I was hoping to get this piece up sooner, but sadly I had to rush to the store and buy it, because Rockstar's UK branch wouldn't talk to me. Thankfully, my local Gamestation had a copy, their last copy left. They said they'd sold out, but after discussing amongst themselves and laughing, they admitted they had a final disc stashed away, and gladly sold it to me.
When I first popped the disc in, I was incredibly surprised by what I saw. Rather than the familiar urban decay of Liberty City that previews had hyped, I saw instead a far more barren, almost desert-like environment. Very few roads to speak of, and no cars at all. This wasn't what I'd expected in the least, but I stuck with it.
My first glimpse of Niko Bellic was ... shocking, to say the least. I had no idea he could fly. And he'd traded in his fresh-off-the-boat look for a distinctive red and yellow metal suit. Thanks to this suit, however, combat had vastly improved over other games in the series, and I found that I had no need to jack cars like the old days. Niko's new "armor" allows him to run at great speed, blasting tanks with his hands and picking people up to throw them around. The flight mechanics hold up their end of the bargain too, and before long it will be a joy to control Niko as he shoots lasers and tears helicopters apart.
Rockstar has dramatically altered many aspects of Grand Theft Auto, from the basic mechanics to the sense of satire that had made the game so enjoyable in the past. In terms of raw gameplay, there is much about Grand Theft Auto IV that has improved, but what it's gained in playability, it has certainly lost in character.
As is typical of this modern generation, the feeling seems left out of GTA IV. Where are the radio stations? The quirky criminal characters? Why do they keep calling Niko, Tony? Tony was in Liberty City Stories, not this game. In fact, many elements of GTA IV's story don't seem in keeping with the established game world, and I wonder if the script writer had even seen previous titles.
While the action is solid, the immersing depth of previous games is missing, the script is a mess and Niko doesn't even sound like an immigrant. His voice has far more of a "wealthy industrialist and genius inventor whose suit of armor is laden with technological devices that enable him to fight crime" vibe to it than something you could believe came from East Europe.
This is just the first impression, of course, and a more detailed analysis will hit Destructoid soon. In the mean time though, think before you rush out and buy this. It barely feels like GTA at all.
Nobody's even said "fuck" yet.
All immigrants can fly and have hulking strength, thats why they take all our jobs.
This explains your problems with the driving and combat systems. You clearly didn't divert power to propulsion or blasters.
Noob.
Nobody's even said "fuck" yet.
What? They've said fuck in the first couple of missions.
Just keep playing. It will all make sense in the end. The suit is the key to unlocking Tony Star -- uhh, Niko Bellic's mysterious past.
^^^doesn't get it
Durrr me am dumb and should read posts before commenting.
LOL, CTZ.
damn you MaxVest
Bahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha
Good read
Spoiler!: Niko Bellic is Iron Man is War Machine is Tony Stark in Footloose with Kevin Bacon.
But the graphics looks better though, right?
LMTO
Oh, I get it. Tricky, tricky.
This explains your problems with the driving and combat systems. You clearly didn't divert power to propulsion or blasters.
Noob.
Uhoh... the flames are coming. I can feel the heat
I'm so happy when Destructoid does these types of articles.
/popcorn, watches the show
I am the inventor of the Starkroll btw.
GTA IV: So Good, Even Jack Thompson Bought It
**SPOILER ALERT** Niko Bellic is Fontaine!!
Don't worry Jim, everything will make sense once you play the nuclear holocaust level in which you use must use your laser and flying powers to vanquish the "Super Pimp", with sidekick "Gamera."
Do you hear that Panda? its the sound of a thousand horrible shoops heading this way . . .
Good find!
Oh! I see what you did there!!!!
Wow, this matches my impressions exactly. Weird.
On a completely different, but relevant note. I noticed that I've just completely blown through all my money and have just enough left for a 60 dollar game. Which means that I wont be able to see the new Iron Man movie (legally), which means that the analysts were right.
Damn...
Wait, so the European version got flying immigrants? Fuck our version.
It took me a minute or two, but I see what you did there.
Hahaha, so combat did improve after all eh? ;)
CTZ fails
also Jim I think you might have been duped into playing a Hentai version of GTA...
wait a second thats a great idea!
Ahahahaha! I didn't know what the hell you were talking about at first, but red flying suit=Iron Man clicked after a few seconds.
Nice one Jim. :)
I was a little slow to get it a 1st as well, I was all WTF!?
LOL @ CTZ. And you made that DC/MK post that tricked people into posting without actually reading the full post LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! HAHAHAHAAHHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHA, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. HAHAHAHAA.
Sorry. It's funny, is all. <3
That is pretty funny
I laughed those tricky game store workers pulled the old Texas switch with you
I C WAT U DED THAR!!!!!111!111!!!LOLOLOLOL.
In all seriousness, very funny. I hope to use the Stark Roll more often in the future.
slow to get what, my copy is the same way
so, hows the game. the demo was quite confusing
niko shooting chest lasers is the best part
Fuck.
I'll admit I was still giving a hearty WHAT THE FUCK IS JIM ON almost to the end...and then it clicked. Now, I see I have Down Syndrome and should be kept away from GTA and Tony Stark...But that Michelle, shes a whore. Also Pepper blew me. And Cocks.
Nico sucks at jacking cars now too. I got right up next to this tank and he just wouldn't stop punching it when I tried to get in.
Also: UR NOT REAL REVIEWERS DIDN'T PLAY THA WHOLE GAME!!!1!1!
Arg u bastard Jim. Thought u had soem insight on best gaem in last 10 years.
Anyway course he has the yellow and red armour, thats what the cold war was about! We had blue armour... everyone lost... then GTA SAVED US ALL!
REPULSOR BLAST HIT AND RUN!!!
Up next: How Iron Man learned to Car Jack
God dammit Jim. I was just about to comment on how wrong you were about the barren roads when I read the rest of the article...
I love you.
Aw, Rockstar turned GTA into a mech game? Fuck that, I'm not buying it. I'm getting Iron Man instead. I heard you can watch hookers giving you blowjobs in that game.
OMG, this is the rumored Pimp SuperBot game that I heard Rockstar was making. I had no idea that they had released it, I think you got a bootleg on your hands! Sell it on eBay for LOTS of money!
Wait a minute, wait a minute... This doesn't sound like GTA ... no no no.. nothing about this adds up at all!
Can't quite put my finger on it......
@Harassment Panda: Haha, Jack Thomson looks like he's one Long Island Ice Tea away from being Nick Nolte
took me about three paragraphs to get it, well played sir.
what a mediocre read
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