This is the first GTA game I’ve played. The first I heard about the GTA series was a reference made to it by a review of the Xbox 360 game Crackdown. Unlike Crackdown where you play the role of a law enforcer, GTA you play a criminal. Now I had heard you could do things like shooting law enforcement officers, steal cars, kill pedestrians etc which made me wonder what level of sickness might be involved. So for a time I ignored the game out of an incorrect opinion based on false assumptions.
However GTA is much more complex than that, sure you can do those sort of sick actions, but the game responds with equal retaliation or punishment. e.g. kill a bunch of cops and more than likely you’ll be snuffed out by attack helicopters and FBI.
I’ve played a bunch of so-called open-ended games where the player is able to free-roam the environment and do missions in the order they seem fit. However sometimes such games might get boring (well to me at least). e.g. Oblivion – rather brilliant but after a while I don’t know but it just lost its appeal. Maybe it’s just me?
GTA4 is also open-ended (to an extent). Missions follow story threads, so far I have three (3) threads (there is potential for more it seems) and I can choose which mission to work on.
Or if I so choose I can drive around the city; go on a date; call up a friend and play pool, go bowling, darts, get drunk and so on. I can visit shops and buy clothes.
All this leads to a fabulous environment with a rich atmosphere. Great stuff!
Just as I was getting p.ssed off with Brucie’s No. 1 mission, I thought I’d skip him for a while and to the other threads. Well it paid off, now I’m on the middle island and have access to heaps more shops, buildings, missions and basically just go exploring. Brucie can roll over and d.e for all I care.
It must have taken them an age to build the city in the game. Amazing!
MickyD's Random Thoughts 