The game’s roster of radio hosts runs from Karl Lagerfeld to...

That should prove interesting!

noteworthy wrote:
On sale Tuesday.

Grand Theft Auto IV is a violent, intelligent, profane, endearing, obnoxious, sly, richly textured and thoroughly compelling work of cultural satire disguised as fun. It calls to mind a rollicking R-rated version of Mad magazine featuring Dave Chappelle and Quentin Tarantino, and sets a new standard for what is possible in interactive arts. It is by far the best game of the series, which made its debut in 1997 and has since sold more than 70 million copies. Grand Theft Auto IV will retail for $60.

Hardly a demographic escapes skewering.

It looks like New York. It sounds like New York. It feels like New York. Liberty City has been so meticulously created it almost even smells like New York.

I will happily spend untold hours cruising Liberty City’s bridges and byways, hitting the clubs, grooving to the radio and running from the cops. Even when the real New York City is right outside.

Most importantly, it looks like Liberty City. I've already seen several places that just by looking at them, I knew where I was on the map of the original, top-down viewed Grand Theft Auto. Talk about some flashbacks--even the triple set of payphones outside the park are where they should be.

Nifty!

NotASpoiler: Turn on the TV in Niko's apartment when you get there. He doesn't have cable, but he's got (it appears) at least three channels with some really bizarre programming.

Also NotASpoiler: "Achievement unlocked: Warm Coffee" <--ROFLCOPTERS

...and for those who think I'm kidding: http://live.xbox.com/en-US/profile/Achievements/ViewAchievementDetails.aspx?tid=%09%5d%3bdh-o0%01%07

Dagmar wrote:
NotASpoiler: Turn on the TV in Niko's apartment when you get there. He doesn't have cable, but he's got (it appears) at least three channels with some really bizarre programming.

Also NotASpoiler: "Achievement unlocked: Warm Coffee" <--ROFLCOPTERS

Yes, the TV shows are funny.

First impressions...

Complaint 1: The controls aren't as smooth as GTA3, mainly because the button configuration doesn't seem very well thought out. I can't drive and turn off the radio at the same time without crashing. I wish I could use the X-button for the gas and the O-button for the brake, and use either the left analog stick or D-pad to steer. I really hate it when games force you to use analog or digital controls. Maybe there's a way to change that, but I didn't see anything about it in the instructions. Also, most of the cars (so far) handle like crawler-transporters, but maybe that's just because I've been playing Mario Kart DS nonstop since Outerz0ne 4.

Complaint 2: The default brightness makes it impossible to see anything at night, yet that's when the first few missions take place. I can't see to drive or even walk. Maybe I should've had the character sleep to let time pass by. Either that, or I'll have to adjust the brightness settings to maximum.

Otherwise, the game is fun, the graphics are great, and the story is interesting, so as soon as I get used to the funky controls and fix the brightness, everything should be O.K. Don't get me wrong, it's a great game, but the controls keep me from agreeing with everyone else's "10" rating.

Rattle wrote:
Wednesday is the day. Wednesday. Wish me luck!

Good luck! I'll be getting the game, too. I loved GTA3, though I didn't enjoy VC and SA as much (they weren't different enough). Aside from GTA4, Resident Evil 5 and Silent Hill 5 are the games I've been looking forward to.

You'll enjoy the PS3. Which model did you get?

Ooooh, I wasn't aware that Rockstar was releasing a Special Edition ($90 at Amazon)! I'll have to check one of the local stores (f.y.e.) during lunch and see whether they're already in stock. Online, f.y.e. has the Special Edition for $74 ($47 for the standard edition). The listing reads "out of stock" for the Special Edition, though.

EDIT: I took an early lunch and picked up the standard edition at f.y.e. (they had only two left for the PS3, and just one of the Special Editions for the Xbox 360). The $7 rebate applied only to the online orders. Anyway, I won't be answering the phone tonight.

You'll enjoy the PS3. Which model did you get?

The 40G model.

Amazon just sent me a notice saying it's shipping late.. I hope all this stuff comes on time. If I have to stare at a copy of GTA4 and no way to play it, it's gonna be a bad scene..

Gamespot, IGN, and Gamestop Ratings = 10

Once you get set up, we'll have to play online!

Rattle wrote:

You'll enjoy the PS3. Which model did you get?

The 40G model.

Amazon just sent me a notice saying it's shipping late.. I hope all this stuff comes on time. If I have to stare at a copy of GTA4 and no way to play it, it's gonna be a bad scene..

Well, I suppose now the question becomes whether or not multiplayer on this is cross-platform. After reading enough reviews, and seeing that there was $50 more required to buy a Playstation3 only to get less graphics, not enough games to even really populate a top 10 list, and half-arsed online functionality, I took the XBox 360 route. (...and got Mass Impact and Lego Star Wars, which is already the number of games I'd be even remotely interested in on the PS3).

Dagmar wrote:
Well, I suppose now the question becomes whether or not multiplayer on this is cross-platform. After reading enough reviews, and seeing that there was $50 more required to buy a Playstation3 only to get less graphics, not enough games to even really populate a top 10 list, and half-arsed online functionality, I took the XBox 360 route. (...and got Mass Impact and Lego Star Wars, which is already the number of games I'd be even remotely interested in on the PS3).

I haven't read anything to indicate that cross-platform online play is possible.

Although the PS3 is a superior piece of hardware compared to the 360, I agree about the current lack of good titles available. I play the Nintendo DS much more often than the PS3, but as a Blu-ray player, I've gotten quite a bit of use out of the PS3. There are some good games on the way, though.

Stefanie wrote:

Dagmar wrote:
Well, I suppose now the question becomes whether or not multiplayer on this is cross-platform. After reading enough reviews, and seeing that there was $50 more required to buy a Playstation3 only to get less graphics, not enough games to even really populate a top 10 list, and half-arsed online functionality, I took the XBox 360 route. (...and got Mass Impact and Lego Star Wars, which is already the number of games I'd be even remotely interested in on the PS3).

I haven't read anything to indicate that cross-platform online play is possible.

Although the PS3 is a superior piece of hardware compared to the 360, I agree about the current lack of good titles available. I play the Nintendo DS much more often than the PS3, but as a Blu-ray player, I've gotten quite a bit of use out of the PS3. There are some good games on the way, though.

Yeah, I've already dug up comments online to the effect of both systems being closed, so there'll be no cross-platform play going on. What I've seen of the X-Box 360's online stuff is rather impressively well integrated into the thing (although it's a bit stalker-friendly I think).

Dagmar wrote:
Well, I suppose now the question becomes whether or not multiplayer on this is cross-platform. After reading enough reviews, and seeing that there was $50 more required to buy a Playstation3 only to get less graphics, not enough games to even really populate a top 10 list, and half-arsed online functionality, I took the XBox 360 route. (...and got Mass Impact and Lego Star Wars, which is already the number of games I'd be even remotely interested in on the PS3).

Sadly I have my doubts.

Maybe that's just because of my past... such as when I had a copy of Command & Conquer for Mac and my friends had it for PC, and I couldn't play with them. I mean, WTF? It's a fucking network protocol... make it work!

That goes for pretty much every other computer game ever. A-holes.

Anyway, I've got the 360 already because of my desire to play CoD4 with my friends, and for Halo 3. I bought Mass Effect, but after spending about 4 hours talking to people and 10 minutes doing anything active, I got bored and haven't cracked it since.

GTA4 is sitting in my messenger bag, waiting for the moment when I can justify leaving the office to play that shit until it's time for aikido.

:)

k wrote:

Dagmar wrote:
Well, I suppose now the question becomes whether or not multiplayer on this is cross-platform. After reading enough reviews, and seeing that there was $50 more required to buy a Playstation3 only to get less graphics, not enough games to even really populate a top 10 list, and half-arsed online functionality, I took the XBox 360 route. (...and got Mass Impact and Lego Star Wars, which is already the number of games I'd be even remotely interested in on the PS3).

Sadly I have my doubts.

Maybe that's just because of my past... such as when I had a copy of Command & Conquer for Mac and my friends had it for PC, and I couldn't play with them. I mean, WTF? It's a fucking network protocol... make it work!

That goes for pretty much every other computer game ever. A-holes.

Anyway, I've got the 360 already because of my desire to play CoD4 with my friends, and for Halo 3. I bought Mass Effect, but after spending about 4 hours talking to people and 10 minutes doing anything active, I got bored and haven't cracked it since.

GTA4 is sitting in my messenger bag, waiting for the moment when I can justify leaving the office to play that shit until it's time for aikido.

:)

Hm... I just found out that all online multiplayer on the XBox requires X-Box Gold membership, which actually does make the difference between the X-Box and the PS3 in price.

So, this just became a dice-throw I think--I might be flipping this X-Box for a PS3 after this weekend then. I'm sure I can find someone to buy the thing off me on Craigslist.

Dagmar wrote:
Hm... I just found out that all online multiplayer on the XBox requires X-Box Gold membership, which actually does make the difference between the X-Box and the PS3 in price.

So, this just became a dice-throw I think--I might be flipping this X-Box for a PS3 after this weekend then. I'm sure I can find someone to buy the thing off me on Craigslist.

I can understand that. I really don't get Live Silver. It's useful for essentially nothing. I have a Gold membership (CoD4 requires it) and I've gotta say, the way that Live works is just great. I know PS3 Network has all kinds of nifty SecondLife-esqe stuff (or will, someday?) and haven't used a PS3 yet, but the infrastructure that Microsoft built is *really* top of the line. There's no bullshit. Everything just works, amazingly. I can chat with my friends, when a gameplay invite comes in, I get an unobtrusive little bubble that I can jump to immediately by pressing the big green X button -- or completely ignore. It's all quite well thought out.

So maybe the PSN stuff will be better... what I read about implied a lot of potential, for sure, but I'm skeptical that Sony has gotten it right in their first try.