As I grew up GTA IV was one of those games that your mom would never let you play. It was a Moral Panic Game, the kinds of game that you wanted to play specifically because it was so taboo.
When I finally did get to play it as an adult, I was just sort of...acknowledging of its existence. You see, I've played so many sandbox games over the years that not only has the genre kind or worn on me as a whole, but that GTA IV lacks an interesting mechanic or setting or story in hindsight. I've played this kinds of game in the exotic locales of Far Cry or Just Cause, on Mars (Red Faction) or in Nazi-occupied France (The Saboteur) or in the Wild West (Red Dead Redemption). I've seen it parodied in the likes of Saints Row and seen have such unique mechanics as RDR's Bounty system (you get hunted even after the chase is over) and SR IV's superpowers.
Now, after having played all those games first, it's actually kind of shocking to see everything played so straight. Yep, there's a Wanted Meter. Yep, there's storyline and side missions. Yep, there's Standard FPS Weapons. About the only thing GTA has going for it is it's goldmine of licensed music and the somewhat awkward cell phone mechanic.
That "Russian Connection" theme song is still awesome, though.
GTA is Unfunny
As I grew up GTA IV was one of those games that your mom would never let you play. It was a Moral Panic Game, the kinds of game that you wanted to play specifically because it was so taboo.
When I finally did get to play it as an adult, I was just sort of...acknowledging of its existence. You see, I've played so many sandbox games over the years that not only has the genre kind or worn on me as a whole, but that GTA IV lacks an interesting mechanic or setting or story in hindsight. I've played this kinds of game in the exotic locales of Far Cry or Just Cause, on Mars (Red Faction) or in Nazi-occupied France (The Saboteur) or in the Wild West (Red Dead Redemption). I've seen it parodied in the likes of Saints Row and seen have such unique mechanics as RDR's Bounty system (you get hunted even after the chase is over) and SR IV's superpowers.
Now, after having played all those games first, it's actually kind of shocking to see everything played so straight. Yep, there's a Wanted Meter. Yep, there's storyline and side missions. Yep, there's Standard FPS Weapons. About the only thing GTA has going for it is it's goldmine of licensed music and the somewhat awkward cell phone mechanic.
That "Russian Connection" theme song is still awesome, though.