Grand Theft Auto 4 reviews

Greg Howson, guardian.co.uk

Tuesday April 29 2008

Entertainment product of the year? Saviour of the universe? Such was the pre-release hype surrounding Grand Theft Auto IV that it was hard to tell. Luckily the game – mostly – lives up to the hype.

Grand Theft Auto IV is a fantastic achievement that mixes the traditional free-roaming play and character-driven story with the most realistic virtual environment ever created. It even has an emotional side – relationships are more important than ever – though traditionalists needn't worry. Despite some innovations such as the GPS and mobile – the latter used to organise missions and stay in touch – Grand Theft Auto IV feels reassuringly familiar, albeit more polished and ambitious than ever.

The driving – still the meat of the game – has been vastly improved, with a weightiness to the vehicles and a far better sensation of suspension. Car chases and the inevitable pile up are viciously exhilarating. Characters fly through windscreens, blood is plentiful. Despite this graphically - and physically - improved depiction the carnage retains the lighter touch of previous incarnations.

The game looks fabulous – especially when driving at night. But while previous iterations – particularly the franchise's previous peak, Vice City – had a slightly cartoon feel, Grand Theft Auto IV is an altogether darker affair. The city feels grimy and lived in. Running over pedestrians packs more of a moral punch this time around.

In the midst of mayhem the storyline could easily be forgotten so it is to Grand Theft Auto IV's credit that the plot and dialogue are sharp enough to make you care. And – brilliantly - managing relationships and staying friendly with the right people is just as important as keeping your ammo topped up.

But as always with a GTA game the really entertaining stuff are the adventures of your own making. Antagonising the police is as enjoyable as ever, especially as this time round they appear to be smarter. And then there are the multitude of activities such as bowling, drinking and visiting comedy clubs.

The game world is smaller than San Andreas – the previous title in the series – but far the better for it. The tighter focus means there is always something to do or see – just watching the city inhabitants do their thing is amusing enough. But don't be fooled. The game is still huge with at least 30-40 hours of entertainment. And that's before you go online. For the first time GTA can be played with and against other players.

Grand Theft Auto IV isn't perfect though, even if some of the series' flaws – such as weapon retention when dead - have been addressed. The lack of in-mission saves is still frustratingly absent. Likewise the cover and targeting lock-on are occasionally unhelpful. Also the odd bit of graphical pop-up – as buildings appear in the distance – do lessen the glorious illusion. But these are relatively minor failings. Grand Theft Auto IV is more evolution than revolution but in 2008 this is as good as gaming gets.

Grand Theft Auto 4 compare prices

Grand Theft Auto IV earns rave reviews

By Claudine Beaumont, Digital Channel Editor, Telegraph.co.uk
29/04/2008

Critics have praised video game Grand Theft Auto 4 as a "modern day masterpiece".

The New York Times called it "a violent, intelligent, profane, endearing, obnoxious, sly, richly textured and thoroughly compelling work of cultural satire disguised as fun", while review website GameSpy said it was the publisher's "magnum opus" and "could change the way the world views video games".

Grand Theft Auto 4, which went on sale just after midnight, has been flying off the shelves and is either sold out or in short supply in many shops. High street retailer Woolworths reported that it sold about 200 copies of the game every minute during peak trading hours.

Industry analysts had predicted that around six million copies of the game would be sold in the first week of launch, earning the game's publisher, Rockstar Games, about $400 million (£200 million). However, Michael Pachter, an video game analyst with Wedbush Morgan, believes the number of copies sold will be closer to nine million. "By the year's end, it will be somewhere between 11 and 13 million, because more consoles will be sold before the [Christmas] holidays," he told Associated Press.

Critics have been unanimous in their praise for Grand Theft Auto 4, with Metacritic, the review aggregator website, giving it an overall score of 99 out of 100 based on more than 20 professional reviews.

Most singled out Liberty City, the game's fictional setting, based on New York City, as the real star of the show. "Liberty City is nothing less than one of the greatest video game worlds yet conceived," said IGN, while 1Up commented: "None of these little flaws take away from Liberty City's breathtaking vistas, incredibly varied scenery and lived-in look...the city just feels alive". GameSpy called it "not only the finest title of the generation thus far [but] one of the best games of all time".

Most of the criticisms of the game focused on the learning curve of the game, and the difficulty of mastering some of its most basic elements.

The Computer and Video Games website singled out the "sometimes problematic auto-aim shooting" and "the massive difficulty jump when you get to the final 10 missions" for criticism, but overall believed it was 2008's "standout" gaming experience.

Grand Theft Auto IV user reviews

By Lisa Shea
I adore the Grand Theft Auto series and have been looking forward to the release of Grand Theft Auto IV for a *long* time. The developers know that a very high bar would be set for this one, and you can see the time and effort they poured into every last detail from the very first moment of the opening credits. It is more like a movie than a game. This "immersive movie" quality stays with you through every moment of gameplay.

You walk down the street and the shadows dapple through the overhead bridge grid. Dusk begins to fall and the sky gets that orange golden glow, the shadows lessen.

Voices show the same attention to detail. You've got a variety of languages thrown in, plus accents galore. There's the Long Island drawl, the Rastafarian's lilt, and of course the hard edge of eastern Europe.

Your main character in Grand Theft Auto IV is Nico, fresh off the boat and coming in to Liberty City (i.e. New York City) to see his cousin Roman. They are eastern European and rather poor. This of course is going to change soon, as Nico moves his way up in the world.

My boyfriend's from New York City so we were amused at how they kept the landscapes identical but renamed Brooklyn to Broker, Manhattan to Algonquin and so on. There was one time we were walking down the streets and had lost track of where we were. "Looks like the Bronx" he commented off-handedly. We zoomed out. Sure enough!

I do have to say that the people on the streets of this game swear far more than the average people we pass in the real NYC though!

Which brings up an important point. Grand Theft Auto IV went straight for the "Mature" rating with this one. This is clearly meant for mature gamers ages 17 and over. There are strip clubs. There are violent battles. There is more swearing than pretty much any other game out there. Adults love this as they love the Sopranos and Scarface - but any parent getting this for a minor should know what they're getting into.

But that being said, as a game for adults, this is *awesome*. There are just so many little touches that shine. You can play bowling games with your date. You can make choices between alternate choices which affect how people feel about you. When you get near a railing, you can side jump over it, smoothly. You carry a cell phone and gather contacts for use. You can visit internet cafes. You have a variety of radio stations to listen to, plus TV stations to watch.

This is easily a game you can play for hundreds of hours - then go back and start over again and get another new experience by making different choices.

I can't get over how gorgeous Grand Theft Auto IV is, and how smoothly it plays. You grab a knife from an enemy and use it to take him down. You drive along the Hudson and watch the lights of the carnival shine. You listen to your favorite songs on the radio while the neon lights of the city drift by. You really begin to relate to the characters, to understand their personalities, to connect with them. It makes the choices you make have meaning and emotion.

By trashcanman
Grand Theft Auto IVs story centers around a sarcastic Eastern European immigrant come to America to get a fresh start away from the corruption and violence of his home country. Whoops. Critics have often harangued the violence and the criminal aspect of Grand Theft Auto , but what flies over their heads is that satire is the premise of the series and always has been. And frankly, the violence here pales in comparison to Gears Of War or Condemned 2: Bloodshot just to name two. Grand Theft Auto IV's immense popularity is not because of the degeneration of our society (we've got reality television for that), it's because the series is constantly innovating and offering fun spot-on gameplay, brilliant humor, and is a game made by and for an adult audience. So if your child is playing this game, blame yourself for giving your child the means to get it or for not paying attention to what they are doing with their time, not Rockstar for making top-of-the-line entertainment meant for adults (see the markings on the box?).

Grand Theft Auto IV seperates itself from the past iterations in several ways. First, the arcade feel is largely gone. While the controls are vintage GTA, the overall feel has changed. In previous games, I never got into the story because I would get sidetracked rampaging with katanas and molotov cocktails or hunting for a tank. Now a lot of the distractions like crazy weapons and vehicles and building up your character stats are gone and the story behind the madness is a truly engaging one for the first time. The city is more alive than ever and there is more to do. The characters you meet are all brilliant and interacting with them is seriously fun. Take your girl out to a bar and watch her serious issues surface as she stumbles around slurring curses about "that fu#*ing whore" she thought you were checking out. Or challenge your buddies to bowling, pool, or a friendly game of darts. You ca even head to the comedy club to check out actual routines from Ricky Gervais or Katt Williams. The dialogue during these bonding activities is varied and reveals much about your Liberty City aquaintances, many of whom have special services to offer you should you become close. The entire game is so well-written that one often gets the impression that they are playing a Tarantino flick. Oh yeah, it's that good. The multiplayer aspect is also fun and varied allowing you to battle stangers for Liberty City dominance or just drive around with your friends wreaking havoc. Taking into account the amazing single-player game this really wasn't necessary, but the fact that it is even included just makes this game that much more awesome.

Now all of that is well and good, but what makes Grand Theft Auto IV the second work I'm upgrading from mere video game status to an official work of interactive fiction (the first was Mass Effect) is the sheer depth of the world in which you exist. So far I have spent multiple hours just surfing the game's internet. That's right, there is a virtual worldwide web in-game complete with dating sites, a Craig's List parody, advertisements, personal blogs complete with flame wars, email, and much more. Hell, you can even download custom ringtones and themes for your cell phone! That is nuts. Do you know how ridiculous it feels to spend that amount of time in a video game surfing a fake internet? There are also several satirical television shows you can watch in your apartment (go Republican Space Rangers!), and naturally there's the radio; the sweet, sweet, sounds of GTA radio stations. There's a rock station featuring Iggy freakin' Pop as the foul-mouthed DJ, classic hip-hop and R&B, smooth jazz, techno, LCHC (Liberty City HardCore), and even an all Bob Marley station just to name a few. Then there's the thinly-veiled talk radio parody station Weazel News featuring the funniest Rush Limbaugh impersonator you're ever likely to hear. You even hear news reports about incidents you were personally involved in as you drive. This game is DEEP.

Honestly, if you like video games or digital entertainment of any kind then this as good as it gets. And if you don't like those things, do your best to hide your ignorance and don't go spouting off about things you don't know anything about. Grand Theft Auto IV is a brilliant satire full of jabs (and a few haymakers) at American politics and any violence is incidental in comparison to the brilliantly crafted story and interactivity of the in-game world that Rockstar has created. I'll say it again: this is not just a video game, this is interactive fiction on par with some of the great works of modern storytelling. If you own a video game system and you think you can handle some naughty language without getting all hysterical, buy it. It's that simple.

Reviews courtesy of Amazon