The thing is, while I take IGN with a rock of salt, I will bite the bullet and say quite possibly that they are right on this one. Combining all the complaints I have heard so far (6ish reviews) they go like this... no real spoilers here:



Controls and aiming can still be a little ganky in stairwells

Shooting much improved, but not perfect (can still target incapacitated characters)

Still some pop-in/fade-in

One person complained that many of the missions didn't push the storyline forward and were "filler".


.....

That's about it. Seriously, if a game as big and good as GTA IV is, and this is the only set of complaints it gets. Then I think a 10/10 is deserving.

@naia-the-gamer

I know this makes me sound like one of those assholes from the PTC, but I'd entertain reasons why I should play one of the games.

Do I need to play them in a certain order?

No, there will be certain inside jokes you will miss if you play GTA San Andreas before GTAIII. On the other hand, you don't have to have played any of the games to play GTA IV.
......................(MINOR SPOILER)........................

The only returning characters are some of the DJs
..............................................................
The games follow a semi linear path. It is much more of a tree, you have the main story (trunk) but you can follow many side quests, or just do little things within the games (branches).


Is there an actual story or is it just "anything goes?"

There are stories, they grow progressively stronger as you climb the game ladder (GTA III<GTA VC<GTA SA<GTA IV) I recommend giving GTA IV a try. It changes the overall story telling of the series, and changes how the characters are developed. Niko is a much more likeable and sympathetic character than the over the top guys of the previous installments (from everything I've heard).

I was actually convinced by that review to buy it, at first i was just gonna rent it whenever but nnow i cant wait for it.

11/10.

I'm serial, my jaw is on the floor. I remember reading the SoulClabber article and going z0mg ign gave something a 10.

I got chills when I saw this one. Wow.

I don't think moneyhats are involved. I will be in line, possibly working behind the counter (for fun).

I think this could be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

My name is Balth, and I'm a PS3 owner.

Oh yeah, PS3 version is superior! Suck it RROD!

that is all.

Certainly not planning on picking it up anytime soon. I was rather disappointed with San Andreas, which got a 9.9 from IGN. Their rating is something I'd take with a grain of salt.

Unless GTA IV really is that masterful piece of storytelling, I think I'll wait until a bunch of people have traded it in to pick it up, if at all.

Not even one 10.
TWO different reviewers from IGN, USA and UK respectively, gave it a 10/10.

I'm either buying Mario Kart of Grand Theft Auto IV.

very interesting...this has peaked my interest...i'm wondering now if this game will be better than i previously thought...this review might let me down in some ways...we will see! 29th

I'll give it a compelling f***ing reason: not released until December on PC, and those c**ts at IGN just made me cream myself for nothing. DAMN YOU!

Those fuckers better release it for PC soon.

@Ichigo Style: "If it's not your cup of tea, then it's not your cup of tea, just don't go blaming it for every kid who goes out and does something illegal :P"

You think I would hang out at DToid if I thought that? :P

I may try one of the PSP games and see what I think, then go from there.

10 out of 10!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

WWHHAHAATTA!?!?!!?!?!

I mean it's going to be great, but no game on IGN is supposed to get a 10, ever. Sounds like someone was high when they wrote the review.

@Chocobo - Read the article before you embarrass yourself like that. 10/10 does NOT mean flawless, you putz, because it would be an unobtainable score rendering it irrelevant. Nothing is perfect. Nothing. Especially things created by a group of humans.
@NightDehumidifier - I hope your post was done ironically, otherwise... wow. That's sad. Is the (I'm assuming) Japanese RPG androgynous fap fest you mentioned even real or what? Find a new forum, amigo.

@Hoss,

I agree with much of your words. While I personally enjoy the GTA series, I can see why you do not.

But tha was not what made me squint. Did you just say you were going to wait for a review from Zero Punctuation? I wasn't aware anyone looked to ZP as a reviewing factor. I always took to it at a humorous take on most any game he commented on more than I took his word as a reviewer.

This comes to a shock for me, I must admit! Zero Punctuation, an actual reviewer and not "Gamer Comedian"?! Amazing I say. Simply amazing. Now I am not sure if I can look at his next video without making my best seriouscat face making stern nods with every point I agree with! *nods deeply* I must practice.

I'm buying a copy, even though I don't have a system to play it on. I think I'll sleep with it under my pillow and have dreams about beating up hookers.

I love the series, but I can dig how it's not for everyone. Same way people go apeshit for Halo while I find it boring. Different strokes.

I'm afraid I'm with Jonathan on this one.

While I'm sure this game will be solid, I find it extremely difficult to get excited about. It seems like every other game that comes out these days is "open-world"/"sandbox," drawing heavily on the same gameplay formula that has driven the GTA franchise since its 2D, top-down days.

Now this adherence to a tried-and-(mostly) true formula isn't necessarily a problem in and of itself (sorry Jon, I loved Ocarina of Time). The real problem is that the gameplay formula doesn't really build to anything. Once the novelty of the open world wears thin, you're left with a truly uninspired piece of software that contents itself with the cliche. Rockstar insists that the player recognize just how edgy and over-the-top they truly are, to the point that it becomes insulting (to me, anyway). The game revels in amorality -- which is fine; what better application for technology which allows us to inhabit virtual worlds than to temporarily escape the moral constraints of the real world? At the same time, however, there's something to be said for subtlety. As for parody, the game never comes up for air long enough to make any real comment about the mindless material it imitates.

Plus, is it just me, or do the majority of the missions in previous games in the series range from simply not fun to downright frustrating? It looks like Rockstar has made some considerable tweaks (better combat system) and additions (multiplayer) to this installment, but even so I fear there will still be a gaping hole lurking at the game's core.

if you gave the game another name and said it was by a different developer, would it get the same score? just like Super Mario Galaxy. Without Nostalgia, the game isnt nearly as good. So is the hype for the game clouding people's judgement? or is this really THE game of the last 10 years?

@naia-the-gamer
I figured I'd put it out there, never know :P I can tell you that the PSP ones single worst flaw are the controls, the analogue nipple is the bane of my existence, I also think playing it from UMD has some awful load times, I can't remember though.

I'm going to pick it up after I beat Persona 3: FES.

Once I've succeeded in that venture, then I will immerse myself in Liberty City.

Already paid for the Special Edition, just waiting to pick it up and it seems as if time has slowed to a crawl for these last few days.

I don't own a compatible system. If I did, I probably still wouldn't buy this right away. I'd probably wait for the first price reduction.

As for the score, I have no problem with it. If they think it's amazing and one of the best out there, then by all means, give it a ten. It certainly looks decent.

I pre-ordered it on Wednesday. I'm going to pick it up at a midnight launch. With two kids, 3 and 1, I can't play it until they are sleeping; otherwise, the 3 year old would be running around yelling, "Fuck you, bitch!" or "Take that, motherfucker!", not socially acceptable...most places.

P.S. Ocarina needed hookers.

Honestly, I have more fun watching my friends play it than I ever did playing it myself. The only current-gen system I own is a Wii, so I wouldn't be getting it anyway. It will be very interesting to see just how well it does, since this is pretty much the only main AAA title that is multiplatform. Sales should be through the roof. I can't wait to see the media's reaction!

I won't buy it. The GTA-series never interested me.