GTA IV 'better than all the hype suggests' according to first person to complete the game
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Apr 5th 2008 at 3:00PM }
We've seen our fair share of previews on Rockstar's crime drama opus, Grand Theft Auto IV, but we've yet to hear from someone who has enjoyed the bullet-riddled adventure in its entirety -- until Xbox World 360 editor Rob Taylor, after 24 hours of play time, triumphantly viewed the ending credits with the knowledge that he was the first person on the planet (aside from a gaggle of Rockstar employees, we assume) to finish GTA IV. Can someone be envied to death?
Fulfilling his civic duty as a gaming journalist, Taylor gave his impressions of the complete work in a spoiler-free interview with GamesRadar -- unsurprisingly, he was a fan. The fourth installment apparently "craps on all the others" in the franchise, and the main character, Niko Bellic, is "most amazing protagonist in any game [he's] ever played." We suggest perusing the remainder of his colorful commentary to help pass the remaining twenty-three days and nine hours until the game lands in our quivering, anticipatory laps.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Roger @ Apr 5th 2008 3:07PM
Can't wait for this to come out so I can go and pick it up.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Apr 5th 2008 4:59PM
Yeah for some reason I've gotten really excited for it, when before I was barely interested. Just seemed like another GTA game.
...but then again it IS another GTA game so....
Yeah. Officially Stoked.
Platinum_Skeet @ Apr 5th 2008 7:47PM
Crap... That news is going to make time drag by even more...
Danny @ Apr 5th 2008 8:02PM
But if it's better than the hype, as he suggests, then isn't that suggestion part of the hype? But he says it's even better than that! But again, that's hype! This is going to be infinitely great!
Seanross @ Apr 5th 2008 3:08PM
I would love to be the first non-press/industry person to beat the game seeing as how i have the time, but I don't wanna rush through the game :/
Michael K. @ Apr 5th 2008 3:12PM
everybody says that about all of the games in the series, and they all suck
SoulBlade @ Apr 5th 2008 3:16PM
I'm inclined to agree with you. But really, it's just as repetitive as any other game. They tried to add stuff to San Andreas... but eating?! give me a break...
However, they're still entertaining, and that's all I can ask for from a game. It'll probably be pretty good, but pretty much like all the others.
ChooChooCharlie (Brawl: 1504-5357-9285) @ Apr 5th 2008 3:19PM
Wow, I didn't realize everyone else was wrong. Thanks for showing us the light.
Foetoid @ Apr 5th 2008 3:45PM
I totally agree with you, but i did thoroughly enjoy Saints Row. Perhaps HD graphics will allow me to enjoy a GTA game since the others looked so utterly terrible and lifeless i couldn't even enjoy the game. I'd still like to see a graphically enhanced 480p GTA:SA and VC with accurate Wii controls.
Synner @ Apr 5th 2008 3:57PM
Uh, All the GTA games on Xbox were a minimum of 480p guy.
CONFUSEDgam3r @ Apr 5th 2008 4:04PM
He's not your guy friend.
*Sorry I couldn't resist :)
GTA games have been "hella" ugly but that never deters from the game play. On a smaller screen GTA looked a lot better, i.e. VCS.
SEc @ Apr 5th 2008 4:54PM
@Synner
I think he was referring to the fact that there is an option for 480p output on the Wii... If you buy a HDMI cable for it, obviously. He did mention Wii controls in his post.
Fatass of Kickassness @ Apr 5th 2008 4:30PM
Anyone who even knows the slightest bit about this game knows that it's looking to be FAR less repetitive and boring than previous GTAs.
SoulBlade @ Apr 5th 2008 4:50PM
To quote from http://www.gamesradar.com/f/hes-finished-grand-theft-auto-iv/a-2008040412432960029/p-2 ...
"How different is the game from the others?
It's certainly tighter, both in terms of the way Liberty city is structured and the way in which the narrative feels more movie-like than before. Otherwise, everything feels as if it's been given the next-gen treatment; in particular the driving and shooting are light years ahead of past GTAs. Overall, it's a stratospheric leap forward, beyond anything I'd imagined."
Next-gen treatment on the basic gameplay. I'm pretty sure you'll see a lot of the same stuff from the other GTAs. I'm not saying it's bad - but I'm not expecting anything much different gameplay wise (aside from the multiplayer which could be pretty cool)
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Apr 5th 2008 7:13PM
@confused
Well he's not your friend, pal.
But I agree. Graphics has never been the strong point of the series. It's the gameplay that matters, and so far it's looking might sweet.
Alex @ Apr 5th 2008 7:36PM
Agreeing with Micheal K, all GTA games suck. GTAIII was too grey, Vice City was too pink and San Andreas was too orange. GTAIV looks too GTAIII to be fun anymore. But it's true. people always say that the newer one is better than the rest even when its the exact same game but with a different character.
colin @ Apr 6th 2008 1:14PM
vegeta messed it up
he's not your friend, buddy
rom @ Apr 5th 2008 3:14PM
I don't trust reviews from people in his shoes. They're so psyched about being the only one in the world playing the game that they overlook the flaws.
It might be as good as he claims, but I'll judge that for myself.
jynxycat @ Apr 5th 2008 3:22PM
yah, it'll probably only get a 5/10 anyways.
Mr Khan @ Apr 5th 2008 3:41PM
That is the sort of thing that happens, some games are proportionately over-hyped and over-loved according to how long it is until it releases, and how long it is afterward
Like how BioShock was the best game ever made ever for the first month it was out, then all of a sudden it seemed a wave of "It's still a great game, easily a 9/10, but not without its flaws"
Fatass of Kickassness @ Apr 5th 2008 4:34PM
I dunno. I'm not even that hyped up for the game and yet I'm thinking this might just turn out to be the highest rated game of all time. Reading developer interviews and such, there isn't a single thing they haven't put into consideration when making this game. Really, I'd say the only people who say the game will suck are those who really don't know jack shit about it and are simply basing their assumptions off of the past titles in the series.
modified @ Apr 5th 2008 9:08PM
Exactly, it's not like they let Yahtzee play it first.
Wes @ Apr 6th 2008 9:42AM
@Fatass of Kickassness
Did you mean Jack Thompson or the Fox News psychologists talking about the evil of video games? Those are the only people I can see really truely hating this game. I think that even non-gta fans will be able to at least say it was 'not-bad'.
Korova @ Apr 5th 2008 3:23PM
A piece of hype that says that the game is better than all the hype = someone is dividing by zero.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Apr 5th 2008 7:16PM
OH SHI- *boom*
DemonGSides @ Apr 5th 2008 3:40PM
Because god forbid a game be good now a days.
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 5th 2008 6:08PM
God forbid a commenter spell properly "nowadays".
Arnob @ Apr 6th 2008 3:55AM
why would you spell properly as "nowadays"...that's just silly
DemonGSides @ Apr 10th 2008 11:08PM
Its actually now-a-days, but whatever, YOU ARE SO RIGHT.
Limezor @ Apr 5th 2008 3:46PM
WTF is Xbox World 360?
voodoo_craig @ Apr 5th 2008 6:38PM
It an independant UK magazine, here's a few facts for you about it's readers-
Audience gender - 96% Male
Average age - 27
Employment (%) - 61
Average income - £26,928
MOT @ Apr 6th 2008 5:25AM
If someone did that, I won't trust their review. Companies know that if they spend all that money to take out a reviewer, he'd be so happy with the experience that he would likely try to return the favor by scoring the game high.
Shane had the same thing happen to him with Metal Gear Solid 4. He's not gonna review the game for precisely that reason.
Burritoclock @ Apr 5th 2008 3:55PM
Wow, so is Saturday the official day that the 6 people that dislike GTA get together at joystiq?
Roger @ Apr 5th 2008 4:05PM
yup...the world needs yin and yang. that doesn't mean we can't bash these said people though
[picks up bat]
oh wait...thompson
[puts bat away]
BIGGEN @ Apr 5th 2008 3:57PM
i bet the dude spanked it the whole time he played it. i'm spanking it just hearing about the dude playing it.
Lone Starr @ Apr 5th 2008 6:53PM
Too. Much. Info.
BIGGEN @ Apr 6th 2008 8:28AM
apologies. apologies.
AwesomeStuff @ Apr 6th 2008 1:50PM
spanking what?...
lol.
tmacairjordan87 @ Apr 5th 2008 4:04PM
This is sort of a catch-22 situation we got here. His impressions are almost completely useless seeing as he doesn't go into detail about anything, but yet if he did the internet would hang him. All he says is that it's the best one yet and that Niko's the best protagonist ever which I'm sure is easy to say since his adrenaline was still pumping after playing it.
Now that enough of my time has been wasted I need to go back to my freezing chamber until the 29th
JRM @ Apr 5th 2008 4:07PM
I'm a little skeptical. I think it makes too good a sense to have the first public opinion of this game be so overwhelmingly positive.
Imagine had he said this game were so so, mediocre compared to the others, as a first "review". It would take the wind out of the marketing sails...and that just couldn't be...
Roger @ Apr 5th 2008 4:09PM
oh and you need more info: http://www.rockstarwatch.net/news/
quickshade @ Apr 5th 2008 4:10PM
said same thing about Halo 3. I'll play before I'll believe.
Mr.ESC @ Apr 5th 2008 4:33PM
Halo isn't that bad. Just saying.
GTA Um well I hated San Andreas so yeah I'll wait for more reviews as well yet seriously anyone knows what this xbox world 360 is? I mean I don't remember any site with that name. Is not like I am suggesting that someone created a fictional site in order to be the first person to play GTAIV but... (Let's see if you can find the obscure reference)
quickshade @ Apr 5th 2008 4:57PM
Yea Halo 3 Singleplayer was fine and co-op made it badass. But multiplayer and story wise it just wasn't awesome. But I am hyped for GTA4. It looks awesome.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Apr 5th 2008 7:19PM
Psh. Halo is awesome, if you're expecting a Halo game. If you thought it would be more than that simply because Microsoft was throwing out money out of it's ass, then you deserve to be be disappointed.
FIRST RULE OF GAMING:
Don't talk about-oh wrong rules
Don't believe the hype.
HB96st @ Apr 5th 2008 4:16PM
Price drop, DLC, this game is gonna sell so many 360's... It's gonna be sick. M$, learn your mistakes for this DLC. I don't wanna be downloading like 6-8 hours!
Rymix @ Apr 5th 2008 4:27PM
I've had this on preorder since early 2006...
Tranando @ Apr 5th 2008 4:38PM
N4G is reporting the 360 is heavilly gimped compared to the PS3 version, with missing online modes, missing splitscreen, less populated enviroments, and framerate issus.
Oh dear...
Still you have Saints Row 2 to play instead, that's a 360 franchise, and likely to be OK.
Superstar90 @ Apr 5th 2008 4:51PM
You know you can change your display now... He doesn't use Linebeck anymore.
bloatedfish @ Apr 5th 2008 5:04PM
Link to this article please because I haven't seen it. Or is this just make up news day in that case I am in.
***BREAKING NEWS***
Reports are just coming in that the queen of England has broke her hip while breakdancing. She was found wearing a clown costume and in extreme pain. To help alleviate the pain the paramedics on the scene shot her in the face six times they said she died quickly and was apparently in no pain after being shot six times. The public have decided to break tradition and have appointed Rick Astley King of England.