required a 9 rating to qualify for a pre-embargo release. And there have been some highly suspicious scores given in a handful of 'exclusive' reviews (I recall that Driv3r was given a 9 by PSM2 and Xbox World in the UK, for which an apology was given).

    But there's no evidence of any widespread review fixing going on - not a scrap, and given how fast even something like the Gerstmann story spread, and the large number of journalists that would need to be involved in covering up such a 'conspiracy', I think it's pretty clear that the people pointing fingers have no idea what they're talking about.

    In any case it's policy on major review sites to enforce a rigorous separation between the reviewers and the marketers/advertisers, and that's how it was at Gamespot, which is why there's been so much controversy over the Gerstmann affair in the industry.

    So I don't think GTA 4 reviewers are guilty of anything but over-enthusiasm (if they're even guilty of that). Oh, and Halo 3 got 10s because of the combined value presented by the single player and online experiences (the latter which could almost have been sold as a game in its own right), not because what was there was in any way 'perfect'. Given that GTA has vastly more content than Halo 3 – probably representing up to 100 hours in the single player mode and 100 in the multiplayer mode, is it any surprise that the game is getting 10s as well?

  • Dizzy #166 4 years ago

    "Given that GTA has vastly more content than Halo 3 – probably representing up to 100 hours in the single player mode and 100 in the multiplayer mode, is it any surprise that the game is getting 10s as well? "

    I would say that Halo 3 has vastly more content/hours than 100 in multiplayer :)

    Anyway... had the chance to play both versions today in shop of friend. Lemme just say that the comparison thread is going to explode :)
    Edited by Dizzy at 26/04/08 @ 23:56

  • spekkeh #167 4 years ago

    I wonder what it's gonna be. IGN gave it a 10, but it's on a seven page review, and that only happens to games such as Fable, which were obviously bought. I'm not saying GTA doesn't warrant a high score. But in these occasions I'd just wish Eurogamer would give its review two weeks after the rest, instead of being one of the first.

  • TagemandBagem #168 4 years ago

    I expect we'll have leaked copies of the EG review turning up shortly broadcast on shaky camcorders.

  • Melan #169 4 years ago

    ITS NOT HERE. guess ill have to do something real with my life, like talking to my kids...

    **leaves the room
    Edited by Melan at 27/04/08 @ 07:56

  • ianegg #170 4 years ago

    5pm GMT... So does that mean we'll be seeing the review at 6pm?

  • BBIAJ #171 4 years ago

    Er, no?

    It means 5pm...

  • bad09 #172 4 years ago

    It's funny the change in tone this gen with regards to GTA.

    I'm seeing a lot of "10/10 must be biased reviews", "it's not a 10/10 game" or "don't trust 10/10 reviews" etc.

    Never heard any of that with the other games, all were considered brilliant games with no argument from gamers. What's changed this time? Could it be some are bitter it's not Sony exclusive anymore (just a guess) or just trying to look cool by knocking the game of the year. GTA4 was bound to be a ten even a few weeks ago the word on the street from people who played it was it was something special and the reviews are proving that.

    Just quit your bitching and moaning buy the game on Tuesday and find out for yourself, but if you are a real GTA fan reviews won't matter and you'll be doing that already.

  • CaptCastle #173 4 years ago

    "5pm GMT... So does that mean we'll be seeing the review at 6pm?"

    I suppose it depends where you are in Europe. 5pm GMT is is 6pm in the UK (being that we are currently in BST which is GMT+1) and 7pm in most of continental Europe.

    Unless 5pm GMT is misused (as it quiet often is) to mean 5pm in the UK, in which case we get it an hour earlier.

    But anyway, what's an hour between freinds, eh EG?

  • spekkeh #174 4 years ago

    @bad09

    What other games, OoT? Of course you didn't hear that with OoT. IGN almost NEVER gives away a 10 score. Which is what makes it so fishy, because GTA4 doesn't seem to reinvent the wheel.

  • macmurphy #175 4 years ago

    @Tagemandbagem

    Nice handle. That said do you honestly expect people to believe Rockstar will make a cracking game then shit DLC? Surely if a game's fairly good, and you're a fairly reputable developer, it's also fair to assume that the DLC a company has paid you millions for is also going to be half decent. Or do you think they'll just stick their thumbs up their bums and let Microsoft swing for it?
    I know things that are big and cost a lot aren't always good. Your mum should lower her prices. And yes, I know I should really have stopped using mum jokes when puberty kicked in, there's just something I can't resist.

  • bad09 #176 4 years ago

    @spekkeh

    I was talking purely GTA games and the reception they normally get, it seems a little colder this time round IMO.

    So what if it doesn't reinvent the wheel, does that mean it can't get a 10? GTA3/VC/SA were all easily a 10 IMO so even if all they do is improve slightly should it not still warrant a 10 also? I was EXPECTING 10s and 9s so I wonder why people are now questioning those scores.

    People expect too much maybe, like the guys knocking MGO because it's no COD4 - what were they expecting it's metal gear! GTA4 will be GTA with tweeks and improvements, new city to explore and play in, and a new story (which is fine by me and most fans). That alone warrants 10/10 :)
    Edited by bad09 at 27/04/08 @ 10:14

  • Amon_Amarth #177 4 years ago

    Just by reading this comments im out of breath ................

  • DjFlex52 #178 4 years ago

    People expect too much maybe, like the guys knocking MGO because it's no COD4 - what were they expecting it's metal gear! GTA4 will be GTA with tweeks and improvements, new city to explore and play in, and a new story (which is fine by me and most fans). That alone warrants 10/10 :)

    ++ @bad09

    Thankfully these critical gamers aren't film and book critics too or we wouldn't have any 10's or 5 stars on movies and books because they didn't reinvent the wheel.
    Why can't GTAIV get a 10?

    edit: raiders of the lost ark is a 10
    star wars is a 10
    The Stand (book) is a 10...i could go on and on :)
    Edited by DjFlex52 at 27/04/08 @ 11:04

  • TagemandBagem #179 4 years ago

    @macmurphy

    I never said shit. If it's just extra missions then it will be like eating steak and then being offered another one straight away when you're full up. You aren't going to want it. (unless you're a heaving fat bastard like YOUR MOTHER!!1). In fact, the DLC might be a steak.

  • Sid-Nice #180 4 years ago

    Am gannin oot WTF is the review?

  • George-Roper #181 4 years ago

    I had a dream that EG gave this 8/10

    True story.

  • bad09 #182 4 years ago

    @TagemandBagem

    "If it's just extra missions then it will be like eating steak and then being offered another one straight away when you're full up. You aren't going to want it."

    Have you EVER played a GTA? Any fan will tell you they are sorry it's over once they clock it the 1st time (and then go on to clock it a few more times!), the chance to extend the life of a GTA game is pure gold. I suspect that many disagree purely because the PS3 doesn't have it, am I wrong?
    Edited by bad09 at 27/04/08 @ 11:37

  • DjFlex52 #183 4 years ago

    I had a dream that EG gave this 8/10

    True story.

    @George Roper

    If EG does...I wont be back :)

  • Tejstar #184 4 years ago

    If an article as to when the review will be published gets 200 comments, how many will the actual review have!!!

  • T4RG4 #185 4 years ago

    I'm not arsed about DLC if its just for single-player. I've never finished any of the GTA games (for me personally, they become a bit samey after a while) but I do rate the games very highly. I just love being able to drop into the game world, muck about doing whatever I want and then switch off. For me its a great sandbox game which doesnt need to direct me in order for me to have a great time.

    If the DLC has multiplayer elements, that will be worth getting :D

    Hell, before I knew GTA4 would have multiplayer elements there was no way in my mind it was going to get a 10, but with it included? very high chance! Thats what we needed this time around, they've given it to us. It probably scores a 10 as a standout game when compared to other titles available on the systems. Sure, things could be done a little better here and there if various mechanics were used in other games, but GTA has so much content, so much going on in the game world I think its bloody impressive and the result of some serious hard work.

    Edit, I dont know any of my mates who have ever finished bothered to finish a GTA game. I do know of some people on here who have and maybe a couple of guys at work. This non-completion of games is the case for a lot of people these days I think.
    Edited by T4RG4 at 27/04/08 @ 12:10

  • Greebo #186 4 years ago


    "Just by reading this comments im out of breath ................"


    Gonna be an expensive month for you. You're gonna have to buy Wii Fit too! ;-)

  • Totoriko #187 4 years ago

    I can't believe it!
    11 out of 10?

  • penhalion #188 4 years ago

    Off to pick up a copy for my nephew at 12am tomorrow from Game (mine is in the post so should arrive sometime on tuesday if the postie doesn't nick it).

    I'm not convinced I'll finish this as it took me months to bother with the final few missions of San Andreas. I lost heart after the toy helicopter missions. I'm one of the people who could have happily waited for the classic version to come around without feeling out of the loop.

    As for the download content, Rockstar have already stated that it will be substantial and not some simply add on so I don't think there are any worries there. Will I buy it? No idea at this stage as I don't even know if I like the game yet.

  • Frandroid #189 4 years ago

    "If an article as to when the review will be published gets 200 comments, how many will the actual review have!!!"
    Only a fraction on the number that the GTAIV 360 vs. PS3 article will have! :o)

    Edit: Fun with tags.
    Edited by Frandroid at 27/04/08 @ 12:50

  • TagemandBagem #190 4 years ago

    "
    Have you EVER played a GTA? Any fan will tell you they are sorry it's over once they clock it the 1st time (and then go on to clock it a few more times!), the chance to extend the life of a GTA game is pure gold. I suspect that many disagree purely because the PS3 doesn't have it, am I wrong?"

    I am a fan but I don't replay the mission-led game. The beauty of GTA is it's free roaming aspect which is what I almost always end up doing when I dip in. I'm not disagreeing simply because the PS3 doesn't have it. If it's really good I can afford to get the 360 anyway since it's pretty cheap. I'm just wondering exactly how much dev time has gone into it as people seem to be bigging it up as if it were almost half a games worth add-on.
    Personally I think it's going to be MP content that will make it worthy or a miss.

  • Grogmonkey #191 4 years ago

    What I find most interesting is that, with every new generation, Rockstar North has pulled out something special. To whit:

    GTA 1 and 2 on PC and PlayStation were brilliant, and, for all intents and purposes, were on 'next generation' platforms (for the series and the time, I mean). Fairly unique, and most assuredly excellent (I remember even the change between 1 and 2 being fairly significant at the time, but I was younger then...). GTA 3 was the first game of the series to appear on the (then) next-generation (PS2 et al), and it completely blew everyone away with its awesomeness and genre-defining-itude.

    Here we are again with another generation of consoles and another brand new start for the series on new shiny hardware. It seems fairly foolish to think that, once again, the series isn't going to take that next leap into freakin' greatness. Even if, this time, it's perhaps a shift more towards multiplayer than a full on evolution of the series as 2 -> 3 was.

    If anything should be clear, given the talent evident at that studio, that GTAVI is going to be something incredibly special. It has a winning formula, amazing gameplay, great humour, and Rockstar North has a real eye for tapping into the cultural zeitgeist that resonates with so many people. Even if GTAVI is just GTAIII or Vice City with a Russian accent and a shiny next-gen coat, it's going to be great. The fact that it promises to be so much more is what's going to stand it above everything else released this year.

    The closer the day approaches, the more I'm looking forward to it. Especially now that Game has dispatched my order. It's practically arrived already! As far as I'm concerned, it's not a matter of how good it's going to be (its greatness is assured), but how far past greatness it can go.

    Which is actually a little gushy and (dare I say) almost fanboyish. For shame, me. Also, commas.

  • drumbaby #192 4 years ago

    "For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3. The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in. The 360 has richer colors, but the PS3 has better anti-aliasing making it look a little cleaner. Because GTA IV can preload onto the PS3 hard drive, the in-game loads are faster. Don't worry Xbox owners, the load times are rarely more than 30 seconds and don't occur very often. The slight visual edge goes to PS3, but the 360 is no slouch. Either version will do you proud."

    From IGN...PS3 has better graphics AND faster loads.

    Wicked :)

  • Rash' #193 4 years ago

    drumbaby, Sweet. Like I've said before, R* are a quality dev and base on previous experience only the quality devs get the most out of $ony's hardware.

  • SeesThroughAll #194 4 years ago

    Remember back when Sony and R* where in rumored negotiations?
    I suspect that the state of GTA4 on the PS3 might have something to do with that...

  • Rash' #195 4 years ago

    SeesThroughAll, Didn't the rumoured negotiations result into a deal for an un-named exclusive IP?

  • SeesThroughAll #196 4 years ago

    You're probably right, Rash'.
    Though I do believe this PS3 exclusive was already settled long before.

    Could be a situation similar to what Sony is going through with Konami over MGS4...

    Aaaaaand to go back to topic...

    Where's the bloody review, EG??
    Edited by SeesThroughAll at 27/04/08 @ 14:33

  • Redeye #197 4 years ago

    *prepares popcorn*

  • Rash' #198 4 years ago

    "Warm coffee" achievement! Brilliant. This is what gaming needs more of. Social commentary. Can't wait to play this!

  • striker #199 4 years ago

    Are we there yet?

  • TagemandBagem #200 4 years ago

    "Where's the bloody review, EG??"

    5pm isn't it? I hope they say something about the 360/PS3 difference. :D

    9/10 I wager.

  • TagemandBagem #201 4 years ago

    ""Warm coffee" achievement! Brilliant. This is what gaming needs more of. Social commentary. Can't wait to play this!"

    Oh dear lord I hope they take the piss out of Jack Thompson. He's going to sue them anyway, might as well get some digs in.

  • bad09 #202 4 years ago

    @TagemandBagem

    You should replay the whole thing, GTA games DESERVE to be played through a couple of times IMO (i've been replaying 3,VC & SA lately to take my mind off 4!).

    I think people are bigging it up not only because it is more GTA4 (which upsets PS3 owners but is a huge plus for 360) but also because they have faith in Rockstar. They may not know what's in the DLC but as Grogmonkey wrote Rockstar have ALWAYS delivered and if they say it will be good it's hard not to believe them.

    Plus I really don't think MS would spend all that money on something that they didn't believe themselves would be great.
    Edited by bad09 at 27/04/08 @ 15:08

  • Bangaioh #203 4 years ago

    Where's the review?? C'mon, let's see it...

  • GamesConnoisseur #204 4 years ago

    [link url=http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/grand-theft-auto-iv/achievements/
    ]http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/...[/link]

    GTA4 achievements does give the extra replayability and the incentive to get 100 percent of various optional side missions such as stunts. This is the bonus of X360 version along with other mentioned plus points. The difference between two version will need to be properly neutrally analysed but I do acknowledge now that PS3 would have advantage due to hard drive and differences noted to be quite minor. Same as PS3 have minor disadvantages against X360 on many multi platform games which still doesnt stop them being enjoyed and bought by PS3 owners!

    Enjoy the review AND the game on Tuesday!

    I dont think EG would be quick to give out 10 and if so would be a strong affirmation of its being the best in its field, but suspect an 9.

  • darkphoenix #205 4 years ago

    I want the review!

  • Beano #206 4 years ago

    "GTA4 achievements does give the extra replayability and the incentive to get 100 percent of various optional side missions such as stunts. This is the bonus of X360 version along with other mentioned plus points. "

    Sure the PS3 version doesn't have Achievements/Entitlements/whatever ?

    Of course the PS3 version does not support integrated and stadard achivements like 360, but several PS3 games have a achivement-like system in place and GTA4 coult easily have this also.

  • charming_fox #207 4 years ago

    Having had it since friday I'd give it a 9 so far but I've barely unlocked anything. Played some mutiplayer though, not many people on and the vast majority are f*ckin pirates which I wasn't impressed with. It's incredibly addictive and really funny when pissed etc.

  • Rash' #208 4 years ago

    GamesConnoisseur, achievements aren't for everyone being as they are designed for dedicated gamers, so I'm not convinced they leverage the comparison in 360's favour in anyway. Further more IGN's review was neutral and the 360 staff member that reviewed it acknowledged the PS3 version as the technically better version, which has got me interest in EG next comparison article.

  • SeesThroughAll #209 4 years ago

    "achievements aren't for everyone being as they are designed for dedicated gamers, so I'm not convinced they leverage the comparison in 360's favour in anyway."

    They will... to dedicated gamers anyway.

  • NSFR #210 4 years ago

    Sod perfection just so long as it is fun. I really enjoyed Vice City and that one was my favourite so far. GTA3 felt good at first but then quickly seemed primitive and more of a prototype for the joys ahead. San Andreas I just found a lifeless and empty.

    GTA IV: It will either be brilliant but flawed or flawed but brilliant. Either way I am sure that whilst a dedicated handful will set themselves to composing various tomes of damnation aimed at Rockstar/Reviewers who gave it a 10/Reviewers who didn't give it a ten/360 owners/PS3 owners, the rest of us will be able to kick back and enjoy what looks to be a very good game.

    EDIT: Anyone old enough to remember playing GTA 1 when it came out!? I remember that being on the 6 'o' clock BBC News!
    Edited by NSFR at 27/04/08 @ 15:48

  • Rash' #211 4 years ago

    SeesThroughAll, do GTA fans reallyneed incentive to replay?

  • SeesThroughAll #212 4 years ago

    Good point. :)

  • BBIAJ #213 4 years ago

    @SeesThroughAll:

    Well it isn't 5pm yet now, is it?

  • space_ace #214 4 years ago

    the score is secret

  • Bangaioh #215 4 years ago

    "Hope to see you on Sunday, calling us names as usual"

    C'mon you lazy bastards, give us that damn review!! I don't believe IGN's 10/10

  • Masarin #216 4 years ago

    @ space ace

    :-) Way to low.

  • soviet_ #217 4 years ago

    @NSFR - Those were the days, getting my first GOURANGA! was one of the highlights of my gaming thus far
    Edited by soviet_ at 27/04/08 @ 16:24

  • mode7 #218 4 years ago

    I predict a score of 9/10 for the 360 and 10/10 for the PS3... give or take a few points.

  • exzack #219 4 years ago

    I can't wait to read it...

  • the_dudefather #220 4 years ago

    the final score is the game

  • BluShock #221 4 years ago

    *F5*

  • dynarama #222 4 years ago

    Are we doing a countdown yet?

    8

  • mode7 #223 4 years ago

    7

    Edited for spelling
    Edited by mode7 at 27/04/08 @ 16:54

  • MouzerMalti #224 4 years ago

    did Eurogamer just discover Java script?

    xD

    why all these SPOILER tags?

  • dynarama #225 4 years ago

    6 \o/

    I predict they won't put a score on so you have to read the review

  • Kryon #226 4 years ago

    5

  • dynarama #227 4 years ago

    4

    Drum roll begins...

  • dynarama #228 4 years ago

    0

  • the_dudefather #229 4 years ago

    instead of a score its just a picture of the reviewer's vomit