GTA is as good as ever. (Grand Theft Auto IV (PC))

Member Name: Dipsticks

Product:	Grand Theft Auto IV (PC)
Date:	13/02/09 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent game.

Disadvantages: Performance issues.

PC players have been waiting a long time for the latest Grand Theft Auto game and the biggest question about it is this: Does it match up to San Andreas? And the answer? Almost. San Andreas was revolutionary in it's scope, detail, and freedom. To be honest, no matter how good this game was, it was never going to have the wow factor that San Andreas enjoyed. Mainly because at the time San Andreas was released there was nothing else to compare it with, it set the bar.

In terms of the 'size' of the game, GTA IV does not disappoint. I played the game solidly for a few weeks and I know there's is plenty that I left undiscovered. Incidentally, it remains installed (unlike many games I've completed) because I want to go back and explore some more.

Storyline.

There are three aspects to GTA games, there's the main storyline that takes you in a linear fashion to the end of the game. There are the independent missions which you can complete as and when you feel like it, which bear no relation to the story. And thirdly, you have the freedom to roam around reaping havoc whenever and wherever you please. It is this three-pronged attack that still makes GTA a force to be reckoned with, and is enough for me to forgive this game it's other flaws.

Gameplay.

Many people have complained about the driving aspect of this release, but I have to disagree. The driving part of this game is simply superb, you have to know where to find the super cars, but once you do you can drive around like a maniac for hours. The car control is responsive and accurate, although the races missions are really, really easy. Even when I'd crashed into a tree and ended up facing the wrong way, I was still alone out in front when I crossed the finish line. Of course, you also have the online multiplayer driving games, but they failed to hold my attention for long. I preferred to get back to driving round exploring and evading the police as quickly as possible.

In terms of the shooter aspect of gameplay I was left feeling frustrated and distinctly underwhelmed. The character control is very poor. You find yourself plummeting to your death because the character just walked off of a staircase for no apparent reason, which gets tiresome very, very quickly. This also extends to trying to shooting enemies, it's inaccurate and difficult to control. But then, I'm mainly a FPS player so I do expect a lot, perhaps too much from a game that checks so many boxes.

System Requirements.

Before buying this game please read this so you avoid possibly wasting your money.

Minimum PC specs
OS Windows Vista - Service Pack 1 / XP - Service Pack 3
Processor 1.8GHz Intel Core2Duo or 2.4GHz AMD Athlon X2 64
Graphics Card 256MB NVIDIA 7900 / 256MB ATI X1900
Memory 1 GB of RAM (Windows XP) or 1.5 GB of RAM (Windows Vista)
Hard Disc space 16 GB free hard drive space

Recommended PC specs
OS Windows Vista - Service Pack 1 / XP - Service Pack 3
Processor 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Quad or 2.1GHz AMD Phenom X3
Graphics Card 512MB NVIDIA 8600 / 512MB ATI 3870
Memory 2.5 GB of RAM (Windows XP) or 2.5 GB of RAM (Windows Vista)
Hard Disc space 18 GB Free Hard Drive Space

But that's only the first part of the story. Performance is the key issue here, and it's generally accompanied by the word poor. If you take a look at any GTA IV forums you will find pages and pages of people asking for help because they've got an error message. Fortunately, many of them are fixable, but the point that many people are making is that they should have been fixed before the game was released. There have been improvements with patches, so if you buy the game that should be the first thing you do. Rockstar released the following explanation: "Most users using current PC hardware as of December 2008 are advised to use medium graphics settings. Higher settings are provided for future generations of PCs with higher specifications than are currently widely available." In other words, they made the game to run on home PCs that haven't been invented yet - superb. My advice would be this: If you are below the recommended specs on anything there is a chance you won't be able to run the game. Is the game worth the chance? For me, yes, but just make sure you go into it with your eyes open. Better still, hire the game so you can check before you buy it.


Please Read This.

This game is an 18. If you are considering buying this for a teenager who is going on and on about it - please don't. It is not appropriate for anyone under 18. Really.

Summary: If you can get past the performance issues then this game is superb.