Platform: PS 3 Xbox 360 (Review based on 360 version)
Developer: Rockstar
Publisher: Rockstar
GTA is the sixth, sorry, fourth, installment in Rockstar's long running and highly lucrative Grand Theft auto series and as such has been more hyped than the second coming of Christ. Because of this, by reviewing it I might as well have prepared myself a tasty grenade sandwhich because I'm going to be hounded for either being too harsh or not harsh enough.
Media reports have focused on the depth of the city, with live comedy performances, vast in-game internet and the realism of the city's inhabitants. The image created was that of an entirely realistic city. However, this is far beyond what you get and what is even neccessary. GTA is popular because you can knob about with fast cars and guns, and this is no different. It does this extremly well, and pounding through Star junction (GTA's version of Broadway) in the pouring rain at night with Jailbreak blasting through the radio is as atmospheric as it gets. But then again, how many times can you want to do that? Sandbox destruction gets repetitive very quickly but the story is initially very involving. Some people praise the story highly but i quickly lost intrest with characters who appeared for no obvious reason (Elizabeth, LJ) and couldn't remember which Eastern European was which. The game also has a bizzare friendship system which is probably meant to simulate real friendships but in actuality it is you taking an annoying NPC bowling every single day to gain access to some special ability they grant you. Failing to do this means they will no longer talk to you. I decided I really couldn't be arsed with that and am now a friendless loner.
The much-touted in game media proved something of an embarresment. Yes, the radio remains as funny as ever, the programmes I'm Rich and History of Liberty City are very funny and the internet is well done but I don't think three seperate pieces on each talk show endlessly repeated is really enough. Lazlow for example has about 4 different interviews, the Conservative station has one phone in set and two court cases that repeat for ever more, while the liberal radio has two pieces. the TV only appears to have 4 programmes and there are 4 comedy sets in all. A lot of other things are missing, crucially the car customisation, and in GTA 4 you can't even choose which colour to have your car sprayed. it's lazy game design, and while I have heard it attributed to lack of disk space, I would much rather have had this option than Ricky Gervais making an apearance.
Driving is now very realistic, but this does take some getting used to. the usual brake around the corners approach to game driving will see you work through an awful lot of cars and motorbikes are positively lethal. For some reason when other motorists go on the motorways they all turn into window licking mentalists and the AI has a blind spot for your car at red lights, driving straight into you. Still, most of the AI works well, and adds nicely to the atmosphere. You'll see things like a policeman pulling people over and calling for back-up.
By and large GTA does live up to it's promise, and is a lot of fun but it has a feeling of shallowness which in a game plugged mostly on it's depth seems a little strange. Things like there only being three seperate clothes shops in the game which sell pretty much one outfit in each in a variety of colours. Ultimately the game was over-hyped and with the notable exception of the inclusion of on-line play feels like a step backwards from San Andreas. Yes, you might have included Ricky Gervais but I can no longer steal a train and ultimately I'd prefer greater game depth and freedom over eye grabbing gimmicks.
Graphics - Good, not great but certainly up to the standard necessary for the game. 8/10
Controls- I like the sprint option, but the auto-aim is an absolute dog. Rather than aim at the man next to you who is pouring 9 milimetre into your head, it prefers to aim at someone hiding behind a wall. In another building. In Belgium.
6/10
Sound- Excellent. The radio, while heavily biased towards rap and having a reggae channel that consists soley of Bob Marley, has some great songs and the talk shows are laugh out loud funny "Because I love my country, and if you don't then
you and your fat wife". Things that you hear are often genius as well, I drove past someone who shouted "Cheesy vaginas!" 10/10
Immersion- Sometimes this game takes on the feel of a film like Scarface and then it grips you completly, other times it achieves the opposite. During the bank job mission one of the 'Irish' characters says "This just like Belfast" and my thought was: No it isn't and also that this character could not have experienced Belfast during the troubles. When you are having an internal argument with the game, that's never a good sign for immersion. 6/10
Gameplay- The game has some nicely worked out mechanics. Aside from their relevance, most of the mini-games are fun and work well, with Snooker taking quite a considerable amount of skill. Enemy AI is good enough, they will take cover and try and outflank you. Driver AI is also good, aside form their traffic light problem. 8/10
Overall- A good game which has been betrayed by it's own PR machine, and the impossibly high scores it has been awarded by a gaming press which seems to review games soley on how hyped they are. 8.5/10
Super Pope Industries Present... Grand Theft Auto IV
