I should mention that I have a 60 GB launch PS3 and have had no freeze-up issues. I think that Rockstar is going to find that it's not just one model on either system that is causing the problem.

I sucked at bowling, too.

Interesting. I think Cringer is not connected to the internet, and my 360 has had issues staying connected so I have disconnected it unless I'm trying to play a MP game. I wonder if the freeze up is related to the online issues. Regardless, I played about 5 hours yesterday and it was smooth as butter with no freeze ups. :)

They mentioned taking a taxi when I was hammered at one point. I ended up just driving drunk (insanely fun). But for reference, how do you get into a taxi without carjacking it? Just kinda walk up to one and wait?

Hold down the button to get into the car instead of just tapping it like you usually do to get in a car you're stealing.

Cool thanks. Only 9 or so hours to go before I can get back to it.

The Mario games get high scores because they are really, really good. Sorry if that bothers you.

As far as the graphics go, I think it depends on your frame of reference. COD4 didn't try to do what GTA is doing so comparing the two on graphics alone isn't that fair. COD4 was a linear game. You have to go here to get to here. There may be two ways around a building on occasion, but you aren't going to wander around the city either. COD4 was also an extremely short game (under 10 hours to complete the full game)

GTA has a full city to render. It also has probably 50 or 60 hours of gameplay after the mini games are completed. (if not more) So Rockstar built a game with a city you can run around in along with 50 to 60 hours worth of gameplay.

Considering all of that, I think the graphics are pretty damned good. I'd have little hesitation giving the graphics a 9.5 to 10. YMMV I guess.

since the driving controls aren't real tight like in the Gran Turismo series or Forza, how horrible do you drive when you're drunk? i didn't go into any bars or anything, i split my time between playing single player and playing online. i shudder to think how sloppy one drives while drunk in the game cuz i drive really sloppy as-is.

the way the driving control is, its almost a given you're gonna smash into people or into things. one thing i kinda wished was for the police to be more strict. i shouldn't be able to run a red light passing right by a cop. and there's no need to stop at red lights. that's one of the gripes i've always had about GTA series - they make it so that you're this sole person who is running amok with no regard for getting in trouble. that should be the case in some type of Free Mode, but for a single player campaign mode they should really try to amp up the need to walk the line a bit.

really fun game, i wasn't expecting on playing the single player as long as i did.

I agree with MBBF (this doesn't happen often). I played for a couple hours last night, and while I had fun, this should not be a 10.0 game. I see it as a 9.0 or 9.5.

It's a decent argument. If anything, the graphics on GTA4 lend credence to the comment by the Metal Gear Solid creator. He stated that he wanted to do so much more with the game, but didn't have the horsepower on the console to do it. Judging from the results in this game, I'd say there's a lot of room for growth in regards to console horsepower.

I do disagree that an extended amount of gameplay should excuse the average graphics level. That is taken into consideration in the overall score of a review. Strictly judging the quality of the graphics, there's no question that they're not a 10. A reviewer that gives this game a 10 for graphics is being blinded by the hype.

FYI......GTA1 and GTA2 had cops that would pull you over for running a red light. GTA3 was the first one that switched up the AI of the cops to where you could run red lights in front of them. While I do agree with you, consider the alternative. A game which pulled you over every time you ran a red light in front of a cop or every time you hit someone would become very tedious.

Just a quick question. I assume if you ignore calls and missions they just wait for you? So far I have done everything I've been asked, but tonight I will probably drive around and explore.

Horrible.

If I had to drive 25 mph and not hit anything, I'd put the game down and wouldn't bother with it.

I understand what you are saying, but the alternative is far, far worse to me. I'll take the loss in realism or immersion for the ability to get to my missions quickly.

There is an option on your phone to go into "sleep mode" When you do this, the missions stop and you don't get bothered by phone calls.

well, that's not to say you can't run red light at all, or hit anyone. in real life the cops aren't everywhere. i'm just saying if i see a cop is at a corner, i shouldn't be able to gun it and scream "THUG LIFE" as i run the red light while they sip their coffee. the game should make you have to walk the tightrope between having to do what you need to do to complete a mission while also living within the framework of society. in real life if i was gonna do a hit on someone i would keep as low a profile as possible. if i wanted to beat someone up i'd do it in an alleyway. if i hit someone on the street and a cop is present i should have to run like hell to get away. how would that be tedious? it's tedious to obey the law but we do it.

this could all be excused in a sandbox, free type of mode. but for the storyline itself there should be some measure of order and structure and discipline.

Maybe that's what he's saying... the GTAIII series and GTAIV is getting high scores because they are really, really good ;).

For the folks who have gotten to the mission "Ivan the not so terrible"

Thanks.

I'd actually agree that the Mario games are really, really good and I'd also agree that the GTA games are really, really good. But the perfect scores are reserved for the best games. We're splitting hairs here. GTA4 is a AAA title, but it's definitely doesn't warrant a perfect score in any way.

i totally agree, i guess that's why i've never been able to finish a GTA game. after one day of running over people or smashing into every car that gets rather repetitive. they cease to be people and cars at that point, they're just things in my path. after a point you smash into a car and it doesn't even phase you anymore. hard to feel like you're in a breathing city when everytime you have to go somewhere the bodies start stacking up and its mass carnage and hysteria. it shouldn't be "oh, i'll go bowl with Michelle now, i guess there's gonna be some dead people in the streets."

i know its hard to do and i'm obviously in the minority, but they work so hard to make this city seem so real and then the gamer is just allowed to crap all over it. who cares about whether the graphics are worth a 9 or a 10, when you got to get somewhere quickly you're gonna fly down the streets running over everything in your path and not stop to enjoy the great graphics and detail of the city anyway.

This goes to the argument I was making earlier about them not making this "too realistic". If it was that realistic I (and many others I'm sure) would be bored out of my mind playing this game. If I had to stop at the red lights, let granny cross the street, park on the correct side, blah blah - booooooooooring.

I beat her at bowling. Maybe that's why she didn't sleep with me on our first date. I tried calling a few minutes after I dropped her off, but she said she was tired and had to get up early.

This is too realistic. :)

I always find it funny when I bust up a car on the way over to pick up the girlfriend. I got to her place and the hood was busted up along with a window and the quarter panels. She walked over, got in, and started chatting away like she didn't even notice it was in pieces. Granted, it's easier for them to not build in additional girlfriend AI where she notices those kind of things, but it amuses me to no end.

Similarly, she keeps telling me 'nice car' each time without noting that I have a new car every few days. But she always asks me if Roman is involved with bad people. Yeah, Roman's a bad guy and I just like buying cars...........

I must admit that I actually try my best not to hit any cars or people when I'm driving around the city. Hell, I've actually even stopped at a couple of red lights. What's wrong with me?

I beat her 52 to 21.

On our next date, I picked her up on a motorcycle. Driving to the Bowling Alley, I hit a car in the rear and she went flying down the street. She got scared and said she would find her way home.

I try not to either, but I still drive balls to the walls. Getting even a 1-star wanted level sucks because you have to run away.

I drive nicer when I have a lady in the car.

To me perfect encompasses a lot of things. It doesn't just include how polished the game is. Bugs, clipping, etc. can lower a score, but they don't HAVE to lower the score. There are a lot of factors involved:

1) Is the game fun? Very simple question here. Do you laugh while you play it? Do you have a lot of come out of your seat moments? Do you want to keep coming back for more?

2) How pretty does it look? How does it match up to other games in it's own genre. (comparing what GTA does to COD4 is a joke. Comparing GTA to THE SHOW isn't fair. It does a lot more) The comparison is a game like Crackdown or Saints Row.

3) The controls.

4) Overall scope of the game. How much is there to do? How detailed is it? How long will I spend playing the game?

5) Multiplayer - For some this is huge. Not so much for me, but it's mandatory for others.

6) Does it change the genre or add to it in any meaningful way?

GTA is a 20 o nthe fun scale. It looks pretty damned good compared to it's competition. It has decent, not great controls. It's ridiculously deep and detailed. I doubt more than 5% of all gamers will end up watching every tv clip, listen to every radio station or play every mission. It's a lot of fun in MP. It doesn't revolutionize the genre, but it adds to it quite a bit.

There is this attitude among a lot of gamers that a 10 should be absolute perfection. I don't buy into that. The problem with video game scoring isn't the times a 10 is given out. (95% of the people who play Bioshock, Resistence, GTAIV or the like are going to love the game)

The problem is when you get just a bit lower. It's the huge glut of scores in the 6-8 range that kill reviews. Reviewers seem to use the schoolastic gague of scoring. 70% is average. 50% is a fail. 90% is an A. Problem is they use a 1-10 or 1-10 scale which means 5 should be average. In actuality, if a game gets a ton of reviews in the 5 range, you should run, because the game is beyond horrible. If a game is a 7, you should be VERY concerned about it even being an average game.

As of now. . . I'd put GTAIV between a 9 and a 10. The real test comes as I get deeper into the game. Do I still want to keep playing it? Do I still try to scrape out an hour before dinner to play it or am I going "Meh?" My guess is I will want to continue playing it and that it'll deserve the 10 it's getting from teh review sites.

Strange, I do too. I also drive nice on the way to her house or apartment. Probably the only time a civilian in GTA shouldn't be concerned when they see me behind the wheel. :)

I haven't played this yet, but I would like the cops to go back to the original GTA AI. I didn't find it tedious to stop at red lights if the cops were there. I remember Driver having the same sort of AI.

i stopped at one red light, don't feel bad. actually two red lights, but only cuz the cop car was there. then again, as soon as it turned green i hit the gas and smoked him.

he didn't want none of this.


the absolute most fun i've had in the GTA happened last nite. i jacked some guys car, was slow to get away so he comes running up to the car and right as i hit the gas he grabs hold of the handle and hangs on as i drive. i was dragging him around for a good 20 seconds until i stopped short and he let go....and got run over by an oncoming car. that's why this game is a perfect 10. i was actually rooting for the guy to hold on as long as he could during the 20 seconds. by far one of the top 3 gaming experiences i've ever had.

I just kept driving and drove the car right next to a street light. Guy smacked head-first into the pole and, for some strange reason, was unable to hold on anymore.

I did the exact same thing. Except I made sure I stopped short perpendicular to a building. Thud.

That reminds me, I'm not sure if this was in other editions but wow is being ejected through the windshield of a car cool. Also, I was on foot being chased by cops, and had wandered to one of the overpasses. Since I was close to dying I tried hopping over...except just as I got to the ledge, the golden bullet got me...which sent me flying.

I got to the 6-star wanted level when I tried walking through the police barracade at one of the bridges. Damn those SWAT trucks are pesky.

I had an interesting moment yesterday when I jacked this car, and I guess I jacked a hood's car, because it seems that he jacked someone else's car and was coming after me and slamming into me and wouldn't get off of my bumper.

Pretty sweet.

that is seriously awesome LOL :D

Either that or you just had a date with M GO BLUE end...

Yeah, for a moment I was really confused. I was like, WTF is this guy doing?! I'm trying to turn around, why is he keep knocking into me. Then I realized, oh crap, that's the guy I just jacked, and he's trying to get his car back!

this was so friggin awesome - i want to know if this happened to anyone else or if this was something unique: in the mission where you need to chase one of the characters (this happens too early in the game for it to be a real spoiler but i'll keep it as vague as i can) and you finally catch up to him, you need to chase him up some steps. by the time i caught up to him he was waiting for me in a room pretty high up. we start fighting and ended up close to the window and right as i was gonna beat him we both crashed through the window and fell all the way to the ground. fortunately i was able to live.

him? not so much.


LOL, that was awesome - happen to anyone else or did it play out differently that was equally as cool?

I took the knife out of his hand (though got stabbed a few times in trying to pull it off), and then I kind of punch/pushed him out the window, and he ended up hitting a bit of the roof below me and then went into the water and then he was dead while I was still in the building (I saw the whole fall from above).

That's nothing on our 2nd date driving home from playing pool the car got smashed up and was starting to burn up, so I jumped out and lett eh car coast away with her in it. She tried to get out once the car stopped, and BOOM the car blew up with her next to it, she burned up and died....

Until 2 days later when she called me and asked me to pick her up from the hospital! :D

I'm the type that can't make it 10 minutes in a FPS, Bioshock made me sick in minutes. I'm trying to sit a bit further away from the TV, and I bought some Ginger capsules from Wal-Mart and am taking a couple a day as per the directions to see if that has any impact on me.

LOL! That's awesome!

I used a cop car to scrape him off... oddly enough the cop didn't like that and gave chase. :)

i laughed reading this, must've been even funnier watching it.


"SAVE YOURSELF"

That's the kind of girl you stick with!

Yeah it was hilarious, this is when you wish there was a replay and a save option, my friend that was over and my wife got a kick out of it.

Hey, I let my cousin get beat up while I was picking up the girl on the first date. You don't have to convince me ;).

Hos before Bros? Well, to be fair, the cousin was a lying piece of shit... mansion my ass!!!

when i was driving her to the carnival on the board walk by the ferris wheel was two ramps , and we all know why those were put there, they weren't there for the view. it took everything - i mean EVERYTHING - to not hit the gas and send the car flying. i decided to be a gentleman and resisted the urge.

it was our 1st date, afterall.

I also threw the guy out of the window but I was able to remain in the room to watch.