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Grand Theft Auto IV Game Guide  But it isn’t only that GTA IV isn’t perfect; it’s not even revolutionary or innovative. It’s also got a sizeable laundry list of graphical and gameplay issues. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t discuss a game’s shortcomings first, but everyone already knows this is a game worth playing and that you should run out and get it if you haven’t already. It’s an incredible game in many ways, but only because its standing on the shoulders of its predecessors.  If it were just a matter of a few small issues here and there, I would have no problem ignoring them, moving on, jumping on the gangster train, and declaring this “The Most Bestest Awesomest Coolest I-Want-to-Have-Its-Babies-est Game Ever!” Trouble is, most of the game’s problems are the same problems that have been following the series since it first made the transition to 3-D almost a decade ago, and the few major additions that it does have introduce yet more problems.  Yet, it's hard to take the story seriously when a highly emotional non-interactive cutscene grounded in reality is bookended by interaction in a semi-satirical world where the player can kill dozens of cops and civilians while listening to the game's extreme conservative republicans on WKTT talk about America in ways Rush Limbaugh and Fred Phelps can only dream of. This disconnect between story and world is one of the game's most significant narrative flaws; since GTA is so open-ended, it only compounds the problem inherent to its very genre.  The mission variety rarely serves the inconsistent narrative, and even when engaging in some of the more unique tasks throughout the game (including a date with a man and wrestling control of the vehicle with a passenger) they usually devolve into simple kill "A" and drive to "B" errands, or simply the latter. The most talked about missions, as evidenced by constant message board chatter, are obvious nods to famous movies such as The French Connection and Heat, but they often become exercises in frustration due to unclear objectives, difficulty, and lack of mid-mission checkpoints. A new replay mission option is added upon failure, but by then it's too little, too late. But who needs to do missions anyway when Niko can take women out for a good time and even go on man-dates? Niko's straight. Most of the other dudes are straight. The only distinction between a date with a woman and one with a guy friend is the possible sex concluding the former, portrayed in consistence with the tone of the gameplay via slow-panning camera outside the building with exaggerated sound effects. It's about as enjoyable and satisfying as visiting a virtual strip club and getting a virtual lap dance. If you're into the aforementioned you can justify your virtual libido by telling your girlfriend useful rewards and additional information are gained through building relationships with various characters.  Speaking of other characters, multiplayer was introduced on the console version of San Andreas and has been greatly expanded on in IV, albeit with a slew of limited game types and a poorly executed party system. The multiplayer modes offer drastically different game types from simple racing to the frenetic mafia work where multiple teams of two complete various jobs around the city. Ranked modes are modifiable by the host and lack the balance found in other titles, discouraging serious skill-based play. Free mode, not the party mode lobby, is a fantastic way to organize your own custom game types with friends. Party mode seems to be their way of replicating the Halo matchmaking system. Unfortunately, it's short-sighted and a little self-important as there is no way to access the lobby free mode options while in-game and after each ranked match all players involved in the party are instantly booted back to the free mode lobby, adding two unnecessary load screens. If problems are encountered during the process a player or players may be returned to the single player game, adding yet another series of load screens. It's painful, but hopefully it'll be fixed in an "oops, my bad" patch. The highlight of anyone and everyone's playing experience has always been those moments generated by random and oftentimes creative usage of the in-game engine and tools provided. A mission may not require a rocket launcher and a fire engine, but why not? This mentality is the very essence of Free Mode, the game's most depressingly but highly enjoyable bare-bones element. While it's still very enjoyable to run from the cops with a multitude of other players, it would be even more fun to download or create custom scenarios with varying rules and objectives, all free of charge.  One thing to keep in mind with GTA IV is that, like every other GTA title, it features a few nasty glitches. I encountered a handful of glitches that instantly killed my character. In one mission, I was chasing a motorcyclist through the subways and hopped off my motorcycle for a moment. Niko was teleported through the roof of the subway and to the bridge above, instantly failing the mission for getting too far away from the target. Another time, I took a taxi back from a mission, only for the AI to drive directly off a bridge into the river, instead of to my destination. Since I chose to automatically arrive at my destination, I instantly drowned. However, these glitches were fairly rare, and most of the errors I encountered were of the more humorous variety, such as a pedestrian deciding to suddenly dive off a cliff. GTA IV continues the series' reputation for excellence in audio design as well. The voice actors are excellent, although there are a few duds, such as an Irish ally whose "accent" is an utter joke, but they're more than balanced by the good ones. The biggest problem with the voice actors is that some of them are difficult to understand. The biggest offender here is Little Jacob, a Rastafarian drug dealer who is almost completely incomprehensible without subtitles and only slightly better when you can actually read what he's saying. Make sure to have subtitles on, as the focus on foreign languages and accents is quite heavy. GTA IV has a soundtrack that would make anyone drool. Ranging from classic orchestral hits to Kanye West, the massive multi-hour soundtrack is varied and large enough that you'll never run out of things to listen to. In previous GTA titles, there were hours of unique and hilarious radio conversations on the radio stations, and that is back with a vengeance in GTA IV.  Without seeing sales numbers or charts, I can safely say that Grand Theft Auto IV is going to be the biggest game of the year. If you're even vaguely interested in GTA, then you're going to enjoy GTA IV, and if you're not, then GTA IV probably isn't going to change your mind. It's not a perfect game, as there are a number of minor graphical and gameplay glitches, missing features from San Andreas, more restrictive exploration, and some rather lackluster mission design. However, those minor flaws are overshadowed by the improved gunplay, amazing multiplayer and shockingly addictive social interactions that really turn GTA IV into something special. With a large, detailed city to explore and a nearly infinite amount of replay value, Grand Theft Auto IV is most certainly a game worth buying, and it should keep even the most hardcore of gamers busy for weeks, if not months 9.8 / 10 |
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