About.com: Grand Theft Auto IV Review - 'It is more evolution than revolution. This isn't GOTY material'

About.com writes: "Easily one of the most anticipated games ever, Grand Theft Auto IV is finally out and is selling by the boatloads. Has it been worth the long wait and massive amounts of hype? Yes and no. It is certainly a huge game with tons of insanely cool little touches and tidbits that tickle gamers in all of the right places. But in terms of gameplay and graphics and storytelling, it all feels awfully familiar.

I'm not going to bother with the usual "You can do this and this and, oh wow, it is so great!" spiel that reviews usually start with. You can read that in any of the other GTAIV reviews/previews out there. Instead, I'm just going to dive into the nitty gritty.

And that is, simply, that I'm afraid that I don't see what everyone else seems to see. Some people see "Game of the Year 2008" and a "10/10", but I see pretty much the same game we have been playing for the last 6 ½ years. This is a polished up GTA 3. That isn't a bad thing, certainly, and the game is good fun in most every way. And I'd be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy it (and the 4.5/5 9/10 score should show that). But it isn't really all that different from previous games. It does innovate in a few key areas, but in most ways it is more evolution than revolution. And in my mind, that isn't GOTY material."

[mattkelly1991]

I hate to say it, but he has a small(but gay) point. Its not GOTY but ITS AWESOME!!! PSN ID: LuciferEx ADD ME BIATCHES!

[Asurastrike]

MGS4 or Little Big Planet will be my GOTY.

[BeaArthur]

So you are going to give it game of the year honors before you even play it?

[Torch]

all the post-launch reviews are more realistic (less hype-driven) and toned down.

Although not a ten, the game nonetheless continues to blow me away (pun intended.)

[yanikins111]

I have never gotten more than 20-30% through a gta game. This is different. Niko Bellic is one hell of a main character. The scripting and story telling in gta4 are leaps and bounds above any of the other gtas as far as im concerned. Its not the gameplay or graphics making me keep playing (although they help), its Niko and his story and while it may not be as deep as mgs4, i think it does set gta4 apart from the other GTA games.

The added sense of realism is also a big change. You can prang a car and it doesnt catch on fire because its on its roof. They stall instead of explode, People react to what your doing. I was jacking a car at dwaynes place and three "homies" were pointing and laughing. Just because you really have to pay attention to notice what they have done with this game, doesnt mean that they havnt done it.

[BeaArthur]

I love it, I don't know if I would give it a 10 (haven't finished it), but it is certainly impressing me. The next one needs to completely rip apart the combat system though. The cover system is solid but you still get awkward angles and you still get weird occurrences where Niko won't actually shoot when someone is right in front of him. Although it's better it's still too clunky.

[tony]

but that doesn't mean that isn't goty material.

[callahan09]

I agree with this review. First one I've areed with. The gameplay is identical in the majority of ways to GTA III. The cell phone is a nice addition, there's some good new stuff in there, but it's all very minor. The graphics are inconsistent and the load-times are pretty slow, though fortunately there aren't many loading instances. The real highlight of the game, though, that shows how it is leaps and bounds better than GTA III or VC or SA is the story and writing. The characters are better, the acting is better, the story is better, and even the DJ's on the radio are better. It really makes it feel great because of how much quality there is in the writing.

[Fux4Bux]

Probably gave Halo3 goty 2007.

[Superfragilistic]

I'd never heard of Eric Quall before but I won't easily forget about him. The more I play this game, I'm now beyond 75% and 36hrs, the more I've come down from the hype filled kingdom ruled by IGN and come to the similar realisation that this game isn't a revolution but rather a very polished evolutionary step.

The details in the game, the physics, euporia, cinematics, dialogue, characterisation, satire and voice acting have never been better. But whilst I love the gameplay improvements, particularly with driving and combat (albeit buggier), it is very much the same game from seven years ago and the gameplay changes *cough* autoaim *cough* make it too damn easy. Further, whilst I love the characters (Niko, Jacob and Brucie in particular) the story ends up as cliched as they come.

But even with these misgivings I still personally give the game a 9.5 and whilst I still see the game as a contender for GOTY, Fallout 3, Fable 2, MGS4 and Gears of War 2 all seem to have had their chances rise immensely.

[Gorgon]

Well, if this guy is waiting for a revolutionary game to be GOTY than we wont have GOTYs for years to come...