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According to the British Board of Film Classification's entry for Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV, the upcoming Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 title may have close to eight hours worth of cut-scenes. To be precise: "When submitted to the BBFC the work had a running time of 463m 0s." That's 7 hours and 43 minutes, folks.

Yesterday, Rockstar had Ron and I out to their New York City office to get some hands-on time with their highly-anticipated title. I'll be getting some hands-on impressions up before the weekend (along with some screenshots, which I believe to be "new"). For now, I must say that some of the pre-mission cut-scenes were pretty extraordinary. While we only saw a handful of pre-mission cinematics, the combination of believable animations and Rockstar's traditionally killer script writing helped me connect with the game characters in a way that I never had with those found in previous GTA titles.

So if there really do happen to be eight hours of cinematics (can I get a "holy crap"?), let's be glad that they seem to be shaping up to be so damned good. While you all wait patiently for my impressions, I've included one of the (possibly) new screens that Rockstar has provided us. Enjoy.


LAUNCH GALLERY (1 IMAGES)
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47 comments | showing # 1 to 47

Volomon's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:24
Volomon
Hot sauce and butt bacon!
F Whipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:27
F Whipple
Hot damn! And people complain about Metal Gear
Jaren Face's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:28
Jaren Face
I'm assuming that's including things seen from side-missions?
So, if the game, with those, is suppose to take around 100 hours to complete...

...7% of that being non-playable isn't that bad? I guess? *shrugs*
Clockwork's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:32
Clockwork
Absolutely insane.

Impressions tomorrow? Kthx.
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:38
Cheeburga
REDONKULOUS.
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:39
MechaMonkey
The equivalent of four feature-length films? That's a lotta cutscenes.
Schmo0zle's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:40
Schmo0zle
That's a lot of cinematic work they did.

IMO people need to put more time into the GAMES and get rid of silly cut scenes, but I guess they're stuck with us...

Sometimes they're good, but most of the time I just find them annoying.
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:40
Wexx
...That's it?
Sirapak's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:42
Sirapak
People that play RPG's won't give a shit lol this isn't worthy of news.
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:46
Boolean
Am I the only one who sees this as a bad thing? 8 hours of non-gameplay, woopedo! 8 hours where the game snatches the controller from my hand and says "YOUR DOING IT WRONG, here let me play for a while".
Loki Power's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:53
Loki Power
Reminds me of MGS
Release82's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:54
Release82
Like any other final fantasy game, i always enjoyed well made cut scenes. Bring em on.
Chocobo Knight's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:54
Chocobo Knight
This is nothing compared to Xenosaga. So long as they are spaced out and fun to watch, bring it on!
NihonTiger90's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 21:58
NihonTiger90
It also talks about simulated sex acts, but we can't post on that, can we? :p
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:02
Nick Chester
@ Clockwork:

As soon as I can, man. I'm pretty busy this week, so I need to find some downtime to get it done. Soon, I promise.

@ Boolean:

I agree to an extent. But when you consider that the game may have 50 hours worth of gameplay, 8 hours of story-related cut-scenes doesn't seem that crazy. Think about it spread across the entire experience.
Hamza CTZ Aziz's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:11
Hamza CTZ Aziz
Why do people bitch about cutscenes so much now? What game does it good then? And don't fucking say Half Life or BioShock. Those are still cutscenes. You still have to stand around and deal with the characters until they're done talking.

Anyway, I just reserved the collectors edition of GTA IV. Can't wait.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:15
Samit Sarkar
I’m with Hamza. This is GTA; I know that I’m going to be fully entertained by all 7 hours and 43 minutes of cutscenes.
CreamyGoodness7's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:19
CreamyGoodness7
Wait is everyone complaining just too lazy to, you know, skip the cutscenes? Anyway I really enjoyed San Andreas' cutscenes so I'm hoping for at least the same quality or better.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:40
Sharpless
No mention of the intercourse, masturbation, and fellatio? WHERE HAS THE SENSATIONALISM GONE?! :)
EternalDarkWing's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:44
EternalDarkWing
Why are cutscenes looked upon so negatively? I don't really understand it. A lot of them are engaging and fun to watch.
by-tor2112's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:44
by-tor2112
So pretty much for $70 I get 4 feature films, and a wickedly awesome game? Well shit!
XivSpew's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 22:56
XivSpew
Honestly though, has anyone ever made a chart or graph that compares the length of cutscenes to the length of total gameplay hours before one is bored? I wonder if that amount is comparable for GTA4 to say, any other game. Hell, if this chart exists I'd really, really like to check it out. I played San Andreas a good 80-100+ hours before i stopped, and I couldn't tell you how much was non-playable. The whole experience felt wonderful, so tagging an amount to the cutscenes makes me think of what other games I ended up watching hours and hours of as opposed to controlling them.
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 23:05
Boolean
I'll be getting GTA, don't get me wrong, and I have nothing against cut scenes per se, but when an article is pointing out how long I won't be playing for, my first reaction is "Well frankly I'd rather be playing those scenes, not watching them".

If I wanted a movie, I'd just rent a movie, but I buy a game to be interactive. 8 hours of non gameplay might not be a terrible thing, I just don’t see it as an awesome thing like the rest of you.

But GTA is going to haul ass anyway, so my points are probably invalid =P
Boolean's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 23:06
Boolean
wow, I used a lot of italics in that post
XivSpew's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/02/2008 23:14
XivSpew
@Boolean:

Totally. If there's one thing i've learned being a gamer all my life, is that all of us play games for slightly different reasons. The breadth and depth of all our tastes makes me love the medium more than I would just listening to myself rant about Deus Ex and System Shock 2.
tkyy's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 00:20
tkyy
Perhaps the main story gameplay is less than 7 hours.
Teen Idol's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 00:57
Teen Idol
GTA games are all the same.
Maybe I'll rent it to see what it's like.
Teen Idol's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 00:59
Teen Idol
GTA games are all the same.
Maybe I'll rent it to see what it's like.
TheBrain's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 01:31
TheBrain
I don't think I'm happy about this. They will probably at least be entertaining, though.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 03:05
Necros
As long as the cutscenes don't take me out of the game (like almost every cutscene does) and maintain the focus on the main character, I think I can deal.
Remz's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 03:22
Remz
Actually going to buy this if it makes it ok to Aussieland. Kinda skipped out on the last few GTAs, even though they were run, I rented them then like, was too lazy to get offa my ass and buy them.

russian lead? crazy good looking trailers? hell yeah, I'm in.
Veck's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 04:11
Veck
The 3D incarnations of GTA have always been incredibly cinematic, so it's no surprise GTA4 is pretty beastly with its cutscenes. From what I've seen they look fantastic, so who gives a shit if there are loads of them.
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 05:59
mistic
I think its great! I love cinematics :-)

8 hours of cutscenes is amazing, it shows us a glimpse of how massively large this game will be :-)

What a timedrain this'll be :-)

like By-tor said, for the price of a game, you get a game AND 4 feature length movies, its a bargain!
Kryptinite's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 06:54
Kryptinite
I agree with Hamza. You whinny bastards.
DrXym's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 06:56
DrXym
I hate to burst anyone's bubble but the 8 hours of cutscenes probably includes radio stations.

The more troubling part is the 5 hours of gameplay footage. That probably represents a straightwalkthrough, but I wonder how it compares to previous GTAs. My guess would be unfavourably.
Faramir's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 07:59
Faramir
Whoa! I love cut scenes the most in any game. This is gonna be so cool!! Grabbing one as soon as I have enough to spend!

Fara - http://www.pickmeuptoday.com
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 08:04
B-Radicate
I swore I just read an article last night saying how the camera work in GTAIV is so good a lot of scenes FEEL as though they are rendered cut scenes (or at least interactive ones). How much do you wanna bet that some of their play time was mistaken for a cut scene because of how good the camera is? That'd be crazy.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 08:28
Holyetheline
That's pretty damn impressive. I'm so glad I have this reserved. Can't wait to play it.
xenon's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 08:33
xenon
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think I remember that what developers submit to rating boards is a video compilation of the "nastiest" bits of their games. This may obviously include cut-scenes, but gameplay killings and the like would also be there. Think Manhunt 2, they certainly had to show all the in-game executions, otherwise it would have been easy to get away with tame cut-scenes and over the top gameplay.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 08:44
LarkOhiya
hmmm. thats really quite a lot. I think xenon might be on to something, but I endorse this much cut-sceniage.
xenon's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 09:32
xenon
I have to correct myself. The BBFC page actually says

n/a GRAND THEFT AUTO IV
07:43:00:00 CUTSCENES
n/a (05:20:00:00) GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE

and the 7:43-long cut-scenes account for all the 463 minutes. But then where have the 5:20 gameplay parts gone?
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 10:55
Corak
Can't wait, preparing to be completly entertained.
PetiePal's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 11:26
PetiePal
It's safe to say I'm so much more excited for this one than I was for San Andreas.

When can you guys talk about all you've seen...you must be under non-disclosure agreements...!
mix's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 11:30
mix
My PS3 wants this game in it real bad.

As noted 100 hours of game play with roughly 8 hours of cut scenes is nothing. Do you people get pissed off when you watch cartoons?
Itchy's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 12:26
Itchy
Those bitching about the cutscenes, what if there's a way for you to skip them? Still gonna bitch?

Goddamnit, MGS4 needs to come out now.
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 14:10
vexed alex
People are bitching about cut-scenes? What a surprise! Gamers bitching about extra content!

Do you people realize that every GTA game has given you the option to skip them? If they bother you that much (possible hypocrite Final Fantasy fan), you can avoid them.

A cut-scene isn't meant to play the game for you. Cut-scenes in GTA are almost always just conversation between characters that set up a mission or push the story forward.
sushi111's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2008 14:19
sushi111
I love the GTA cutscenes so this is cool news.
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