I am RKO
04-02-2008, 10:21 PM
1up.com (http://www.1up.com) has posted up a short, but accurate overview of Grand Theft Auto IV.
Heroes
Grand Theft Auto games have grown from having an unnamed protagonist in Grand Theft Auto 3 to the far more fleshed-out Carl "C.J." Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. And while spot-on mid-'80s and early '90s mock-ups were great settings for their respective titles, GTA4 is the first in the series to feature a modern-day setting (April 2008 in this case) alongside a clearly defined character.
Guns
The gun-based combat has long been the primary mechanical hang-up of GTA fans and detractors alike. It's always been one step behind the otherwise solid controls and a far throw from dedicated third-person shooters. GTA4 represents a dramatic step forward in its gunplay, allowing you to take cover, navigate environment options, and lock-on by flicking between targets with the right analog stick or manually aim at targets with a full or half-press of the left controller trigger/shoulder button. It hasn't felt quite right in what we've played, though; it's perfectly functional but never outstandingly responsive.
Cars
It takes a few minutes to readjust to GTA4's intentionally slippery vehicle handling after a few years of street racers and Burnouts, but whipping your various rides around corners during police chases and diving out of flaming, about-to-blow wrecks at the last possible moment is as rewarding as ever. The visceral differences between various cars are more pronounced than ever, assuring that you'll feel a pang of regret when you steal a beater after passing by a luxury sports car on the street.
The City
Unlike, well, any other game, GTA4's Liberty City -- New York to a tongue-in-cheek tee -- is startlingly, convincingly, and eerily real. Pedestrians drop what they're holding if you startle them, and they'll run to help others in need (and engage you violently if you caused it). Structurally, the architecture and artistry behind every dingy worn corner of the city has to be seen to be appreciated. With pitch-perfect lighting design and a real-time, dynamically cyclical weather system to drive it, every moment spent in Liberty City feels unique.
You can read the rest of the overview by clicking your mouses here (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3167196).
Heroes
Grand Theft Auto games have grown from having an unnamed protagonist in Grand Theft Auto 3 to the far more fleshed-out Carl "C.J." Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. And while spot-on mid-'80s and early '90s mock-ups were great settings for their respective titles, GTA4 is the first in the series to feature a modern-day setting (April 2008 in this case) alongside a clearly defined character.
Guns
The gun-based combat has long been the primary mechanical hang-up of GTA fans and detractors alike. It's always been one step behind the otherwise solid controls and a far throw from dedicated third-person shooters. GTA4 represents a dramatic step forward in its gunplay, allowing you to take cover, navigate environment options, and lock-on by flicking between targets with the right analog stick or manually aim at targets with a full or half-press of the left controller trigger/shoulder button. It hasn't felt quite right in what we've played, though; it's perfectly functional but never outstandingly responsive.
Cars
It takes a few minutes to readjust to GTA4's intentionally slippery vehicle handling after a few years of street racers and Burnouts, but whipping your various rides around corners during police chases and diving out of flaming, about-to-blow wrecks at the last possible moment is as rewarding as ever. The visceral differences between various cars are more pronounced than ever, assuring that you'll feel a pang of regret when you steal a beater after passing by a luxury sports car on the street.
The City
Unlike, well, any other game, GTA4's Liberty City -- New York to a tongue-in-cheek tee -- is startlingly, convincingly, and eerily real. Pedestrians drop what they're holding if you startle them, and they'll run to help others in need (and engage you violently if you caused it). Structurally, the architecture and artistry behind every dingy worn corner of the city has to be seen to be appreciated. With pitch-perfect lighting design and a real-time, dynamically cyclical weather system to drive it, every moment spent in Liberty City feels unique.
You can read the rest of the overview by clicking your mouses here (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3167196).