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

Originally Posted by Rock

I'm aware of that. What I meant was that this "New Yorkesque" Liberty City has nothing to do with the original Liberty City from GTA III.

I think that as this game is tagged as GTAIV, it's a whole seperate thread from the GTAIII games. I imagine they'll get a few characters back in but the continuity between this and the previous set is likely to be significantly reduced.

Anyway, Liberty City from GTAIII was tiny. Chances are the new Liberty City is going to be massive. The map from GTAIII could possibly feature in the new game as a single district for all we know right now.

I'm also interested as to exactly what new features they could put in that would improve this enough for you to be excited about it. For me, the excitement of a new GTA game is having a whole new city to explore and new missions to do, not what new and exciting gameplay features they might have added. To be frank, between III and San Andreas, all they added in the way of gameplay was motorbikes and dressing up. What made the games fun was the monstrously large area to explore and the characters they inhabited it with.

As with all the previous games, Rockstar appear to be keeping pretty tight lipped so far about who's providing voices for the game. There's been some pretty massive names before though so it's impossible to guess. I can't think of too many famous eastern European actors off the top of my head although I imagine all the extras from Severance and Hostel might get a look in. Of the previous characters, I'd love to see Kent Paul and Macca feature again. Danny Dyer and Shaun Ryder are funny as fuck in San Andreas.

I'm also looking forward to a slow drip of related websites between now and the game's release date. Every website mentioned on the radio stations and posted on billboards in the previous games has been a real one and it's that attention to detail which has always put the GTA series so far ahead of hopefulls like Saints Row.

As far as extra downloadable stuff for 360 goes, is it not possible that the DLC will be the stuff from the PS3 version they have to leave out of the 360 version because of space restrictions? If there's one thing Rockstar are good at it's marketing, especially making bad news seem like good news (Like when they got Manhunt banned in New Zealand and it shot to the top of the games sales charts all over Europe for a month).

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by chato

Trailer's out. I must say I'm freakin going nuts over it. There's this one dude who looks and sounds a lot like Carl Johnson. I hope its him. Anything to bring back old people.. Now I think this might be a prequel to San Andreas maybe. I haven't played SA for a while but didn't CJ have trouble with the russians or was it Ryder (or smoke). Either way, I'm hyped for this game. It better be worth it with all its shiny graphics.

I'm fairly sure that it was well publicised that this game is set in the modern day and as such, can't be a sequel to early-90's San Andreas. Also, the styling in all the trailers is modern rather than historical. Also, I thought the main guy was Eastern European rather than Russian, certainly none of them sound very Russian in the trailers.

Personally, the only characters I'd bring back would be Kent Paul and Maccer but only because Danny Dyer and Shaun Ryder are so funny. So far IMDB is only listing Lazlow as making a return but they never really release cast details unitl the last minute for these things. A good source of info for SA before it came out was all the fake websites they created. I'm sure if you watch the trailers closely they'll be a few urls dotted here or there. Every url mentioned either on a billboard or on the radio in previous games has been a real website, some of them are hilarious.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I've had this pre-ordered for months. If you order it from GAME you get a voucher for 500 MS Points (Assuming you get the 360 version of course) and some free gamer pics (w00t). To all those he didn't like the eating and stuff in San Andreas it looks like you're shit out of luck as this is still in GTAIV. Lazlo is back in it though.

This time out you get a cell phone like in Saint's Row which along with allowing missions and stuff to be activated includes a radio so the music doesn't have to end when you get out of a car. Apparently you can also order equipment over the phone, not quite sure how that works though.

This time out you'll only get wanted stars if someone sees you commiting a crime so stealth action will probably abound. Also, the police only know where you are if one of them can see you, police cars won't just spawn constantly around you. This should make getting away from the police more like NFS:Most Wanted which can only be a good thing, rather than having to drive to a paint shop every time you accidentally ran over a cop.

I really can't understand anyone who thinks the GTA games haven't been getting better and better with each iteration and I reckon this looks beyond awesome. I'm not expecting to leave the house for a while after this drops.

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

Well there's a week and ten hours until this gets released. I can't see myself bothering to pick it up at midnight though as, you know, work the next day and all that.

To help Skills and Iwata plan how they're going to play the game, here's a list of the achievements that's believed to be accurate, although Micrsoft have banned all official news until the release date.

It looks like the majority are things you'll pick up just through normal story and online play. I'm sure some people will boost a couple of them but it's unlikely to affect other people's online games (Unlike so many of the games of Halo 3 I played over the weekend where people were using the Legendary Brawl playlist to AP boost without affecting their Lone Wolf rankings, sad motherfuckers).

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

Originally Posted by OmagnusPrime

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.

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.

I agree that multiplayer achievements are often retarded but ones like these seem to be largely of the kind you'd pick up after a while if you're pretty good at the game which for me is the whole point of achievements. For instance, I like the ones in Rainbow you get for killing 150, 300, 500 and 1,000 people online because you can't scam your way up to those easily with a mate, to get them is a sign that you play the game a lot and nothing more. I can understand it would be annoying for someone who desperately wanted to collect all the achievement points but if you view getting them as a bonus rather than a necessity, they're fair goals.

From that list, it's only really the time limit one and the flying under bridges that you're going to need to go too far out of your way to unlock.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Yeah, I read that yesterday, it's a great article. Personally, I'd never bother going for that 30 hour achievement, I agree with you wholeheartedly, such an approach to the game seems completely counter-intuitive. I'm sure some people will go for it though, much the same as people played through Suikoden 2 in 4 hours to get Clive's story or FFIX in 12 to get the Excalibur II sword.

I've just got off the phone to a mate having organised to get together with him, quite a lot of beer and a big sack of weed for an evening of GTA next wednesday. For me that's always been the great thing about the GTA games, they're one player but you can happily play with a bunch of people taking it in turns to do missions and shit. He's also bringing Mariokart for the Wii, it's going to be like being 15 all over again.

Well technically I was more like 12 when Mariokart first came out and 17 when GTA came out but lets take an average.

How ya doing, buddy?

OXM and PSM both already gave it straight tens as I understand and with the amount of money Microsoft are throwing at advertising this (None of the UK ads mention that it's available on PS3, they all just say 360) I'd be surprised if this didn't rank pretty high on IGN.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Dark Nation

Meh, pirating console games is too much trouble. I tend to only download old/obscure games not generally available in stores. Seeing those pics of the special edition though... I wonder what artists have signed up for having their music included?

Whilst I can't answer that question, did you know that Rockstar don't pay for the music in GTA games? The free advertising is considered more than enough of a benefit for the artists and labels. I guess you only have to look at the success of the NWA best of and legacy albums, released in the wake of San Andreas for proof that it's worth getting on a GTA soundtrack...

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

Originally Posted by Captain Desu

Regarding that skills, you Can remove your HDD, Fully format your xbox360, (be sure to transfer your GT safely to the other drive (The one that you won't probably use online) then remove HDD, Pop in GTA:4 when you finish the game and decides to go online, you can always just Format your memory card and just play from the start (With the original game)

Uhh that sounds confusing since i'm confused right now, To summarize, Remove HDD, make a new GT, play gta4, when you finish it (it gets released) Remove your memory card, format your xbox360 (i don't know how to do that) and just pop your hdd back in and grab your original copy, or start from the crap again.

For that amount of effort, couldn't you just wait five and a half days and then buy the damn thing?

Additional Spam:

Originally Posted by Akira Yuki

hi i'm new here dont know this is the right thread but i have a simple question:does someone of you guys know if there is multiplayer offiline?split sreen or something else? thanks for your time

No, the multiplayer in online only. If you click on the "Quick links" button on the top bar here, you'll find the GFF Xbox 360 leaderboard option which lists out everyone here's gamertags if you need to populate your friends list with people to play with.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I think this goes without saying but from this point on, anyone posting plot discussion without spoiler tags is going to get threadbanned and I'll probably fuck up their sig and avatar too.

First, last, only warning.

I didn't bother going to get my copy at midnight as I'm at work today. I'll grab a copy at lunch time but probably won't actually play it until my mate comes round tomorrow evening as I'm not going to get home till like nine o'clock tonight anyway.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Musharraf

Shin, you get the PAL version, right? You need to tell me whether you will be able to play with NTSC users, okay?

It's never been a problem in any other game. I think the only one I've ever played that struggled was Burnout Revenge where you had to set your Xbox to PAL60 mode to play with Septics. I've got the 360 version though so I don't know how easy it is to link PS3's across the globe. A friend of mine has a PS3 and will be getting that version so I'll ask him and let you know, asuming you don't find out yourself first.

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

For anyone without a job, the Rockstar Social Club is running a competition whereby anyone unlocking 100% of the game in a week wins a prize and membership of the 100 club.

Fuck that, say I but some of you might be interested.

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

How very post-modern that would be. A movie based on a game that's heavily influenced by movies.

I suspect that given in the interviews they gave, the Rockstar guys said they had no interest in doing a movie, the chances of that idiot Boll getting to make one are pretty slim.

Also, all the GAME stores round here only had enough stock to cover pre-orders. I imagine you could still pick up a copy at Tesco or Asda though.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Musharraf

I ordered my copy on eBay.

I want to give you guys a head start before I get my copy next week, so that you can prepare for your 0wnage

That only gives you about a day to get into the 100 club though!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Musharraf

This should be no problem at all. I will spend the next days trying to figure out a strategy. I will let you know when I'm done

Well apparently you're allowed to use the built in cheat codes and I'm sure a hidden packages map etc will be up on GameFAQs before too long so it might be do-able...

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by AcerBandit

My biggest gripe is that there should have been more checkpoints for you to load during missions. A couple of the missions where you can die or fail really easily (mostly in car chases) should have had a checkpoint that loaded up to the point where you drove to where the mission actually starts. I hate having to drive my honchos halfway across the city over again just because I hit an odd bit of terrain and the car I'm forced to drive during the actual mission flips (FIB bust mission I'm looking at you).

Also, the autoaim mechanism can be awfully retarded at times. It'll keep focusing on some asshole in the distance while a guy is standing right next to you blasting your face with a shotgun. It's times like this that make me wonder why people bother going through the game without using cheats. I went through about 30 percent of the game legitimately until the mission where you have to kill a certain someone in the club that can escape and ruin your mission. I kept trying to kill people so uh I wouldn't die and the jackass kept escaping off of the roof. The body armor just isn't as hefty as it was in the other games. And as a result from trying this mission over and over and having to rebuy weaponry I ran out of funds. Seriously, it's a black fucking market. These guns are supposed to be cheap in theory because noone is supposed to be buying them in the first place. So why is everything so bloody fucking expensive? It's not like the shop keep runs out of the things. Right, so then and there I said fuck it and added cheats to my phone. Fuck playing without cheats. I know the missions now and could probably get through them now without cheats but seriously learn how not to spike the difficulty level, R*.

Oh I just remembered what else pissed me off. Phones calls right after the mission ends and people and police still trying to kill you. Who the fuck's idea was that? I might actually want to actually listen to the phone conversation. Usually there are some humorous bits, but no I still have the cops on my ass and dipshit from the diner wants to blow my head off with a shotty. I'M SORRY COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER I'M TRYING TO HEAR YOU OVER THE EXPLOSIVE PELLETS COURSING THROUGH MY FACE AND THE BLEEDING TO DEATH!! My only option is to listen to what I can while shuffling away futilely dodging fire or canceling the call to deal with the fucker(s). There's a place for realism in this game and it isn't here. You are free to have everyone right pissed at me after the silly phonecall.

I can't say I've had anyone shooting at me even once after a mission has ended. Also, I'm amazed that you're managing to get killed in missions without killing enough people to replenish your ammo from what they drop. Are you using the hiding behind cover button? I find that even when I get killed in missions I generally end up with more ammo than I started with with the possible exception of ones where you're chasing someone down in a car.

Also, reloading is dumb as the game makes the missions easier each time you fuck them up. Sometimes it's as blatent as getting free armour or guns that weren't there before or the getaway car being slower and sometimes the bad guys just miss a lot more.

At first I thought there should have been more collectable items lying around but having played through a load more, the only thing I ever really need to buy is body armour and even that's only if I'm feeling too lazy to go find any. Also whilst I agree that driving back to the mission point is annoying, you can always get a taxi there (Or at least nearby) and steal a car when you get there.

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

Originally Posted by Jessykins <3

Oh, sure another one will be in the future, but Rockstar DOES make other games. I seem to recall the last generation going like GTA III, Vice City, Manhunt, Bully, San Andreas. Manhunt and Bully both being pretty awesome games (And so totally different from one another).

Bully came quite a while after San Andreas. It is an awesome game though. If I hadn't already played it to death on PS2 I'd have bought the 360 version.

I'm nowhere near finishing the story mode in GTA IV yet but then I've never felt the need to rush through GTA games. There's so much other stuff to do around the story and most of it makes the actual story missions much easier. In particular, amking friends with people in GTA IV and the special options you get as a result are a godsend, particularly the weapons drops and free taxis.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Mo0

Man, screw achievements, the social club is gonna keep me playing this game.

How are you guys doing on the Liberty City Marathon?



(That little icon means I can print out a certificate... if I felt like getting my printer to work I'd print it just to see what it looks like.)

Have any of the internet's bigger losers bothered to leave their console on overnight with the sticks rubber-banded together in order to be the first to run 400 miles yet? It totally wouldn't surprise me, I'm no longer amazed at the lengths some people will go to to top a meaningless online scoretable.

Also, I see they've extended the 100% club competition by two weeks. I guess not enough people managed it in the first week or something.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Garr

I like how the ratings are still an issue.

It's perfect for some, not so much for others. Something I like is probably something the person getting paid to review a game doesn't like. In the long run, who really gives a shit?

That's so true. I love how people get so worked up over what is essentially a subjective opinion. Just looking at two people's examples of great games from the last page, Mario Galaxy and Ocarina of Time, I personally would give neither anything like perfect scores as Mario is just another Mario game (And I don't like Mario games) and Zelda is dull in my opinion.

GTA IV is an incredible game but actually, I preferred San Andreas, mainly because there was so much more to do.

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

Cheaper than Chinatown Wars is going to be though and with guaranteed no retarded stylus waggling mini-games or green blood.

To be honest though , I probably won't bother with this. I only really finished the main story because I had a free evening and felt I might as well, having got a fair distance in. I was pretty bored of the game by that point so unless they've massively improved the fun levels, this would probably be a waste of money for me.

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

But that included 20 free achievement points Pang!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by BZ

Since when did it do that?

Tourist, Shivering Isles - 20

Entered the Shivering Isles

How ya doing, buddy?