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I think it’s time to put an end to this! I’m getting hate mail in languages I can’t even read! This site was created purely for entertainment, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks!
NOTE: Geez...Posted just 6 hours ago, and I’ve already got hate mail! Let me clarify a few things. First, the build I previewed was dated 2/21/08. I finished the entire game (and have been playing it since). Second, the 360’s issues appear to be bugs, hence the disclaimer below. Third, I’m not a PS3 fanboy. The PS3 doesn’t have any good titles (except for Uncharted), so how can someone be a fanboy? I’m purposefully harder on the 360 version because I’ve been called a 360 fanboy in the past. There’s no winning here! Fourth, I’ve added a counter. When/If this page can rack up 500,000 hits, I’ll post more detail in a *SPOILERS* section to further legitimize it.

This review is based on early previews of the game. It may or may not reflect the final retail version, available 4/29/08.



There are two questions I know everyone wants answered right off the bat. So, to please my fans, I’m happy to oblige.

• Does GTA4 live up to the hype? Yes.

• Are the PS3 and 360 really the same? No.

Need more? Read on…

Grand Theft Auto IV is a digital masterpiece. Period. You will like the Xbox 360 version of this game. You will like the PS3 version of this game. Technically, they are the same! However, there are some minor variations. To make these variations easier to read through, I will write 360 specific comments in RED (since the 360 is famous for the color red, haha) and PS3 comments in Blu (see what I did there?). So let’s get started!

FIRST THINGS FIRST

When popping the disc into the PS3 for the first time, you’ll have a brief installation. Don’t worry, it only takes ten minutes or so, and there’s a pleasant bit of GTA history trivia to keep you occupied. So, unlike with Devil May Cry, you’ll be able to eat your sandwich prior to playing the game. On the 360, this installation is optional if you have a hard drive. I advise to proceed with installation—it reduces the already minimal frame rate issues on the 360. When the game finally begins, you’ll be treated to the best opening credit sequence I’ve seen for a game in a long, long time.

STORY

I’m not going to ruin anything. Let’s just say that the story in GTA4 is much more cohesive and cinematic than in other GTA games.

You’ll be entranced.

GAME PLAY



You’re going to like GTA4. But you’ll only love part of it. The game play is essentially the same as it was in previous GTA games, which is what you’ll love. There are a few extras/improvements that you’ll also love. Vehicles are fantastic. The cover system is effective and easy to get used to, as most games now have some sort of cover system. The squeaky car animation used when hookers do their thing is now accompanied by foggy windows—sweet. You can store your favorite vehicles in garages or parking spaces, which is a nice touch. Pay ‘n Spray will replace your broken windows and change your car color…but that does nothing when the police are already in pursuit.

It’s the things that are missing that will turn the volume down on your experience. If you’ve never played GTA, then you won’t miss much. The absence of the Dodo stinks. Going on rampages is now almost impossible. The ability to commit crimes is much more difficult. Wanna shoot rockets down the street, blow up a parking lot, etc? Well, you won’t get far. The 5-0 in GTA4 are smart, and they work really hard to bring you down.

It’s also a bit disappointing that law enforcement actually spawns. The game would feel much more realistic if cops had to call for back up, and patrol cars would actually drive to your location from a few blocks away before joining the fun. But that’s not how it works. A handful of cops will appear out of nowhere (on the 360, they actually pop-in if you didn’t do the install). NOOSE will appear out of no where. And choppers? Well, there’s no faint pitter-patter of blades in the wind to alert you of their approach. I think they jump to position through worm holes or something.

But aside from these annoyances, GTA4 is fantastic. It feels so real.

Euphoria didn’t do as much as I hoped. Let’s face it, when you hit a pedestrian at 50 mph, they do one thing: fall. It may look different in slow motion, but when you’re really doing it—when you’re in the middle of the action—animations always feel the same. There are moments, though, where Euphoria will kick in and you’ll say, “Awesome”. When you try to duplicate it, you won’t be able to. This is where Euphoria shines. There will be one time moments of sheer bliss—and it’s worth every second.

Riding in a Taxi is awesome. You’ll spend your first twenty or so trips admiring the city from the cab. Remember the car ride in Call of Duty 4? This is equally as engaging, if not more so. Seeing the world like this, hustling and bustling, living their digital lives…it makes a bullet to their head an extra level of satisfaction.

CONTROLS

I preferred the PS3 controls because I’ve always played GTA on PS hardware. The controls aren’t identical to previous games, but the learning curve is really small. Most people will probably prefer the 360 controller, but that’s to be expected.

There were a couple minor things about the controls that bugged me. I’ll mention the single big thing: running. Tapping a button to run works well in theory, but I just know that the wear and tear on my controller has to be increasing exponentially. Still, it’s better than having fatigue in game, as how much you run literally depends on your fatigue in the real world. If you’re tired of tapping, you walk or take a cab. If the cops are on your tail, you muster up the energy to tap some more. All in all, it works as a concept…but it’s bitter-sweet.

GRAPHICS

Been waiting for this? Well, what can I say? It’s beautiful. But I know you’re really concerned about which system it looks better on, and I have the scoop! The truth is that, if installed, the game looks equally impressive on both systems.

The PS3 has a more relaxed color pallet, but this gives everything a more realistic look. If you don’t like the realistic look, and you have a HDMI connection, you can fiddle with your PS3 display settings and get it looking much more saturated. The textures are just as sharp as the 360 version, and there’s little to no pop-in or screen tearing. The PS3 takes longer to load than the 360, but I took several different head counts in game at different locations, and I always found the PS3 to be more populated than the 360. This could be attributed to the dynamic nature of the world, but it’s hard to tell. Either way, the difference was never more than five to seven pedestrians or three to four cars—it’s not really much of an advantage.

The 360 is bright. Boy is it bright. Based on discussion history, this one will be claimed to look better, but it’ll really be preference. The texture quality is the same on both systems, but the 360 has a more cartoon-like look. This isn’t a bad thing. It just depends on preference. I’d compare the difference to that of Oblivion on each system. The 360 also suffers from some frame rate drops that are almost non-existent on the PS3. Installing the 360 version on your system’s hard drive, however, will bring performance almost up to par with the PS3.

Let me add that these differences are only noticeable when the games are shown side by side. I’d liken it to shopping for a TV. There’s always one that looks better than another, the 60” make the 50” seem too small, etc. The truth is, once by itself in your living room, it’ll look fantastic, and you won’t be disappointed.

MULTIPLAYER

I didn’t get to use this. I know, you want details, but all I can confirm is split-screen on PS3 only. I was alone, so I didn’t actually get to have any matches, but I could tell that the split-screen worked really well. There was a significant decrease in the amount of traffic and pedestrians, but it didn’t ruin anything. This is understandable. Rendering two instances of Liberty City is a chore for any machine. I can’t conclude one way or the other why the split-screen mode was not available on 360, but I assume by the drop in on-screen objects on the PS3 that the 360 just couldn’t handle it. If you own a 360, don’t worry. You have Xbox Live…so you’re set.

CONCLUSION

Grand Theft Auto 4 is worth the hype. It’s worth $60, and you’ll easily spend over 75 hours with this game. That’s a pretty decent bargain. It’s difficult to rate the game without bias! Any complaints I have are almost completely based on my experience with other GTA games…so it’s tough!



9.3/10