An amazing gaming experience that just lacks post-game content.
Graphics:
Simply put the graphics for this game are incredible. The character models look excellent, the lightning is well done and the effects are incredible. The weather looks amazing as well, seeing Liberty City at night while it's pouring out always awed me. For a game of GTA IV's stature the graphics are superb.
Although GTA IV does suffer from slight frame rate drop as well as pop-ins, although these minor issues are easily forgivable when you see the amazing looking world of GTA IV.
Sound:
GTA IV has an excellent and large sound track full of many great songs; there is usually something for everyone. As well it still has many of those hilarious GTA talk radio shows we all love. The voice acting in this game is just beyond anything I expected. The voice acting really helped the story just come alive. GTA IV's general sounds such as shooting, explosions cars, etc; all sound spot on. The weapons sound powerful and the car engines sound just right.
There really isn't too much else to say about the sound, everything in GTA IV sounds perfect.
Game play:
GTA IV's is sporting the new Euphoria engine which allows for many exciting, cool and just plain hilarious moments thanks to its incredible physics. Shooting someone in a car and watching him slump down and step on the gas pedal and run into another car or pedestrian never gets old.
In this GTA they adopted the cover system which has become very popular in most new third-person shooters. For the most part GTA IV does pull it off fairly well, although it does feel a bit clunky and can make things downright frustrating sometimes; I've died a few times because of the cover system. In addition to this there is two ways the player can play with either free aim or lock-on. With lock-on your reticule will lock onto your enemies and you just move your right control stick to aim at which body part you want to target, this system does work fairly well although I had problems with my reticule randomly jumping on me. I really find it much easier and more satisfying to play using the free aim mode.
As for the game's missions I found much of the early game a chore to do; lacking variety and consisting of mostly "taxiing" type missions. These sorts of missions do persist throughout the whole game although once the game picks up, it does have quite a few unique memorable missions such as the bank heist mission.
As well in GTA IV they add a friend system, where you can take the characters you meet throughout the game to go see shows, bowling, darts, drinking, etc. If you can make a a character like you enough they'll be able to help you out; like if Dwayne liked you enough you would be able to call him for back up, and he'll send three of his buddies to help you out in a tough firefight.
Although this was a neat addition to GTA IV, it really could be annoying at times. As you would be penalized for not taking your friends out and they'll even start refusing to answer the phone if they begin to dislike you enough. Most of the time taking your friends out felt, a lot like many other things in GTA IV, it felt like a chore.
One of my issues with this game was lack of things to do. There is a few extra missions such as stealing cars or delivering drugs or being a hit man. I found all these missions very repetitive and felt like a chore.
This lack of things to do after you completed the main game has caused this game to now collect dust on my shelf after two weeks of playing it.
Storyline:
You play as Niko Bellic, a Serbian immigrant who came to America in hope of the "American Dream" described by his cousin Roman as well as to escape his debts. Also it is later revealed he had more reasons than just debts and promise of a new life that had it come to Liberty City. Upon arrival he quickly realized his cousin exaggerated a little bit about his luxuries and fortune. Finding his cousin drowning in gambling debts with gangsters, Niko does what he can to help his cousin out often doing chores for the mob, which leads Niko to eventually start climbing higher and higher up in his life of crime.
For me GTA IV's Storyline was the highlight, from the memorable characters who you really grew to care about, to it's amazing dialogue, to learning about Niko's past. GTA IV's story is incredibly engrossing. The storyline is what really drove me to play this game from the very beginning to the very end.
Conclusion:
There is no arguing how good and successful Rockstar's new juggernaut is, breaking record sales everywhere. With it's amazing presentation the first time you put the disc in and play it you'll be blown away. The amazing characters, excellent graphics, top notch game play, and a storyline that keeps you hooked start from finish. Although after all was said and done the lack of side or bonus missions and just basically things had me bored of this game two weeks after I bought it.
Score:
For its amazing singleplayer experience (Even with its lack of post game content.) And solid multiplayer, I give this game a 4.5/5
This is my first time giving a review for any game so feedback would be great!
Simply put the graphics for this game are incredible. The character models look excellent, the lightning is well done and the effects are incredible. The weather looks amazing as well, seeing Liberty City at night while it's pouring out always awed me. For a game of GTA IV's stature the graphics are superb.
Although GTA IV does suffer from slight frame rate drop as well as pop-ins, although these minor issues are easily forgivable when you see the amazing looking world of GTA IV.
Sound:
GTA IV has an excellent and large sound track full of many great songs; there is usually something for everyone. As well it still has many of those hilarious GTA talk radio shows we all love. The voice acting in this game is just beyond anything I expected. The voice acting really helped the story just come alive. GTA IV's general sounds such as shooting, explosions cars, etc; all sound spot on. The weapons sound powerful and the car engines sound just right.
There really isn't too much else to say about the sound, everything in GTA IV sounds perfect.
Game play:
GTA IV's is sporting the new Euphoria engine which allows for many exciting, cool and just plain hilarious moments thanks to its incredible physics. Shooting someone in a car and watching him slump down and step on the gas pedal and run into another car or pedestrian never gets old.
In this GTA they adopted the cover system which has become very popular in most new third-person shooters. For the most part GTA IV does pull it off fairly well, although it does feel a bit clunky and can make things downright frustrating sometimes; I've died a few times because of the cover system. In addition to this there is two ways the player can play with either free aim or lock-on. With lock-on your reticule will lock onto your enemies and you just move your right control stick to aim at which body part you want to target, this system does work fairly well although I had problems with my reticule randomly jumping on me. I really find it much easier and more satisfying to play using the free aim mode.
As for the game's missions I found much of the early game a chore to do; lacking variety and consisting of mostly "taxiing" type missions. These sorts of missions do persist throughout the whole game although once the game picks up, it does have quite a few unique memorable missions such as the bank heist mission.
As well in GTA IV they add a friend system, where you can take the characters you meet throughout the game to go see shows, bowling, darts, drinking, etc. If you can make a a character like you enough they'll be able to help you out; like if Dwayne liked you enough you would be able to call him for back up, and he'll send three of his buddies to help you out in a tough firefight.
Although this was a neat addition to GTA IV, it really could be annoying at times. As you would be penalized for not taking your friends out and they'll even start refusing to answer the phone if they begin to dislike you enough. Most of the time taking your friends out felt, a lot like many other things in GTA IV, it felt like a chore.
One of my issues with this game was lack of things to do. There is a few extra missions such as stealing cars or delivering drugs or being a hit man. I found all these missions very repetitive and felt like a chore.
This lack of things to do after you completed the main game has caused this game to now collect dust on my shelf after two weeks of playing it.
Storyline:
You play as Niko Bellic, a Serbian immigrant who came to America in hope of the "American Dream" described by his cousin Roman as well as to escape his debts. Also it is later revealed he had more reasons than just debts and promise of a new life that had it come to Liberty City. Upon arrival he quickly realized his cousin exaggerated a little bit about his luxuries and fortune. Finding his cousin drowning in gambling debts with gangsters, Niko does what he can to help his cousin out often doing chores for the mob, which leads Niko to eventually start climbing higher and higher up in his life of crime.
For me GTA IV's Storyline was the highlight, from the memorable characters who you really grew to care about, to it's amazing dialogue, to learning about Niko's past. GTA IV's story is incredibly engrossing. The storyline is what really drove me to play this game from the very beginning to the very end.
Conclusion:
There is no arguing how good and successful Rockstar's new juggernaut is, breaking record sales everywhere. With it's amazing presentation the first time you put the disc in and play it you'll be blown away. The amazing characters, excellent graphics, top notch game play, and a storyline that keeps you hooked start from finish. Although after all was said and done the lack of side or bonus missions and just basically things had me bored of this game two weeks after I bought it.
Score:
For its amazing singleplayer experience (Even with its lack of post game content.) And solid multiplayer, I give this game a 4.5/5
This is my first time giving a review for any game so feedback would be great!
