2008 GOTY awards

[DirtyMartini]

Just curious, why do you regard GTA4 as flawed?

I'd probably have to agree the "10"s and "classics" are a little over the top. It's a vast improvement over San Andreas (which I never finished -- too damn big and tedious), but it can't touch Vice City for cultural references, music, humor, and just being mind-blowingly awesome at the time (although the actual game mechanics are better).

So, I'd probably give it an 8 or a 9, great game, just a little overhyped. Why do you say flawed?

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by DirtyMartini
Just curious, why do you regard GTA4 as flawed?

I'd probably have to agree the "10"s and "classics" are a little over the top. It's a vast improvement over San Andreas (which I never finished -- too damn big and tedious), but it can't touch Vice City for cultural references, music, humor, and just being mind-blowingly awesome at the time (although the actual game mechanics are better).

So, I'd probably give it an 8 or a 9, great game, just a little overhyped. Why do you say flawed?

Flawed is an imprecise word. I found many of the design decisions to be extremely painful.

My memory is hazy as I haven't touched it since I beat the main quest in May?

The bro-dates were excrutiating.
gunplay was atrocious
couldn't save during the missions (some extremely long)
missions were too scripted-invincible enemies/one method of success
radio stations not good


From a sandbox game perspective, I played through Crackdown in the month or so before GTAIV and had higher expectations for the amount of money that supposedly went into it.

[DirtyMartini]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel


The bro-dates were excrutiating.
gunplay was atrocious
couldn't save during the missions (some extremely long)
missions were too scripted-invincible enemies/one method of success
radio stations not good

good point on the bro-dates. I stopped doing them about halfway through.

I agree on the radio stations, not awful, but no game will every touch Vice City in that aspect.

With respect to the other stuff you mentioned -- that is how the GTA games have always been -- AFAIK the save mechanic hasn't changed, and the format has always been unlimited freedom outside of missions -- extrememly scripted mission. I guess I didn't expect that to change, so I wasn't disappointed when it didn't.

Overall, I think the stuff they did improve: driving, atmosphere, cell phone use, CABS, smaller/tighter map more than makes up for the stuff that stayed the same. Like I said, it's no Vice City, but it's far superior to San Andreas, which was WAY overhyped.

Thanks for the thoughts, I most asked because I'm trying to figure out what kind of games to buy. Helps me figure out what it is about specific games that makes me like them. I've made a couple very poor purchases (Assassins Creed -- what a collosal bore) and I'm trying to avoid repeating that.

[asleepathewheel]

Yeah, it was better than assassin's creed-yuck. Glad I didn't spend 60 on that.

Oh, I also disliked how few buildings could be entered/people and environments interacted with.
Also, when on top of tallish buildings-can't snipe anything. Can see where people/cars should be-but streets empty.

Maybe next generation.

[DrSpike]

I think GTA4 is pretty good (probably worth 8.5) - it's just not the awesome game it was heralded as. I'm actually surprised it did quite well in GOTY awards as it seems that there is a general realisation that the game was overrated on release.

But then I suppose if you have handed out 10s you look a little silly if you don't mention those games enough.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Fallout 3 or GTA4 is my GOTY

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Fallout 3 is my GOTY

I made a small tweak.

[snoopy369]

Was assassin's creed that bad? I'm considering getting the PC Director's Cut edition ($29.99 now) since it's dropped a bit in price and presumably has the various bugs fixed in it... it's either that or FIFA 2009, again on PC unfortunately (played it over XMas on my GF's nephew's new X360 and loved it). I'd say FIFA for sure, except NHL 2009 PC was so horribly awful...

[DrSpike]

Check on metacritic: it got mostly decent reviews. It seems to have generated a love-it-or-hate-it vibe with the implementation of its open world gameplay, with some people thinking this was awesome and others thinking it was designed to cover up the lack of game.

[flash9286]

Assassin's creed is alright. I liked the gameplay, but the whole game is repetitive.

[snoopy369]

Hmmm, maybe a game I play only for a little while then (I get bored with repetitive) but sounds like it's worth trying at least. I do like the concept, sounds like the closest thing to Thief to come out for a while.

Although Prince of Persia did just come out also, wonder if that would be better ... though more expensive, of course.

[DrSpike]

That looks pretty good, and I'm a fan of the series. The main problems seem to be that it's apparently much too easy and the 1v1 combat (from the original PoP) doesn't work too well.

[snoopy369]

Too easy isn't a problem (I don't play this sort of game for the challenge, that's what Civ is for) but combat could be ... but then again, PoP original combat was fun enough

[DrSpike]

Then you should get it.