Planet Xbox 360 Reviews Grand Theft Auto IV

When someone mentions the word 'hype', one game comes immediately to mind, Halo 3, a title hyped up to such an extent that you had people camping outside stores up to a week before the release date. The end product received a flurry of perfect reviews from the media but the general consensus of opinion is it was a bit of a let down. In Grand Theft Auto we have a strong franchise that has existed a lot longer than the former. The quality of the preceding titles has been high and as result created quite a stir leading up to release. Normally a game of this stature is subject to delays with GTA IV keeping up the trend. Reasons aside, the game was pushed back to April 08 – originally slated for late 2007. This amongst other contributing factors only fuelled the hype machine further with gamers around the world worried about an anti-climax. With the game now available in retail outlets worldwide, do we have a case of a title finally living up to the hype?

[Rikitatsu]

Only stupid ppl gave it 10s

[DevonTheDude535]

I completely disagree, a ten is justified. Tell me a next gen game that compares to the attention to the little details that Rockstar gave the game, not even Bioshock comes close. This game innovated as much as Half-life 2 did when it debuted in 04' respectfully.

[permutated]

Lol devon turn in your gamer tags you're done.

GTA4 shouldn't be even mentioned in the same sentence as Bioshock, anyone who's ACTUALLY PLAYED IT would know.

Unless of course, you don't know anything about games, which might just be a possibility.

[Milky]

Nice review. Only stupid people gave the graphics a ten, it looks good for the city's size but the aliasing issues, bad water effects and slightly awkward animations just dont cut it.

[UltimaEnder]

They are not stupid people at all, to each his/her own opinion!

[Varsarus]

"There are considerable frame rate drops when the action becomes intense and occasional texture popping. However this has come to be expected of the hardware limitations that hold back on Rockstar’s ambition."

Oh dear, stupid 360.

[InYourMom]

Funny those same problems are also on the PS3 version. I've seen it with my own eyes.

So your attempt at an insult fails droid.

[wolfehound22]

Not sure if it's a 10 definatly 9.5 or higher love this game. Ya it has it's issues but it so much fun. I don't see the issue with it being similar to all the other GTA's. I don't understaind why people complain about this. If it came out and it was completly diffrent people would be angry. Great game

[Ghoul]

underrated

you allways have to draw comparison between the games, and gta4 is miles ahead of the lately highest rated games, so a 98 to 100 is more then deserved for this masterpiece. gta4 is perfect by any means, it delivers in any point and is yet the best game i have ever played.

[wolfehound22]

Probably one of my all time favorites.

[HighDefinition]

The attention to detail is distrubing.

[EZCheez]

It's really disappointing that people are having problems actually running the game, because if they could, they would agree it's definitely worthy of an almost perfect score. I would give it a perfect score though just because it really is that good of a game.

I've played this game for about 14 hours total now, and I've barely skimmed the surface of this game. I'm only 23% complete, I have yet to find a single hidden package, special jump, or flying rat. I've browsed the internet for missions only, and watched about 10 minutes of tv. I still don't even have access to all of the islands yet.

Considering everything I just said you would think I've been messing around, but I've done almost nothing but complete missions (with only a few redos) and handle relations with friends. And even the storyline and gameplay is enough to make that exciting. The depth of this game is ridiculous when you really think about it.

I just hope Rockstar gets a patch out soon so everyone can play though. The problem they have got to be having right now is figuring out what the problem actually is. I'm playing on my PS3 (the system with more problems) and I have nothing more than some graphical glitches about once every twenty minutes, and even those are minute.

[Ghoul]

totally agree EZCheez

but i didnt know we got hidden packages i thought it was replaced by the flying rats to find ??

I found 7 rats so far am at 50% and played 27 hours (only counted sp time reloads and mp arent saved in the time calc.).

and even now im stunned at what incredible game moments this game delivers.

playing on the launch 60 gig ps3 and got a freeze on a mp laoding screen sofar.

[cloud360]

GTA i dont like GTA

did they really need to put CNN and Pedos in it

they just want to get controvery and attention

i hate there evil ways. and in he end it WILLLLLLL Fail!!!

[Relcom]

No one cares about your hatred for GTA. Give it a rest.

[Ghoul]

your comment is pure spam

[Voozi]

Because when a game has controversy and it hits the news, it sells so much more just because it's a controversy game

It's been proven so in the history of video games

[tyrile]

so, bioshock has no multiplayer at all, and is slightly better when it comes to gameplay and has better visuals, but fails to beat gta in every other aspect and yet it got the same score, very interesting...
and halo deserves a 9.5 even though only the multiplayer is better and its falling behind in all the other categories?

kind of strange to me, maybe because the game is not exclusive and some people think the ps3 version is better

[wow4u]

Halo 3's campaign was terrific, visceral and varied. BioShock was about IMMERSION* of the gameplayer and story telling, and it is a highwater-mark* for video-game story telling. It sounds like you didnt even play it.

For a second, think about games as if they were bedsheets -- Do you only ask "What is the threadcount?!" or do are you reacting to them with subjective opinion of beauty and how they are attractive to you?

* see what I did there :)

[IzKyD1331]

He gave gameplay a 9.4, he gave online a 9.0, he gave controls a 9.4! this retard doesnt know sh!t
i dont know hat he's doing working for a video game site!

[Ri0tSquad]

The detail is great and all but it just feels like a downgrade in some areas. It's missing some expected features as well. I wouldn't give this a 10/10.

[wow4u]

Critical reviews should be about what the work *is*, not about what you expected it to be.

[global_unity]

'There are considerable frame rate drops when the action becomes intense and occasional texture popping. However this has come to be expected of the hardware limitations that hold back on Rockstar’s ambition...."
Hardware limitations, what hardware limitations?? Rockstar hold the title of the most expensive game EVER made - $100 million and they couldn't even get a decent programmer to deal with the unforgivable graphical errors. These graphical shortfalls should not plague this gen of consoles - shame on Rockstar!!! What graphical errors were there in COD4 ? It was a more technological intense game than GTA IV.

[Varsarus]

It seems that Rockstar have mediocre programmers, that will explain the PS3's resolution then rofl

[KLEPTOMANIAC]

i dont really understand your comparison of the graphics of this game to COD4. call of duty is purely a shooter game and is only played one level at a time. that game is on no way a level of comparison of the epic proportions of gta.
GTA4 is a living breathing city bursting with so much detail and endless things to do. it is such a massive environment to cause havoc in. it is is very difficult to create something so huge and not have some minor technical glitches. these things dont detract from the gameplay, your just picking at the game.
if you dont like GTA its fair enough but trash talking what is obviously a masterpiece of gaming design is pretty rediculous.

[TheTerminator]

Fvck off y'all

You retards need to see past the hype, hes giving it an honest review, and he HASN'T fallen for all the hyp

Just because a review gives something lower than a perfect score, which GTAIV is FAR from perfect, you all pile up on em

[DomUltra]

I gotta agree with you Terminator, 10/10 is falling into the hype, I only have 5% more to go or 6% completion wise and I think I'm mostly done rating the game on my own terms, it's not worth a 10/10.

[Downtown boogey]

...I can fly!
And I also believe this review, because YOU have TO remember that 5 should BE an average and 10 ought to BE the almighty. I may have capitalized the wrong words there...

[poopface1]

Ive always looked at reviews like grades. %0%is not average, 50 is failure. It is possible to get a 100% on a test, and GTa deserves a 100% in every way imaginable. I dont think that any review should give this game less than a 98%.

[wow4u]

Its a terrific game for sure, but the flood of 10/10 reviews seems a little over-stated.

I'm loving it, and liking the story and missions better than ever. Its certainly the more refined GTA to date. I've spent far less time just "going postal" and far more time engaged in the story. In the previous games, during the "early days", I've taken my time to get through the stories spending a lot of time just running and causing havoc. In GTAIV, the story is far more compelling, and I want to move the story forward (I'm more interested in the narrative).

In previous GTAs, I found the radio had more variety - after only a few days, I'm finding the radio repetative. Thank god for Custom Soundtracks.

[Silellak]

"However, several graphical discrepancies were evident even during the first 10 minutes of game time. There are considerable frame rate drops when the action becomes intense and occasional texture popping."

Texture popping I agree with, but the only time I got a noticeable framerate drop was when a lot of stuff was happening online. Am I the only one not seeing big FPS drops in SP? I'm amazed at how much can be onscreen with little to no FPS hit.

[poopface1]

I have the 360 version and it is smooth as butter. I didnt read the review cause I know its as close to perfect as a game can get, and I know for a fact that it deserves a 98% or greater.

[sleepbox]

9.2, ha, losers. All this is going to do is contribute to give the PS3 version the ever slightest edge even though it freezes all the time so that one day in 10 years, when all is forgotten about the very real PS3 freezing issues all the "PS3 winz becuz of less popin!! LOL!!!! PS3 was teh home of teh best game EVAR!!!!" crap begins, ignorance will be king...as usual.

When are we going to see a PS3-only site give the game a 5 or something for the freeze issues to put the PS3's average where it belongs?

[UltimaEnder]

Why would this give the edge to the PS3 version, that review would have gotten a 9.0 because of the crap online service and the joke of an install.... ....

[jinn]

these guys probably had the lockup

[UltimaEnder]

This is not a bad review, it's actually giving a lot of praise to GTA-IV but I think the main thing that people should get out of it is that the game is not a 10; and sites that gave it a 10 people should be skeptical about. PX360 did not get an exclusive deal and look at the numbers, the same can probably be said for GameTrailers.com and OXM....

[global_unity]

I don't dispute your comments about GTA IV being a great game with outstanding gameplay and design BUT it is NOT a Perfect 10 game.
I'm sure if Rockstar sought the appropriate support from either sony (or infinity ward) they probably would have overcome these 'inexcusable' glithes. We may have to leave it to the likes of Metal Gear Solid 4 if we are going to crown a game a 'perfect 10'

[poopface1]

IW couldent do crap do help Rstar. COD 4 is a game where you play on a tiny map, GTA is a game wher you play in an entire city. COD4 isnt even close to the techinical level of GTA4. and yea I own/love both, but if you cant see how much of an achievement GTA4 is then you dont know what your talking about.

[DomUltra]

Wow a real review that isn't biased because of the hype. This score adequately reflects the score I would give for GTA4, I'm almost 100% done GTA4, and sorry It's just not the best game ever, let alone the best GTA, San Andreas has a better shot.

[bootsielon]

hahaha, only on 360!

[Kaz Hirai]

Horrific technical problems- only on 360!
An unrivalled sense of disappointment- only on 360!
The fear that your console could melt your face- only on 360!
An online community filled with GUTTER-MOUTHED BEASTS- only on 360!
A constant stream of FLOP- only on 360!

39 days until Judgment Day, Nazisoft!

MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!

[Varsarus]

It was expected, the 360's inferior hardware limited the game.

[The Dude]

Lets see the ps3 version of gta4 has a very serious freezing issue. And if the cell is so powerful why is the ps3 version of gta4 only running at 630p and not 1080p? I'll tell you why the cell is sh1t and neither are you trash talking sony fanboys. Maybe in 2009 or 2010 or 2011 developers will figure out a way to unlock the power of the cell. Who am I kidding they will never be able to unlock the power of the cell cause there is no power within the cell its just a myth. PS3 DOA.

[DomUltra]

You gotta love how retarded The Dude is, just sit back and laugh.

[The Dude]

@DumbUltra

Here I'll pretend I am you for a moment. You gotta love how retarded Sony Fanboys they are in constant denial. Just sit back and laugh.

Just keep cutting and pasting you retarded mother fer.

[InYourMom]

I've seen all the pop-in and framerate problems on the PS3 version as well, so please stop lying.

It's also not suffering from small things like bugs that you can't even play the game because it locks up. Did I mention it's not even in HD on the "superior" console?

What a joke. I guess if you can't beat'em with fact's just lie your ass off.

[sleepbox]

funny how no one can ever name a BETTER game when saying GTA4 isn't a 10/10

[UltimaEnder]

Call of Duty 4 for one, if I was to go into the past ten years I could have more for you....

[Kyur4ThePain]

"Better" is subjective, my friend. You like Monopoly, I like Chess.

Like I said a few days ago...reviewers should rate games as "Pass", "Rent" or "Buy".
GTA4 would be a "Buy". Simple, because that's what us gamers do. We either ignore a game, rent it or buy it. I don't know about y'all, but I sure as h3ll don't 9.7 a game!

[DomUltra]

Are you seriously going to be that mindless to let the reviewers decide the rating for this game, if you buy into the hype your really delusional, GTA4 is missing ALOT from it's counter-parts, Game of the year, MAYBE, best game ever, no, no it's not.

[sleepbox]

Ok, like I said, then name a better game.

[air1]

never looked at it like that. buy, rent, ignore.. i like, i like... with tid bit's of graphics, play, etc..

yea, really a 9.7?

[buddyro]

to give my opinion on why GTA should get a 10 because it is a must have title I have it for ps3 and I went through the freezing mind u it was my friends own once I figured out that I should take out the network cord for it to work (Don't know why but it seems like unauthorized personal coming through the internet) My friend took it back the next day I felt the needed to complete so I bought it and never looked back.

[dreamer3kx]

gta4 is a masterpiece.im giving the game a 10 because of the depth of the game alone. No one could have pulled this off, R* did there thing.

[Dnarbeis]

Nice score