THQ ignores analyst's pomposity accusation
GTA IV parody video under fire.
THQ has told Eurogamer it has no comment on analyst Mike Hickey's claim that its recent Saints Row 2 trailer parodying Grand Theft Auto IV is "unusually pompous".
"The trailer directly attacks Grand Theft Auto IV in-game content, an unusually pompous position in our view, considering GTA IV is estimated to be the highest grossing first-week entertainment release of all time - and is currently the highest quality scored game on both the Xbox 360 and PS3 according to Metacritic.com," said Hickey, market watcher for Janco Partners (spotted by Gamasutra).
"We remain conservative on our sales expectations for Saints Row 2, in light of mediocre game previews and a delayed release in-part from quality concerns."
Saints Row 2 was pushed back from late August to 17th October recently to give developer Volition more time to polish the game.
The big difference between Saints Row 2 and GTA IV, according to Volition, will be a hyper-realistic and stylised world and, far from being put off by the competition, studio representatives told us at THQ's Gamers Day earlier this year that it wouldn't launch in 2008 if it didn't think the game was competitive. Will it all end in tears?
Head over to our Saints Row 2 preview to find out more. You can also drive by Eurogamer TV for a roundup of all the THQ hopefuls on show at its recent Gamers Day.
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Comments (46) Latest comment 4 years ago
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except for Brucie, any opportunity to spend time with the greatest GTA character ever is welcome :3
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Pretty much everything that was said in the trailer was 100% true. It's not like they made things up or exaggerated to make GTA look bad, they simply compared the activites. Would you reather go bowling, or...
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Whilst that's true, they've picked up on a small area of GTA that most people aren't that fussed about, it's not like they've made some insight into how the gameplay as a whole is flawed. Yes the bowling etc isn't that good, and dealing with your friends can be too much of a chore most of the time, but that's just one part of the game. If Saint's Row 2 is half as good as GTA IV then THQ can be happy.
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F**K Saints Row
Give us Crackdown 2.... like now!
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I'm bored with GTA already, and that's only after a few hours play. I understand why it got such high scores though, I was pretty much amazed by it when I first played. That's gone now though and I doubt i'll ever play it again.
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But each to their own.
(edit: what cyacomini said. Multiplayer redeems GTAIV, though, and also whets my appetite for APB).
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While the game has had some nice moments, sure, (I'm still just at 10 percent completed! So call me a casual slacker at playing games, I don't care), GTA IV has been pretty boring overall this far. Watching in-game TV because there was nothing else to do, except to drive around and annoy cops, was intensely boring - even though progression is halted du to a bug, a glich or perhaps even my own stupidity (no mention of what I have to do in the mission log; i got my only hint that something was wrong from some 'net forums) that just does not belong in a 10/10 game.
I bet eurogamer will revisit this game, as they sometimes do, and alter the perfect score slightly in retrospect.
Saints Row looks to focus more on fun and explosions etc, but after grinding my patience away on GTA IV I'm just not in the mood for a GTA copy-cat, even though it does promise to be "fun" and "awesome" this time around.
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If anything the trialer made SR2 look hella fun, which is somehting i could do with after the ultimately epic, but somewhat dour experience of playing GTA4.
Hopefully there will be more to do in the mp too.
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Have you tried cops 'n' crooks? I to am starting to wane from GTA SP overkill, I'm taking a break from it for now with MP. Tried CnC, a HUGE laugh that never gets boring!
I can't see why people are saying they are bored already I've still loads to do and loads of MP modes I haven't tried yet, maybe I haven't played as much as some.
As for SR2, not interested. if anything the "pompous" (but funny) trailer made my mind up (mind you the first SR did that itself). To me, like the first one, it seems like a chavvy GTA clone.
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I pretty much feel the same, I absoloutely loved the story in GTA IV, and again, the characters are among the best ever seen in a videogame. But once the story is said and done, the game is fairly boring to play. There's nothing fun to unlock, and even just driving around isn't quite as fun as it was to do in the previous games. I'm certainly looking forward to Saints Row's more surreal approach, even if it doesn't come close in terms of story, or graphics.
GTA IV's multiplayer was already done in the original Saints Row, so I've never found it quite as amazing as some of you other guys seem to, and the fact Saints Row 2 is taking that even further with full, drop in/drop out co-op is certainly a step above what GTA is offering.
And hey, the GTA guys take shots at other games like this all the time, I'd be surprised if they didn't find this pretty funny themselves. It seems to me like the anaylst is the only one being pompous. The trailer was clearly designed to get some attention, and the fact the fanboys are so angry over it, only proves they're worried.
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Crackdown for me was fun, but I bored of that once I got to the last syndicate to take down, It was great fun for a while, I just found the repitition got a bit too much for me (probably like parts of GTA do for other people). Never played Saints Row, but the tariler does make me want to try the second game, but I'm not holding out for anything better than GTA IV to be honest.
There certainly is plenty of room for more game titles in the 'sandbox' section of gaming, but any new IP has to do a lot right to better GTA IV in my eyes.
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I went past CEX the other day and they have a tonne of GTA IV trade ins. In fact they are reluctant to take anymore!
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Although I do love GTA 4.
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this may question gta4 longevity but doesnt mean it was overated - i think when saints row 2 comes out people might be able to put gta4 in context and see it for the great game it is
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But does it NEED to...how many other games get flak for not giving more once the main story is completed. I know it's different for sandbox games like GTA etc, but the main draw is playing through the game's story (which I thought was very well put together, and I really enjoyed the ending) and solely for that this game is a classic in my eyes. That's not to say it's not flawed, as parts of it are, but since when is there realistically one game that is not flawed in some way?
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I really do question wether blind people should really be playing videogames...
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I was never that excited about GTA IV, but got all wrapped up in the hype and bought it on launch day. Now I've played to to 25% completion, I haven't bene back in about two weeks. I'm sorry but 10 out of 10 is Just. Plain. Fucking .Wrong.
True, the game has moments of sheer, unadulterad brilliance - but regularly punctuated by some of the most boring task-related nonsense I've ever witnessed in 20+ years of gaming. The Rockstar guys were clearly too in love with their own concept to realise whe the game was broken (FFS: making me drive to every restarted mission? Please...)
And which is why I thought THQ's ad was right on the nail. (Although I've no interest in buying SR2 either.)
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The thing I like about GTA's multiplayer is that it's all-action, like a GTA Arcade Mode. You don't have to wade through cutscenes and go and buy the right clothes before you get to the next shooting/driving fast bit, it's non-stop. Also, entering Party Mode on your own is the best way to enjoy the GTA sandbox. Quick access to weapons and vehicles, plus no cops to spoil the fun.
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Vice City soundtrack rocked and totally created the atmosphere. I'd slip it into IV if there were a custom soundtrack option..future DLC maybe? Surely by the time the added content comes out , R* must realise that people will be pretty fed up with the stations, so eitehr they'll provide fresh music or add the custom option. heres hoping
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the one player game was good, i enjoyed it loads but i couldn't bring myself to keep playing once i finished the storyline. i must have done a few pigeons and stunt jumps to try and get 100% but soon got bored of that
the multiplayer was floored and i no longer play it as it is the same as gears of war, just loads of abusive people. not for me
i'll definitely get saints row 2, looking back i had more fun playing saints row 1 than i did gta 4
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I thought the soundtrack was pants at first but it really grows on you and there are some great tracks.
Do you have 360 version? If so all you need is the VC soundtrack, put it on your 360 and bingo GTA4 with VC radio. I have all the GTA soundtracks so the best of all the radio stations in GTA4
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So the realtime lighting and full shadowing off all objects, fully dynamic environment maps and shaders for every bloody thing in the world make you think it's a PS2 game? Let alone the dynamic pathfinding, physics, reactive animation and streaming...
Sometimes you have to wonder if some of you fuckers realise how difficult it is to make games.
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And I agree that Hickey's own comments are pompous at least.
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I respect your right to have an opinion, but really, sit down for a minute, have a think and tell me - do you honestly believe that the bog-standard PS2 version of GTA SA is graphically equal to GTA IV? If you do honestly believe that, then I continue to respect your right to have an opinion but I can't actually respect your opinion at all. Oh and also a trip to VisionExpress might be in order...Basically, you're wrong, wrong, WRONG I TELLS YA!!
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that's what sandbox games do best, let you explore and experiment with the environment, GTA4 has none of that.
Rockstar need to get some DLC out."
Good point, I just think it's not the biggest part of the game...as in the story is the main feature for me, then everything else you can do in and around the core game structure.
DLC is solely needed now...and not just a few missions, offer a new story arc and some variations in missions and I'll be a happy camper
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Sod doing the 'big shop' there's a laptop in the safehouse so I'd be ordering the food shop online for a home delivery! I think pets and gardening should be included too, walking the dog, tending to the vegetables and flower-beds...awesome
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thanks for that tip mate, i shall be doing that !
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The only game I have nodded off playing (twice!) to find myself walking round aimlessly in circles.
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You either need glasses or a new TV. GTA4 looks amazing!
Even my girlfriend (who is very "meh" at GTA) commented on how much better GTA4 looks compared to the others.
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Then I can only assume if you happened to visit, say, New York, that you would also complain that it is 'boxy and dull'.
I can respect your opinion that you don't like the graphical style of GTA, because it is quite stylised and cartoony, but comparing it technically to a PS2 game is simply wrong.
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Of course, Saints Row 2 looks no better.
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I've played GTA IV quite a lot, found it really good in certain moments but also really boring in many others. And having to drive someone to the bowling or to a strip club is such a waste of time; not to mention having to drive into every restarted mission, thanks Rockstar for you 10/10 game which is often such a pain in the arse. It is no way near 10/10, it's good but I can hardly give it more than 8. Way too much hype. I like Rockstar, I like their attitude and have bought every single game since GTA III but I find it really hard to follow the hype. If there is one game on the latest generation I could probably rate 10 that is Portal. If it's not a 10 it's a 9 for sure.
Having said that, reading these comments has made me wanna go and give Crackdown a second ride...
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Oh, and for those of you who are griping about how GTA IV is boring once you've completed it, do you complain about movies and books being shit and boring once you've finished them as well?
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