Showing posts with label GTA IV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GTA IV. Show all posts
GTA IV Reviews: An Exercise In Hyperbolism
Time for a Frankenreviewreview. Let me explain. Mark has his Frankenreview feature running like a well-oiled machine. Mike's GTA IV write-up is the only review of the game this site's ever going to need to write. So this isn't an exercise in reviewing GTA IV. Or in comparing the reviews of GTA IV. It's an exercise in reviewing the reviews of GTA IV. Or, to be more precise, the hyperbole. Because when a game gets 10/10, 100/100 and five stars across the board, you've gotta do something to break up the monotony, right?
Most major sites are accounted for: IGN, 1UP, Eurogamer...even CVG and Game Informer and have their takes on the game up and published (only GameSpot are missing...maybe their allocated reviewer quit?). All have scored the game between 95-100%. All are hyped about the game. But which is most hyped? Their scores cannot separate them, so let's take a look at their words.
- IGN
Notes: The first review, and at seven pages, the most tedious.
Moment Of Climax: "A "10" is not a score we give out very often. In fact, the last time we gave a 10 to a console game was Soul Calibur in 1999. A 10 doesn't mean a game is perfect — it means a game is pushing boundaries, expanding a genre, and doing many things to a level so far above and beyond its competitors that they overshadows any flaws. Certainly, GTA IV has some issues, the most noticeable being the occasional flaw in the cover system, but there are many more pieces of GTA IV that are better than anything I've seen from a game in the past decade. We don't give 10s often — just to games that merit the score."
My Score: Four knickers twisted out of a possible five. Banging on for seven pages would normally get you a perfect 5, but a costly cop-out at the end, with ass-covering justifications for their scoring system, cost them a knicker.
- 1UP
Notes: Nice, tight review. Covers all the bases.
Moment of Climax: "Fresh off the boat, [Niko's] an illegal immigrant pursuing the dual American dreams of quick money and mass multimedia consumption in the most vibrant, dynamic, and entertainment-packed playground in console videogame history: Liberty City."
My Score: Two twisted knickers out of five. That pasted line above aside, Crispin Boyer's review is - tragically for these purposes - fair and objective, calling out several of the game's flaws, and even closing off with [gasp] a suggestion to Rockstar on how they could improve the thing.
- Eurogamer
Notes: Exhibits the usual Eurogamer restraint, but I can't remember the last time a Eurogamer review ran to four pages. OK, three pages. Sorry Eurogamer!
Moment of Climax: "Almost everything you do in Liberty City would be good enough to drive its own game, and the best parts would be good enough to outrun the competition, but the reason it works so well is that Rockstar has made a game that requires no patience to play. This, as much as its usual coherency and the best script in the series, is what makes GTA IV the best openworld game yet, and why it will take something miraculous to rob it of game of the year status."
My Score: 3 twisted knickers. As I said, it's Eurogamer, so OMG BEST GAME EVAR!!!! was never going to be on the cards. Would have scored it a 2, but hedging bets on GOTY in April earned them an extra pair of entangled lady's drawers.
- CVG
Notes: An imperfect score? Something's wrong here...
Moment of Climax: "Should we judge the biggest game of the year as just that, a videogame, and pick holes in its evolution-not-revolution systems which don't exactly re-write the rules? Or should we look at GTA IV as a pure experience, where it wipes the floor with anything else on Xbox 360 and PS3?"
My Score: 2 knickers twisted out of a possible 5. They lose two just for giving it an imperfect score (the cheek of them!) Excitement takes a back seat to caution, as the CVG reviewer flirts between gushing over the experience and picking holes with the gameplay.
- Kotaku
Notes: Mike plays GTA IV. Mike reviews GTA IV.
Moment of Climax: "Sandbox-style, ultra-violent games like Grand Theft Auto aren't typically my thing, but GTA IV has made me a fan. A fanboy. Rockstar North has addressed virtually every single one of my personal hang ups about the series, crafting one of the most memorable experiences in gaming. We hate to gush, but it's just that good. Flawless? No. But it's about as close to a game can come to being perfect."
My Score: 3.5/5. Misses out on a higher score because we don't do scores. And because flaws are clearly identified. And that I know he's telling the truth when he says that previously, he wasn't a fanboy.
- GamePro
Notes: Before reading this, I thought Rockstar to be but men. Now I see they are Gods.
Moment of Climax: "GTA IV isn't just a game. It's a testament to the immense talent and take-no-prisoners mentality that has made Rockstar the company that it is today."
My Score: 4/5. A 1.5 page-long love letter to Rockstar is the highlight. The fact all game faults are condensed to half a paragraph on the fifth page also contributes to a great score.
- GameSpy
Notes: Odd. I could have sworn some of the most poorly-written sections of IGN's original review (the one up now reads a little differently to the one first posted) have found themselves cut-n-pasted into this one...
Moment of Climax: "It's not a stretch to say that, were this a film, some of the "performances" would be Oscar-worthy. Yes, we're aware that the characters aren't real people, but they are still better actors than many of the people in the yearly crop of summer blockbusters."
My Score: 4/5 twisted knickers. And they're all just for that comment.
- Game Informer
Notes: Probably the best of the lot. And by "best" I mean MOST EXCITED.
Moment of Climax: "Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming. Once you play it, you won't look at video games the same way again."
My Score: 5/5. No, 6/5. It opens with "I now know how film critics felt after screening The Godfather". A perfect storm of hype, excitement and pants-wetting. Best review of the lot. No, best review ever.
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GTA IV Multiplayer Impressions
- DEATHMATCH (2-16 Players)
Impressions: GTA IV's meat and potatoes deathmatch mode is probably your best introduction to the online component. It's fairly stock stuff, but the allure of carjacking an SUV, then crumpling some chump in Nebraska with the front end is hard to resist. Having the option to feature select weapons—say rocket launchers only—or limit them to classes adds welcome variety. We'd highly recommend setting your Deathmatch games to have "blips" turned off for a better experience. Also, turn your headset off, as this is the mode that seems to be packed with the most potty-mouthed douchebags.
Best For: Noobs. And those looking to make money out of making corpses out of noobs. Play it first!
- MAFIYA WORK (2-16 Players)
Impressions: Probably the mode that's most "true" to the GTA single player experience, as you'll be competing against the clock and other players to get the job done. This is frantic stuff, as you'll race to checkpoints to deliver contraband or take out roving biker gangs to please the Mafiya. Tense!
Best For: Short attention spans and multitaskers.
- CAR JACK CITY (4-16 Players)
Impressions: A more focused version of Mafiya Work with a twist, as you'll have to strategically plan your car thievery. Is it worth it to hoof it to the "safe" car heist that everyone else is ignoring or take down whomever is going for the car with the drugs? Driving skills help, as you'll score more cash for cars in better condition.
Best For: Fast drivers who know the streets of Liberty City.
- RACE (2-16 Players)
Impressions: Choose from super cars, muscle cars, vans, service, trucks, helicopters and more as you race through a set track on one of Liberty City's islands. We stand by our claim in our GTA IV review, in that the game's racing engine stands on its own. However, we definitely think you'll have more fun playing GTA Race, in which weapons are a factor. Helicopter and boat races add welcome variety, but they're not the main draw here—super cars are!
Best For: Improving your driving skills.
- GTA RACE (2-16 Players)
Impressions: Sexy vehicular combat that's even fun if you're in last place. Why? Just get to a rocket launcher, get out of your car and grief the other players. Muahahaha! Rockstar's take on Mario Kart and WipeOut, the very reason why guns plus cars is such a good idea.
Best For: A quick, get in, get out adrenaline rush. Also good for professional pains in the ass.
- TEAM DEATHMATCH (3-16 Players)
Impressions: Not as frenzied (or fun) as lone wolf Deathmatch. Still, if you're looking for a quick way to cash up and have some trusted Team Deathmatch buddies, you can't really go wrong here.
Best For: Power leveling your pals and perfecting your head shots.
- TEAM MAFIYA WORK (3-16 Players)
Impressions: One of the more strategic online game types and one that requires a solid posse with reliable wheelmen. Having a dedicated driver, a couple sharpshooters and one player working to set up and maintain waypoints, as well as analyzing the Liberty City map, will do wonders for you.
Best For: Experienced players looking for a post-100% game completion thrill. Play it for forever!
- TEAM CAR JACK CITY (4-16 Players)
Impressions: Like Team Mafiya Work, a good crew can make Team Car Jack City, just as a bad one can break it. Strategy is key here, with accomplished car thieves complemented well by a couple buddies hounding your opponents while they're en route to their own pick ups.
Best For: Experienced drivers and folks who don't mind riding in the backseat.
- COPS 'N' CROOKS (4-16 Players)
Impressions: Almost two modes in one, as All For One follows the assassination game type, in which one player is the target and One For All makes it every man for himself. You'll switch sides after the first round is over, so be ready to hunt or be hunted.
Best For: Sharpshooters looking for some rapid fire variety.
- TURF WAR (4-16 Players)
Impressions: Capture point style gameplay meats Team Deathmatch as you fight for control of one of the boroughs. Turf War can bog down if you're on guard dog duty, but when a full complement of Russians come after the Jamaican safehouse you're watching over, you'll know what pain is. Constant communication is key.
Best For: Those looking for a more low-key team based mode.
- DEAL BREAKER (2-4 Players)
Impressions: An oddly set up co-op mission in which you must climb to the top of a multi-story structure, recover some drugs, then beat feet downtown after the leftover scum. Some randomness will probably add to the replay value, but after running through Deal Breaker on hard and not working up much of a sweat, you may never play it again. Still, the money's good.
Best For: Grabbin' loot.
- BOMB DA BASE II (2-4 Players)
Impressions: Like Deal Breaker, it's GTA IV doing four-player co-op. You'll play on a level that you might not see in the single-player campaign, depending on your ending, so be warned that it's potentially spoiler-esque. You may only feel the need to play through it twice, despite its thrilling carjacking, helicopter piloting and heavy gun play.
Best For: Showing off your 'copter and sniper rifle skills. Play it last!
- HANGMAN'S NOOSE (2-4 Players)
Impressions: Fight your way through a sea of SWAT... err, NOOSE officers. You only have a handful of lives and the NOOSE won't stop, so you better have a handle on gunplay and you better find cover. Think Cops 'n' Crooks but with much higher stakes.
Best For: Four damn good cop-killers.
- FREE MODE (2-16 Players)
Impressions: If you just want to mess around, make your own rules—Make a six-star wanted level a group effort! Group stunt jumps!—this is the mode for you. If you're really in the mood for some GTA improv, Free Mode (and maxed out private slots) can keep you busy for hours. Makes you pray for a saved film feature.
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GTA IV : Life, Liberty City And The Pursuit Of Happiness
Grand Theft Auto needs no introduction to anyone remotely familiar with video games. But for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 entry in the series, Rockstar has upped the ante, creating a startlingly realistic reinterpretation of New York City as backdrop to a violent crime epic. In it, damaged goods Serbian war vet Niko Bellic ventures to Liberty City in search of closure, all the while coming to terms with the harsh realities of The American Dream. People die, others find happiness, the dream fails to deliver on its promise, and players join Niko on a journey through a world where everyone is flawed, where it seems everyone is consumed by their own obsessions.
It's a brutal ride for almost everyone in Niko's journey from off the boat yokel to mass murderer, but what is the Grand Theft Auto IV experience like for the player?
- Loved
game that the team came close to perfecting. Outside of a handful of either slightly annoying or forgettable cast members, GTA IV's supporting players are as much of a draw as firing RPGs at a car filled with Russian gangsters then fleeing from the LCPD at high speeds in a Turismo.
- You Belong To The City:
- Shooting The Shit:
- Friends With Benefits:
- Driving Mr. Bellic:
Multiplayer:
GTA IV's fifteen multiplayer modes, each with a host of options, could have easily comprised a standalone release. Simple Deathmatch is fun, but playing it on Happiness Island with nothing but rocket launchers and knives makes it shine. Team-based modes, like Cops 'n' Crooks and Team Mafiya, elevate multiplayer from simple fragfest to strategic, frenetic car-jacking fun.
- The Extras:
Radio, Radio: So many guilty pleasures: Q Lazarus, Genesis, Godley & Creme. Some new favorites: The Boggs, Justice, Boys Noize. Talk radio is genuinely funny and ad spots provide hilarious social commentary.
- Hated
Some Missions Are Maddening:
Of the 155 missions I attempted, 64 ended in failure. That's fine, but some seem impossible on the first attempt and others come close to resulting in thrown controllers. Missions are quick to restart, but by your third or fourth attempt of The Snow Storm, you may be looking for a Rockstar dev online to kill. There's not much in the way of mission filler, but some jobs are definitely more memorable than others.
Grand Theft Auto IV is a powerful game. After blazing through the core story line, having made certain decisions that affected how the narrative played out, I longed to return to the world to experience what I had missed. I recall watching every one of the game's trailers after completing it, reminiscing about GTA IV's tragic, colorful yarn. It's a hell of an accomplishment on many levels. Graphically, it's not as pretty as some other PS3 or 360 offerings—to which it will be unfairly compared—but what it may lack in pixel pushing performance, it makes up for in visual design. Using the cell phone as an interface for maintaining relationships, seemingly a minor thing, is brilliant.
Sandbox-style, ultra-violent games like Grand Theft Auto aren't typically my thing, but GTA IV has made me a fan. A fanboy. Rockstar North has addressed virtually every single one of my personal hang ups about the series, crafting one of the most memorable experiences in gaming. We hate to gush, but it's just that good. Flawless? No. But it's about as close to a game can come to being perfect.
Read more...
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