Boring? Not really. But if you're a fan of the show, you may have heard me rag on the GTA series on a few occasions, and this column (written by my friend Darren Gladstone, PC World) satirically sums up why.
Darren's column is based on the premise that the GTA world is completely open to the type of play style you bring to the table, and he brings the most boring one he can think of. Now most people in the video game world play the GTA series to blow up cars and smack up hookers and those other supposed other things that you can't do in real life (I guess?), and you will be quick to say that "he's doing it wrong!", but bear with me for a second.
The bonus to all those illicit virtual adventures, is a world that tries to mimic ours, and thereby trying encapsulate the player into the game. That's pretty cool, but it leads to one of my beefs with the series, because the virtual world that they have is very much like our own, with GTA IV being even more so.
As you know, you can spend hours upon hours watching tv, checking email, or just driving around. You can even try and date some ladies by taking them out to a bar.
This is very much like my
actual life.
So, with that being said, the only draw to the game for me would be the criminal aspects that you can emulate. You know, the "blow up cars and smack up hookers" part? Well, sadly, it is not a draw for me. I've never been compelled by the series siren song of becoming the The Man, if you know what I mean.
Hold off, though, I'm not condemning the game, I'm just saying that it isn't my cup of tea (so keep a lid on it fanny boys!). The game is fantastic at what it does, but what it does it not something I want, that's all.
And my friend's column, along with being funny, points out that if you played the game by using your IRL behavior, that it would be boring. He then goes to turn that argument on its ear and say that it can't be a murder sim, at least it can't if you
don't want it to be. Regardless, he makes a good point: If you're not playing the criminal role, the game is merely a life simulator, and a boring life at that.
Anyway,
go ahead and check out his column here to see his take on it, and see what you think. Feel free to contribute your points of view, maybe you guys can help me "get it" with this series. I feel as I may be missing out on something here.
(# 0) on 05/02/2008 14:48
(# 1) on 05/02/2008 14:55
(# 2) on 05/02/2008 14:55
I doubt it's a matter of "not getting it" as you seem to have slightly offbeat sensibilities (at least from what I can gather from RFGO!) and if you don't have fun with it, then you don't have fun with it.
Diff'rent strokes.
(# 3) on 05/02/2008 14:56
(# 4) on 05/02/2008 14:56
However, if you play it just like real life, then it's pretty much the Sims, right?
(# 5) on 05/02/2008 15:01
(# 6) on 05/02/2008 15:02
Of course now I'm nearly done with the game and there's a lot more action, I'm much more in love with it. So it all worked out I guess.
(# 7) on 05/02/2008 15:03
I feel like I'm the only person that didn't pick up GTA4...but maybe there's hope out there that I'm not.
(# 8) on 05/02/2008 15:05
thanks for not being a fanboy.
(# 9) on 05/02/2008 15:09
(# 10) on 05/02/2008 15:19
(# 11) on 05/02/2008 15:19
(# 12) on 05/02/2008 15:21
Man, do I ever agree.
(# 13) on 05/02/2008 15:22
you can try to play Mr. Nice Guy, but since it's a dark world simulator, you'll get pulled into the crime life eventually.
(# 14) on 05/02/2008 15:50
Also, Dex, I love Crackdown. Which is why I'm confused at my lack of enthusiasm for GTA?
(# 15) on 05/02/2008 16:01
Maybe if the JT crowd ever played the games up to that point, eh?
(# 16) on 05/02/2008 16:01
Personally I love GTA IV but I can see how some people wouldn't care for it. That's all well and good, so long as they respect the game and it's obvious qualities.
(# 17) on 05/02/2008 16:07
I'm going to get around to writing a blog about it soon!
There's often a decent amount of slack given to how you complete some missions, and figuring out new or better ways to do things can be very exciting, because it gives you the room to do so. In certain missions in GTA (III for example) you can snipe your mark before he gets into his car, or, you can set up a line of explosives directly in his travel path.
On top of that, there's an X factor to completing some of the wider breadth missions that's a whole lot of fun. One weaker example is a mission in SA where you had to steal a car and get it back to your hideout (so many of those, i know) but in this particular one, your driving one car, and following a partner whos in another. At one point, you're driving down an alley, and your partner yells "Back up! back up! back up!" So all of a sudden, you're still on this same mission, but just like that,the circumstances change up.
Maybe you had to be there, but the little things that happen to change up the basic formula are very well handled, and make for some exciting and sometimes unexpected gameplay. Its a constant level of unexpected scripted or AI based behavior during missions that makes it a different experience for me compared to , for example, Crackdown.
(# 18) on 05/02/2008 16:10
(# 19) on 05/02/2008 16:20
An example for me would be Team Fortress, I tried it a number of times but could never get into it. I can respect it on its own merits but it just didn't do it for me.
I like GTA because it lets me experience things, like a life of crime, that I would never dream of doing in real life.
I had a "wow" moment last night playing though, my first mission for Playboy X had me driving through "times square," at night mind you, and it looked absolutly incredible.
(# 20) on 05/02/2008 16:27
Kudos for trying to find your own hook for enjoying the series!
(# 21) on 05/02/2008 16:38
I'm not sure why, Dyson, if you love Crackdown, GTA IV isn't exciting you. Maybe it's because of something no one's brought up: the uncanny valley. Crackdown is ridiculously action-packed and over the top. GTA IV tries to simulate life along with the action and crime, to the point that it feels like real life. And that sense of realism can be startling, even frightening to people.
(# 22) on 05/02/2008 16:40
(# 23) on 05/02/2008 17:14
The thing is, I don't like games where I feel completely overwhelmed. It feels like there is too much going on, and I can't keep up. this just frustrates the hell out of me.
So far, I am pretty much apathetic to GTA4. I appreciate it, but the things you can do don't appeal to me.
Oh, and it fucking drives me up the wall that you can stop the serial killers, even though you can kill hundreds of people in the game. Yeah, so are you or are you not a killer yourself? So, just by running away, those deaths are "okay". And I hate how your crazy ass driving doesn't get you in trouble. none of that stuff is real, and it's irritating.
Maybe I'm not right for GTA. I'm gonna keep playing, try to put at least ten hours into the storyline, see what happens. I won't make a real judgment for me personally, but right now I just want to play some Rock Band over this.
(# 24) on 05/02/2008 17:14
You know it's gonna be somewhat the same and if you really look deep down in it, you're just a grunt trying to make it big in america (no matter race....white, black, euro, italian...) and you're found killing those same lookin guys. But I think all the silly talking and the over the top nonsense on the radio you hear makes the game more enjoyable (since most games don't go over the top. Usually scared of the higher ups I assume.) But it's like real life...but not.
I respect your thoughts on it obviously and nice to see people actually talk about not liking the game without the fanny boy rants.
(# 25) on 05/02/2008 19:01
It really does do a great job emulating everything it does, though.
(# 26) on 05/02/2008 19:23
And dating Michelle is just the same old crap over and over again: call her, pick her up, take her to a place, come back, hit X to have sex — then rinse and repeat. Also, I haven’t been to an internet cafe to check my email since it was first introduced in a mission, because frankly, I can’t be bothered to do so. I’m only interested in the engrossing story, and also just general mayhem (I love blowing shit up, etc.) Nice write-up, man.
(# 27) on 05/03/2008 07:40
I remember Running With Scissors bragging about how Postal 2 could be played through without killing a single person. I tried it. After about 5 minutes I was virtually killing everything in sight.
(# 28) on 05/04/2008 15:36
But the idea of trying to imitate life doesn't do it for me, violence aside. Why would I play a game that mimics real life (no matter how engrossing the world is) when I can play a game that takes me to a world that I COULD NOT experience in real life. I know a lot of people argue that they would blow up cars and kill hookers, but some people are crazy enough to do it.
On the other hand I know I cannot mangle zombies, ride on dragons and most likely cannot save princesses ;)
(# 29) on 05/05/2008 10:58