[Multiplatform] Grand Theft Auto IV. Not as much fun as shooting real Albanians

The whole multiplayer aspect sounds pretty pimping if you ask me, though the 4-player co-op mode (Hangman's Noose) has my interests piqued for sure. I'm hoping there's a decent selection of missions for that mode. I'm sure they'll be replayable, but even so, a nice bit of variety will make it rather excellent.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Those achievements seem, for the most part, perfectly reasonable stuff. All seem like sensible extensions of the game world, a bit like Crackdown, which I like. Don't understand the need for multiplayer achievements though, but then I don't like them in general. I certainly hate nonsense ones like these:

Quote:

Let Sleeping Rockstars Lie 10G
Kill a Rockstar developer in a ranked multiplayer match.

I hope that one is a fake.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Didn't even spot that one. That's a terrible idea to try and get people to rush through the game. I very much hope that one is a fake.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

So powerful is the GTA brand that mere adverts for it are causing a crime spree in Chicago. A CRIME SPREE I TELL YOU. Or so implies Fox News:

MyFox Chicago | Violent Video Game Ads on The CTA

There are no words.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Dennis Franz

I'm guessing they included that one as a second play-through deal. Anyone who tries for that one on their first play needs to seriously rediscover the fun of playing computer games rather than just obsessively collecting gamer points.

Very true, but I'd argue that hold true for a second play-through as well. A game like GTA is about experiencing a world, not with a time-limit. It's easily ignored I know, but it just seems counter-intuitive to encourage that sort of playing at any time in a game like GTA.

Anyways, there's an interview online with Dan Houser that is worth reading - The Cut Scene - Video Game Blog by Variety: Dan Houser's very extended interview about everything "Grand Theft Auto IV" and Rockstar. It's shame the guys behind GTA don't come out and say things more often because they have a very sensible view on the world, or so it seems.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I don't know how long this has been up, but 1UP have an interview with Sam Houser this time, which is another worthwhile read: GTA4 Sam Houser Interview from 1UP.com

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

A few more reviews are online now, since it seems the embargo has passed. A choice little line from the Eurogamer review that I spotted:

Quote:

If you get tired of other people, you can put your phone in sleep mode

This seems to imply that if you want to take a bit of a time out from that aspect of the game you can (I seem to recall someone saying they were a little worried that you would lose a little freedom because of having to go and deal with other people to make friends, etc.).

FELIPE NO

If the pop-in was that bad people would have a little more to say about it than "there's some occasional pop-in not worthy of note". As experience should have proven if people bullshit in reviews it gets picked up quickly. There is no way all these places are collaborating in some mass conspiracy about the pop-in.

Jesus H Christ some of you people are complete fucknuts.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Cetra

Actually every review has made a note about the Xbox 360 pop-up issue with the only differences being the various degrees each reviewer perceived the problem.

Actually a lot of the reviews I've read have not singled the examples of pop-up to the 360 alone, so that would be you making a bit of an assumption right there. Also, it's getting mentioned because it exists and to not mention it, one of the few flaws getting noted, would be stupid on the reviewers' part. However, every instance of someone mentioning frame-rate or pop-in issues has been followed by a sentence that goes on to say how it really doesn't affect the experience.

Since there's no conclusive proof either way (the GameTrailers video review, using the 360, shows no such pop-in issues, despite demonstrating frame-rate variance and a geometry glitch), I'm going to wait until I experience it first-hand. But you know, if you want to go on some crappy little GIF undoubtedly taken from a pirated copy of the game - because we all know how reliable they must be - and speculate with further bullshit, carry on.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by sprouticus

Anybody going to any midnight launches?

I am now. Heading down into town in 6 hours to claim a copy for the 360.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

10 or so minutes in (I'm unsure) and shit is awesome. That's all I'm going to say.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Tritoch

On a note that I'm surprised Skills hasn't mentioned yet, does anyone know if you get an upgraded phone later?.

Yes you do, for a specific mission. It can have different themes and ringtones, and has a camera on it.

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The cars are great fun to drive. They take a little getting used to, but if you drive them properly they're brilliant fun to throw around the place.

During a police chase I managed to throw my half-destroyed Duke (the muscle car with obvious inspiration) over one of the stunt jumps. It so happened that I'd just thrown down a grenade behind me, so cue slow-motion jump complete with slo-mo explosion behind it and bits of police cars going flying in every direction. Shit was epic.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I just completed the story mode. Damn. Truly an brilliant game. Not perfect, but pretty bloody awesome when all is said and done. And as Jessy has said the possibility for expansion is exciting (colour me in anticipation for the DLC stuff).

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Iwata

Propped. Such an underrated gem. the music alone is worth the retail price. I've been trying to get pretty much the entirety of the live crew of skills,omagnus, tails, etc to buy the game but alas they don't listen.

I plan to pick Bully up at some point soon, it's on the to-do list fear not. Might well get it once I'm done with GTA IV.

By the way, I take it you spotted the odd couple of references to the Bulworth academy in the game.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Joe Bloggs

I've just played Team Deathmatch for the first time... Wow, so much fun. We should definitely get a GFF team on there and show them how we roll =D

We already have been. It often results in hilarity, or Tails flying helicopters into big fuck-off poles on boats. One game I remember us playing had us rolling through the streets decimating the other team.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I'm sorry, but if you're operating on a review system with only 11 discrete values then reserving one for an unattainable scenario is retarded. In fact, by extension of your logic, there's only nine available review scores, because to give something a zero would imply it is the terrible on every level such as to have no redeemable qualities (the antithesis of perfect if you will).

That, my friend, is stupid.

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I'm not saying GTA IV is perfect, it isn't. I don't care to operate in terms of discrete values for ratings even if they extended to a hundred of them rather than ten. I'm not arguing that 8.7 is bad or any of that bollocks, and I agree that giving 100% is probably misleading (10/10 is different though).

Rotor: I was leveling an argument at the interpretation of a 10/10 score, nothing to do with what GTA deserves. Most places that review with an out of 5, or out of 10 style system tend to have descriptions of their reviewing policy which states that 5/5 or 10/10 doesn't imply perfection, just getting close to it.

For example, Eurogamer's policy says this about scores of 10:

Quote:

Let us make absolutely clear that a 10 is not and probably never will be "the perfect game". There's always something criticisable about a game, however small.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I think we're at crossed purposes here Rotor, because I agree that everyone giving GTA IV perfect scores is bullshit. My point was, and still is, that to take a score like 10/10 to mean perfection is silly because nothing will ever be perfect. By that merit, I concede that giving a game 10.0 or 100% is unnecessary and probably does imply a game should be practically perfect.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

More thread up-digging...

So the new DLC, which was due late 2008, is finally on its way next month and they've finally announced the price:

Quote:

Rockstar has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned will cost 1600 Microsoft Points (GBP 13.60 / EUR 19.20) when it's released on 17th February.

[ source ]

Whilst this is likely to be far more substantial bit of DLC than we've seen for other games (which are generally map packs), 1600 points is still fairly hefty and makes me question if I'll grab this when it launches.

Anyway, Eurogamer have a hands on piece up for anyone interested.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?