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

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...

I was speaking idiomatically.

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

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

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.

FELIPE NO

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.

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

Originally Posted by Dennis Franz

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

Additional Spam:


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.

many thanks for the quick answer .ehm i have a ps3 btw

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Yeah, But then again my game will probably arrive here in 2 weeks after the release date (lol yesasia)

I don't want to risk the experience of killing tails, by running him over my lowrider.

=D

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

[18:41] <Tokubetsu> I just want to take a hammer to my dick because of all this frustration and impatience.
[18:41] <Tokubetsu> I'm going crazy. I've never been this excited for a game. Ever.

I am losing my mind.

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

IGN reviewed the game, here's the page if anyone is interested:

IGN: Grand Theft Auto IV Review
IGN: GTA IV Review Podcast

Looks awesome, but doesn't really concern me, since I don't own either system. Hope you guys enjoy the game!

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

What is it, the third 10 ever from IGN? Ocarina, Soul Calibur, and now GTA4... Crazy. Might have to reconsider waiting on getting the game now...

I was speaking idiomatically.

There's actually a bunch of handheld games that got 10s as well, but as far as console games yeah, it's only the third one.

Haven't had a chance to read the written review yet, but I did check out the video review (and I'll listen to the podcast later as well, even though they already went pretty in-depth about the game on a recent episode of their Three Red Lights podcast) and it seems like there's no reason not to buy this game. I'm definitely picking it up sometime next week.

How ya doing, buddy?

I've never understood why these games are popular. Just utter shit.

A perfect 10? My ass.

Let me guess, repetitive game play. Lousy story. And I get to murder hookers. No, by all means, chalk that up a perfect 5 stars. For sure. I'm sure NO ONE got paid for that perfect score.

You people clearly love it, maybe someone here can explain the appeal of this. What the hell about GTA is fun? I'm honestly curious. I've never been able to tolerate more than half an hour of the previous incarnations.

FELIPE NO

Haven't we determined that review scores are already horseshit? It's not like people here really give all that much a shit. Do you remember what happened when the rational folks who posted here responded to the call to boycot shit because of Kain and Lynch? Come the fuck on, Deni. Give us a break.

But your ignorance is amusing. For a self proclaimed RPG fan, you should be well aware that repetitive tasks are not necessarily boring. Many, MANY games would be easily dismissed if this were the case. From a variety of genres. Hell, many that you LOVE can be shit on for this reason. But I like Harvest Moon and Ikaruga, what do I know about repetition, right?

Sure, the story has never been some grand epic about wizards and warriors, but they've always been extremely tounge in cheek with a fair amount of really stupid humour thrown in for good measure. Great? Probably not, but certainly not worthy of being completely shit on. I can think of hundreds of worse examples in the time it takes me to fart.

Sandboxers are usually fun (at least well made ones are) in that they give you a bunch of shit to just do as you please. That tends to be what's amusing. If one enjoys an experience that's not so rigidly structured, then they tend to be all about this genre. I can murder hookers just for the sake of enjoying the sound it makes when I apply bat to skull. Fine then. If I'm having fun, ain't that the point?

That said, multiplayer is what I'm looking forward to the most in this iteration. Helicopter chiken with my main man Tails is gonna be quite possibly the funniest shit ever. There's just something to be said about the ability to mess around with the tools given to you with no discernable goal except what you make yourself. Crackdown did this amazingly well, so I personally expect a good time out of this.

Opinion on being bored with the gameplay? Sure. Nothing wrong with that. The gamut of possible actions and gameplay that reveals itself as a result may not for everyone. Nothing appeals to everyone. Not even Earthbound or FF6. But dismissive such as you are simply because it seems popular is quite aggrivating. Dismissive because "oh, well, I didn't enjoy the others and here's why" makes a lot more sense, though.

But keep trolling it the fuck up. Awesome.

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

Originally Posted by David Caruso

"oh, well, I didn't enjoy the others and here's why" makes a lot more sense, though.

Never said they sucked because they were popular. I said I didn't understand why they were popular. My reason for hating them is because I've hated all the others. You know, if one of your crew had the sense of Tails (can't believe I had to say that and mean it) and just said "online is fucking GREAT with your buddies" I'd have gotten it. I still don't see how a 10 out of 10 happens.

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A 10 out of 10 happens for the multitude of reasons we all know it happens for. Gaming journalism is a complete joke, to assume otherwise is to be wrong.

Have I misinterpretted your comment? I thought you were refering to "why are we excited?", not "why did it score so well on major sites?". The second seems like such a blatantly obvious rhetorical question that I assumed you were just asking the first.

It seems that you're locked into the mindset of not liking it due to disliking the last few, and that's totally acceptable. Not your cup of tea, but that begs the question of why you were asking in the first place? Seems like more trolling.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

As someone who hasn't played the game, I think I am in the best position to say why I think it got a perfect 10:

Guns
Hookers
Curse words

Today's hardcore gamer eats this shit up to make them feel cooler.



Ok, in all honesty, based on the wonderful experiences I've had with previous GTA games, I can only guess that it expands upon their great use of open-world gameplay, which seems evident in the videos I've been watching. It's just limitless gameplay, and if it's something you enjoy (which I do), it's essentially limitless fun. Combine that with the fact that it controls well, has great visuals, great soundtrack, and from what I've heard a fantastic story, it's bound to be great. Perfect? We'll see. Aside from the obvious gaming journalism bullshit, I'm not entirely shocked it's getting the praise it's getting.

How ya doing, buddy?

To be honest, it looks leaps and bounds better than any other GTA game I've seen. I'm not gonna turn my nose up at GTA. It's not my thing, period. But I can see the appeal, even if certain mechanics are sketchy, it has the benefit of zeitgeist and trend setting and all that shit. The same way Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy VII get their props and their jeers and what not.

What's the appeal? I guess people like running around killing shit, doing missions, collecting shit. It's open ended and taps all the right gamer OCD buttons in an environment really appealing to some people. Fact of life. I tend to despise playing through most RPGs, yet I'll, like Skills, appreciate Ikaruga and play it in an attempt at perfection for god knows what reason.

I'm sure it's not gonna be perfect, gaming journalism has zero credibility for a lot of players and I can see the reasons why quite clearly and how they hold up... but I think it looks like a decent game this time around. Over the shoulder aiming? WHAT A CONCEPT! And maybe, just maybe, it was passable in all those other installments most of us passed over.

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

I just read through the review, and though many are willing to dismiss reviewers for doing their job, I want to quote the very last paragraph from IGN's review, which in my opinion, helps justify such a rating (which I was extremely skeptical about at first):

Quote:

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.

I challenge you to take the 10-15 minutes to read the review. Seriously, see why they rated it that way. I'm sorry Deni, but based on what you said, it's far too transparent that you looked at the score and simply dismissed it completely. I'm not dismissing the possibility or likelihood of exaggeration, but after reading the review, I'm going to give the game its chance without thinking back on any judgments from previous titles.

If my experiences quell my prejudice towards the game, then I am more than happy to let Rockstar Games prove me wrong.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I didn't read the review, because IGN makes me yawn, but one point more than Klax on Lynx? I don't think so, IGN. brb, going to go protest outside their office.

Originally Posted by Deni

And I get to murder hookers.

Not in the Aussie version!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Diversion

I challenge you to take the 10-15 minutes to read the review. Seriously, see why they rated it that way. I'm sorry Deni, but based on what you said, it's far too transparent that you looked at the score and simply dismissed it completely. I'm not dismissing the possibility or likelihood of exaggeration, but after reading the review, I'm going to give the game its chance without thinking back on any judgments from previous titles.

Except that I did read the review, Lord Byron. And if you completely wipe the memory of past incarnations of something before you see it, I congratulate you on your Goldfish like memory. I'm sure it comes in very handy for you. Man, the last time I stuck my hand in an oven it sure hurt, but this is a different oven, a newer oven. This one has digital knobs instead of dials. Sure is a good thing I can forget the pain of being horridly burned long enough to do it again!

You know what else they said in that review?

Quote:

GTA IV gives us characters and a world with a level of depth previously unseen in gaming and elevates its story from a mere shoot-em-up to an Oscar-caliber drama.

Please. Could you be more full of shit. Rockstar's never shown the slightest inclination towards writing (see? This is that previous exposure thing we covered earlier) and now they should be up for best writing noms? Wow, that sure sounds like something you would say in order to get an exclusive online review of a major game! It sure is good that isn't what this is. O wait. It is? Awkward.

Quote:

The phone is also used as an organizer to remind you of critical events (dates with slutty online girls) and can be customized with new ringtones and wallpapers.

INNOVATIVE! It's like game notes, only it's your cell phone! Crazy!

Quote:

That's a credit to the writing, to make what would normally just be some thug you're doing missions for earn your contempt. That's a mark that you care for Niko; that the story has gotten to you. There aren't many games that can pull that off.

Wow, that's actually impressive, except... o wait...

Quote:

this doesn't impact gameplay

Oh, so really what the reviewer is saying is that he thought the guys were jerks, and then went out to slaughter people. Yeah. Brilliant.

Quote:

There are people that you don't have to kill in a mission and you can decide whether or not to waste a bullet. These events don't change the plot or open new missions later on. Occasionally it affects dialogue, but more often it is simply the game asking what kind of person you are.

MORE innovations! Non-story impacting branches! WOW! I could hop over a fucking goomba without fireballing the little fucker, and it does the same thing.

Quote:

A great deal of that pleasure is due to the refined combat system. Though Grand Theft Auto has always been about action, it has never provided a great targeting system. That has finally, truly changed with GTA IV. Hold down the trigger and you can lock on to an enemy (or civilian). You'll see an indicator of their health. You can adjust your aim slightly with the thumbstick so that nudging up a little can help you earn some headshots. Partially depress the trigger and you have free aim, which is great for targeting tires or specific body parts. With skill, you can take down enemies faster in free mode. But auto aim is a great help in larger battles or for those who aren't as adept with a controller.

Didn't goldeneye do this same thing? I know some of the old EIDOS games did.

Quote:

Better is the cover system. Tap the right shoulder button and you'll take cover behind the nearest object. If you see it in the environment, you can probably take cover behind it. That includes walls, dumpsters and cars.

There was a whole shitty game based around this already.



So, really. They gave it a 10 because it was innovative and pushed boundaries? Did -YOU- read that review? Because to me it sounded a lot like someone got paid some coin to write a review describing elements that have been around for a long time, slap a 10 out of 10 on it, call it innovative, and get an exclusive review for their trouble.

I'm sorry, Diversion, but I have to say. It doesn't sound like you took the time to really read it.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Diversion

I challenge you to take the 10-15 minutes to read the review. Seriously, see why they rated it that way. I'm sorry Deni, but based on what you said, it's far too transparent that you looked at the score and simply dismissed it completely. I'm not dismissing the possibility or likelihood of exaggeration, but after reading the review, I'm going to give the game its chance without thinking back on any judgments from previous titles.

I read it and it looks like exaggeration to be sure. They even awarded a ten to each individual category. This reminds me of how EGM gave Vice City and San Andreas straight tens even though they were each variations on a theme with slight upgrades here and there. Oscar-caliber story? Connecting with Niko in a way that one rarely does with game characters? More parts of the game are better than anything she's seen in gaming for the past ten years? In all honesty, it sounds like what I expected, but with the importance of each enhancement pumped up to be something out of this world just because it happens to be in a much-anticipated GTA title. So now it incorporates over the shoulder aiming and a more melodramatic story where morality choices (which the review admits hardly affects the outcome of events) play a factor. Say hello to RE4 for the former and numerous RPGs for the latter. Seven pages worth of words to basically say that it's a more detailed GTA title that adds a couple of new things to the mix.

So it takes what other GTA games did and makes each element a bit better. That's what a sequel is supposed to do, and I'm not sure how it merits a ten in this case. I seriously doubt that it does, actually. I have no doubt that the game is going to be great fun, but the review hypes it up like if it's some remarkable artistic achievement, when it's just using the same formula that made GTA3 so successful. And I definitely noticed when she admits that it's more subtle than GTA3 in terms of taking a leap forward.

Anyways, GTA is GTA. Fun games, but the exceedingly high ratings are the result of media hype. Casual gamers buy these games in droves, and I've enjoyed a few myself, but the GTA games aren't going to show up in the top ten or twenty favorite game of all time lists of hardcore gamers. They just aren't inspired enough. The sandbox gameplay surely offers something to any kind of gamer, but the general 'Scarface fantasy' approach is so obviously targeted towards the casual gamer. If I want to see a story with tortured souls, I can play Valkyrie Profile and get 10x the artistry in my experience.

In short, GTA3, Vice City (I got tired of the formula after this one), and San Andreas all got built up to be god's gift and they paled in comparison to games like Deus Ex and System Shock 2 (which both came out in the last ten years) in terms of artistry, originality, and lasting impact on a person (on me, but I bet that most seasoned gamers feel similarly). Nothing in the review suggests that GTAIV will be any different. The Chrono Triggers, the Marios/Zeldas/Metroids, and the Metal Gear Solids of the gaming world have nothing to fear from the technical prowess of GTAIV.

Also, Earthbound rules.

How ya doing, buddy?

I was going to take your post seriously right up until you mentioned Metal Gear Solid, Mario and Zelda as equal series'.

Ahahaha, nice one.

Anyways, back on topic here, I got the special edition coming in. Any word on what's going to be on the soundtrack? Can't wait to rip it up with all you motherfuckers online.

Also are people ever going to come up with anything better for the PC than fucking SS2? Cause man, GTA certainly doesn't have shit on a game from nearly ten fucking years ago.

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Um, folks. Protips. No one said anything about really giving a shit what the review was all about. Diversion even went so far as to say the whole thing was sensationalist tripe, but that even so, it brough up interesting points that might be worth a second look. Deni, cherry picking your arguments and picking out what is OBVIOUSLY THE EXAGGERATED CRAP that was already mentioned just goes to show how much you skimmed of everyone else's arguments. Now you're just starting shit for the sake of starting shit.

RPG faggots coming out of the woodwork to be useless shitsacks sure is entertaining, though. What is it with big name releases and people trying oh-so-hard to appear hardcore by dissing a god damn review from a non-reputable source. WOW.

Holy fuck, guys. Your local paper gave a good review to a Harry Potter book! Let's have all the faux-intellectuals strut their stuff and say how much of a ripoff of Tolkien it is!

Fuck, you people make me CRY.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I wonder why you rarely see people in jrpg threads derailing it and trying argue that Dues Ex, System Shock 2 and Planescape: Torment are all better experiences of the past decade. to get back on topic:




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

Originally Posted by Denicalis

I've never understood why these games are popular. Just utter shit.

A perfect 10? My ass.

Let me guess, repetitive game play. Lousy story. And I get to murder hookers. No, by all means, chalk that up a perfect 5 stars. For sure. I'm sure NO ONE got paid for that perfect score.

You people clearly love it, maybe someone here can explain the appeal of this. What the hell about GTA is fun? I'm honestly curious. I've never been able to tolerate more than half an hour of the previous incarnations.

They're not familiar with the Kane and Lynch fiasco. I wouldn't bother with it, really. You're probably arguing against the people that said that Halo 3 was better than Halo 2, which was better than Halo 1, which all deserved a 12/10 or something for absolute perfection, blah blah blah. Based on the series being popular, someone will give it a ten. Others will be afraid to rate it otherwise, assuming they'll lose their jobs as well. You know already what the game offers by comparison to the others in the series and you already know what sort of "rating" it deserves in comparison to other titles.

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

Originally Posted by Lukage

They're not familiar with the Kane and Lynch fiasco. I wouldn't bother with it, really. You're probably arguing against the people that said that Halo 3 was better than Halo 2, which was better than Halo 1, which all deserved a 12/10 or something for absolute perfection, blah blah blah. Based on the series being popular, someone will give it a ten. Others will be afraid to rate it otherwise, assuming they'll lose their jobs as well. You know already what the game offers by comparison to the others in the series and you already know what sort of "rating" it deserves in comparison to other titles.

No need to beat around the bush, just admit you're pissed that the PC version doesn't even have a release date yet.

But in all seriousness, If you don't like the game, stay outta the fuckin' thread. Plenty of us here enjoy the GTA series and when a select few of you pull this petty thread derailing crap, you make this place look like Neogaf and that shit ain't cool.

I was speaking idiomatically.