NO SPOILARZ - THE GTA IV THREAD

[Ritterin Sophia]

Darts, bowling, pool, surfing the net, kicking back watching TV, going out drinking with friends, and so on. Damn.

I couldn't care less about this kind of stuff...that's what I do in real life. The aspect I'm excited for is the upgraded combat system. Is it a huge improvement over the previous games? I'm not buying this game to play pool, I'm buying it to get into massive gunfights with police and wreak havoc on NYC.

Pretty much revamped combat system. It'll autolock if you hold the button tightly and free aim if you do it lighly. You can take cover, and it's nothing like the other as you can pop around corners and blind-fire. In unarmed combat all the buttons do something there's two different buttons for punching, one for kicking, and another for evading/blocking which you can chain together for different combos. You can also perform executions with certain guns and if you aren't in combat and you're close enough to your target you can stun punch him.

As for the other parts I love the AI, I decided to go and jack some old lady and some of the locals attacked me.

[weemadando]

A few more cool things from my play time:

Niko has location damage. I was attempting a get-away from a fight via rooftops and munted a jump and landed skew-if. Niko's leg goes out from under him and he stumbles and falls down off the roof, thankfully landing on an awning just below. Hardly any health lost and I thought - great, I'll make this easy - then Niko rolls off the awning (still in the embrace of Euphoria) and takes a header onto the pavement a few metres below. Had this been any other game, nothing special would have happened, had he landed on another part of the body, nothing special would have happened. This time though, he landed squarely on his head, compressing his neck, there was a genuinely sickening crunching, cracking noise and he died instantly.

The stair animations are the best ever - finally a game that realises that when most people take stairs at speed they don't run straight up or down, they angle their bodies and feet to be able to take the stairs better. The animations for this are spot-on.

Gunfights with the new combat model are great and friendly AI in gunfights is good too, they'll give suppressing fire, ask for it and depending on what you are doing will help you out appropriately.

[Vympel]

I've got to say, even though the combat/ gunfight system is way better than in previous console versions (never a problem for PC - mouse + keyboard = win) - it's still too damn fiddly for me to learn well and quickly. I got my ass swisscheesed in the mission where the dude runs across the traintracks because the guy sprayed me with a Micro-Uzi in a matter of seconds while I was fumbling with pulling the right gun out (Micro-Uzi), locking on and firing.

I didn't even get to locking on actually. I just went all retarded and died. I'm not sure I even got the gun out.

And I'm still having trouble with the cover system - sometimes the tutorial just doesn't explain things very well, for idiots like me. Example - the mission where you have to pull over vans in the stolen police car. Fucked if I know how L3 = siren, it only seems to do so randomly or some shit.

[chitoryu12]

I've got to say, even though the combat/ gunfight system is way better than in previous console versions (never a problem for PC - mouse + keyboard = win) - it's still too damn fiddly for me to learn well and quickly. I got my ass swisscheesed in the mission where the dude runs across the traintracks because the guy sprayed me with a Micro-Uzi in a matter of seconds while I was fumbling with pulling the right gun out (Micro-Uzi), locking on and firing.

I didn't even get to locking on actually. I just went all retarded and died. I'm not sure I even got the gun out.

I read about that mission in a preview. Someone did the same mistake as you. It's best to start with your gun already out so you can spray instantly.

God damn, I can't wait for the PC port. and You bastards better describe the Euphoria stuff more. I demand more pure awesome examples!

One good one is the combat. Enemies now actually react to bullets. During "Deconstruction For Beginners", I was spraying several guys in front of me with an M4. One of them was on some scaffolding and when I put a bullet in his stomach, even though he didn't die, he stumbled forward and snapped his neck from the fall. During the same firefight, I saw that shooting them in the legs would cause them to fall and be temporarily disabled. A shot to the arm makes them drop their gun. A few to the chest, if it doesn't kill them, causes them to stumble back, maybe catch themselves on a nearby object.

When you're running, pedestrians will jump out of your way and drop their coffee, cell phones, groceries, etc. If you hit them they'll stumble, catch themselves, and faceplant before getting up and shouting at you. If you're hit by a car or fall off a bike, you'll tumble and roll instead of Saint's Row-style flopping. When people fall, even by accident, they'll flail their arms and try to catch onto something before smacking to the ground.

[Ohma]

I couldn't care less about this kind of stuff...that's what I do in real life. The aspect I'm excited for is the upgraded combat system. Is it a huge improvement over the previous games? I'm not buying this game to play pool, I'm buying it to get into massive gunfights with police and wreak havoc on NYC.

Man, you're missing out on Republican Space Rangers!

[weemadando]

RSR is good, but it has NOTHING on The Men's Room.

"WHO IN THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO KNIFE FIGHT WITH BAS? WHO WANTS TO KNIFE FIGHT WITH BAS?"

But, RSR makes me happy because it will probably lead to some Halo fans crying.

[SylasGaunt]

I am adoring this combat system. Being able to take cover makes such a difference in bigger gunfights.

Like in one mission where I had to assault a warehouse full of drug dealers. Sure I could have hosed them down with my micro-uzi.. but it was immensely satisfying to duck behind cover and pick them off with headshots one by one with my pistol.

The taxi system is an incredible convenience as well letting you go pretty much anywhere on the map. Instantly if you wish or if you want to get someplace and get to really focus on listening to the radio. The only problem (it's not really a problem so much as an annoyance brought about by a nifty feature) is that it can be a pain in the ass to find a cab in the wee hours of the night. On the other hand one nice fact is that while a cab with a passenger won't pull over for you, you can drag them out of the cab and take their place without getting the cops on you.

The subway is another convenience albeit not as much as the taxi. Much nicer view though.

I love my furry russian hat and apparently so does Michelle.

Also I have absolutely no idea what the fuck little Jacob is saying 90% of the time. I do know it's hilarious to be driving along with trails of smoke coming out of the car windows.. and maybe it's the paint spray color matching coincidentally but I went to a pay n' spray with him in the car once and when the garage door open a cloud of grey vapor had filled it up.

[loomer]

Fuck fuck fuck. Damn you all, I'm getting dangerously close to buying a console just for this game!

Clearly I need to get some money, fast. But how can I get a HDTV, 360, and GTA IV's price in just a week or so...

Prostitution or selling a kidney.

SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOTTEN ME INTO?!?

[Hotfoot]

I've got to say, even though the combat/ gunfight system is way better than in previous console versions (never a problem for PC - mouse + keyboard = win) - it's still too damn fiddly for me to learn well and quickly. I got my ass swisscheesed in the mission where the dude runs across the traintracks because the guy sprayed me with a Micro-Uzi in a matter of seconds while I was fumbling with pulling the right gun out (Micro-Uzi), locking on and firing.

I didn't even get to locking on actually. I just went all retarded and died. I'm not sure I even got the gun out.

I'm sorry, but really, a Russian, out to kill someone, without a gun in his hands? Vympel, turn in your avatar, you have disgraced it with your unwillingness to kill in cold blood.

In all seriousness, yeah, hunting for a weapon can be a bit of a pain. Supposedly there's a way to hot-swap by holding LB and using the D-Pad, but how much that would have helped, I don't know. Still, it can be useful.

[RogueIce]

The taxi system is an incredible convenience as well letting you go pretty much anywhere on the map. Instantly if you wish or if you want to get someplace and get to really focus on listening to the radio. The only problem (it's not really a problem so much as an annoyance brought about by a nifty feature) is that it can be a pain in the ass to find a cab in the wee hours of the night. On the other hand one nice fact is that while a cab with a passenger won't pull over for you, you can drag them out of the cab and take their place without getting the cops on you.

Ha, that reminds me of the time I whistled up a cab, then proceeded to steal it.

Also, as those who have played may know, if you try running the police barricade on the bridges you'll get six star wanted level. Well I did this and ran along the northmost bridge for a good while. Until I got to the center island and they had concrete barricades set up. So I slammed into them at full speed and went flying out the windshield...and the police proceeded to turn me into Swiss cheese before I even hit the ground.

Even though I died, I rate that as one of the most awesome things I've pulled off in this game.

[weemadando]

Question to anyone playing on PS3 - how the fuck does the combat work without an analogue trigger? Or did they put those on in the PS3?

Additional:

• Euphoria Tech Demo
  
  The police are way better at their jobs than in a previous game. Also - never get even a SINGLE wanted star should there be a goddamn UH-60 DAP overhead at the time when you choose to get that star.
  
  Don't break into the airport. This is post 9/11 Liberty City after all. People get a bit touchy about it.
  
  The in game internet is good. So. Much. Fucking. Content.
  
  Being able to "run" from the police as they are about to put the cuffs on is a great addition, though of course, as soon as you resist arrest the guns are coming out. Make sure you have body armour.
  
  Quick mission restart via the phone, skippable cutscenes and random en-route dialogue make this game much more playable than any previous one.
  
  I finally get into Manhattan - and JUST WOW. It's amazing.
  
  Shoot the glowing pigeons. Not only is it hilariously over-the-top, but there's got to be some kind of bonus at the end of it.
  
  Slow-mo chasecam is fantastic, but sadly prone to getting me distracted and having me slam into a service station at 100km/h detonating the pumps.
  
  I want a helicopter.

[RogueIce]

Slow-mo chasecam is fantastic, but sadly prone to getting me distracted and having me slam into a service station at 100km/h detonating the pumps.

Mwahahaha! I did that with a firetruck. I don't care if I died, it was worth it.

One thing that'd be nice is a "fasten seatbelt" button. Maybe something that takes a couple seconds of time before you can zoom off (or where you just coast for those couple seconds or something) but the payoff is, of course, not flying out your windshield.

Oh and it would limit you leaping out of the car and stuff. So trade-offs.

[weemadando]

Yeah, I know - show off the Euphoria AI/Physics sexiness, but not by shooting me through a windscreen.

And now a Public Service Announcement:
When riding a motorcycle, always take the time to put on a helmet. Because traumatic brain injury is no fun.

No, I'm serious. PUT ON THE FUCKING HELMET. IT WILL SAVE YOUR FUCKING [in-game] LIFE.

[SylasGaunt]

In all seriousness, yeah, hunting for a weapon can be a bit of a pain. Supposedly there's a way to hot-swap by holding LB and using the D-Pad, but how much that would have helped, I don't know. Still, it can be useful.

It works. My issue is I keep forgetting to have a weapon out going into these so I'm not 'ready to draw' as it were.

[Admiral Valdemar]

I love the sound of damage areas and physics really being focused on from running up stairs to crashing. Those things are certainly welcomed more than just shinier graphics.

Anyone tried multiplayer yet? And what's the soundtrack like with remastered Liberty City songs?

[weemadando]

The soundtrack is HUGE. There has got to be at least a dozen stations with a big spread. Sadly, no classical station this time in Liberty City.

Yet to play multiplayer due to the fucking courier company delivering my router TO THE WRONG PERSON! Seriously, how do you deliver something to the wrong person - even have it signed for by someone else? At what point do you FAIL TO GO: "hmm, this Charles person isn't Anders, nor is this the address on this parcel that I'm holding?"

[Admiral Valdemar]

LOL, New Zealand sucks. Some MP wants the hand banned. They haven't tried that here since the first game in '97.

I also meant to ask he any major voice talent was in the cast, since previous games had a lot of Hollywood stars in roles.

[Vympel]

I'm sorry, but really, a Russian, out to kill someone, without a gun in his hands? Vympel, turn in your avatar, you have disgraced it with your unwillingness to kill in cold blood.

Hey, Niko Bellic is not Russian. He says so in the game. He's ... Former Yugoslavian. That's the best I got. I have no idea what language he's speaking in the beginning of the game.

In all seriousness, yeah, hunting for a weapon can be a bit of a pain. Supposedly there's a way to hot-swap by holding LB and using the D-Pad, but how much that would have helped, I don't know. Still, it can be useful.

Yeah, next time I do that mission (minutes away) I'm going to have a gun out and ready, but I'm gonna try hot-swap.

It really speaks to how much they've upped the realism that I have a problem walking around with a gun drawn in this game - you're not some cartoonish grim reaper psychopath like in GTA III, Vice City or San Andreas - everything is just so much more real in every single aspect it affects everything you do - I try and drive more carefully, I try and act remotely normal, etc etc.

You can't even get into a fistfight with two guys at the same time and expect to win unless you're carrying a weapon (or you're really good at the melee system) - in the mission where you have to kill Vlad I tried to take those two goons out with my fists - they kicked my ass. Now, I had a shotgun and a pistol, but I didn't want to fuck the bar up, so I pulled the knife I got from the earlier mission (took it away from the guy in the fight then killed him with his own knife - awesome) - I stabbed those fuckers up so well, and it looked so damn real - I even stuck it in his neck. Just awesome.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I'm sorry, but really, a Russian, out to kill someone, without a gun in his hands? Vympel, turn in your avatar, you have disgraced it with your unwillingness to kill in cold blood.

Hey, Niko Bellic is not Russian. He says so in the game. He's ... Former Yugoslavian. That's the best I got. I have no idea what language he's speaking in the beginning of the game.

He's from somewhere that used to be part of the Soviet Bloc. We aren't meant to find out anything more specific than that, and I think the ambiguity of it has a certain amount of charm.

[SylasGaunt]

LOL, New Zealand sucks. Some MP wants the hand banned. They haven't tried that here since the first game in '97.

I also meant to ask he any major voice talent was in the cast, since previous games had a lot of Hollywood stars in roles.

I haven't noticed anyone aside from the usual. I could swear the 'roid monkey' Brucie is voiced by Gary Busey's son but I don't have any solid proof of that.

[weemadando]

For the love of god. Enough with the "tail a person" missions.

Or, at the very fucking least, let me restart it from the "surveillance start" point, not from when I leave the briefing and have to drive all the fucking way across the city to get there.

[Jade Falcon]

Funnily enough I've never had Michelle comment about the furry Russian hat, though she did about the dark glasses from the Russian Store.

I get the feeling she's not quite as shy as is made out. I took her out, first off arriving on a stolen motorbike and she didn't seem too sure about the bike. I clipped a pedestrian and it resulted in a 5 minute high speed chase across the city. Later when taking her home I tried my luck and what does she say "Normally I wouldn't but after a day like that..sure!".

[Jon]

I'm sure Michelle is an undercover copper or something. She asks too many questions, makes too many passing comments, takes too much of an interest...

[Vympel]

Any side effects to taking other girls out (from the internets) on the sly, I wonder? I had one "bad date" with her but I don't know which one it was. It might've been the first one, because I didn't "try my luck" and she seemed sorta offended.

[Ohma]

I'm sure Michelle is an undercover copper or something. She asks too many questions, makes too many passing comments, takes too much of an interest...

Yeah, what more or less convinced me was I took her out on the first date after rescuing Roman from the lonesharks, she sent me a text message asking if something had come up and if I was "involved with some bad people", on the way back she asked what kept Niko the first time and upon Niko's vague explanation asked if Roman was "involved in any criminal activites".