Grand Theft Auto IV Not as Good as Previous Titles

All the hype, anticipation and controversy surrounding the latest Grand Theft Auto title from Rockstar Games has fallen on it’s face for this game reviewer. Grand Theft Auto IV was to be the next big thing in gaming, and to a certain extent, it has been. It has surpassed all expectations on the financial and profit grossing front but has it really lived up too and given gamers what they have all been waiting for.

The short answer is no. After extensive hours in front of the television rubbing my thumbs raw pounding the x and o keys and tapping the r1 and r2 triggers, I feel slightly let down by the latest instalment.

So what are the reasons for this? Quite simply, it is the setting of Grand Theft Auto IV in comparison to the previous two titles, San Andreas and Vice City that has let me down and alongside that, the roaming ability that comes with these previous titles.

Liberty City is the latest setting for the newest title in the GTA series and although it has been used previously, it hasn’t really lived up to the expectation of change for the better. It portrays that nasty gamer feeling of claustrophobia and to a certain extent it is. The mass of concrete structures that surround you is slightly terrifying especially if you are in the penultimate predicament of having to elude a posse of local law enforcers. You just can’t get to that Pay “n” Spray fast enough or without one of those cops seeing you. The mass of vehicles appearing at random from every angle doesn’t help on your path to freedom either. This is not a problem in San Andreas or Vice City because of the fact that the vastness of the area between the three cities in San Andreas and the islands in Vice City seems to be huge and therefore getting away from the po po is not as difficult.

“The storyline is going to be as great if not greater than legendary mob pics such as Scarface and The Sopranos!”

Really? To me the storyline in Grand Theft Auto IV seems to be fairly predictable and other publications giving the games story undue kudos alongside entertainment previously mentioned is ridiculous. Yes, the storyline is good, but does it surpass your expectations? It takes a godforsaken age to get engrossed in the story and at times borders on boring. Niko chats to Dimitri, then goes and shoots people for him. Then he talks to Elizabetha, and goes and shoots people for her. Then he steals a car for Brucie and then shoots people for him. See what I mean? The fun and excitement that enveloped the storylines in San Andreas and Vice City have all but disappeared in IV; not to mention the random fun that you were almost enticed to have with Tommy Vercetti and CJ outside of the story. In Grand Theft Auto IV, the story is so serious, the gamer is almost afraid to go on random fun bursts for fear or redemption or retaliation from angry civilians.

Are there too many extras in the game? Yes. Going to the local Tw@t to surf the net, receiving a call on your mobile at inopportune times (in the middle of a shoot out is highly annoying), taking Michelle on a date, playing darts, eating at the Cluck “n” Bell, and watching television, are all prime examples of two many extras. Before you know it, two hours have gone by (in real life, not in game hours) and you haven’t accomplished a thing. Then you find your wife telling you to “get off the bloody playstation” and you not being able to give last years reply of “but I just got on here!” Now obviously this isn’t a problem for under 25’s with plenty of hours to waste but for us oldies, we have limited time and before you know it, checking your emails, going for a game of darts, and watching the TV before bed, has used up precious mission time.

All in all, though it may not sound like it, the game is well worth playing and is loads of fun. But I’m just not sure it’s as good as what Rockstar has previously produced. Each time I play that same thought just keeps popping into my head; I think San Andreas was better than this.