Overview
I played GTAIV on the PS3. As a big fan of the GTA series I can comfortably say it's the best yet, go and get it. However if you didn't like the other GTA games, then don't bother with this one.

It's an multi-pathed story driven action game with dating and friend systems that will either inspire or annoy! It is also available on the Xbox 360 but I haven't played it there.

Review
As a fan of the series it's hard to be objective here but this game is seriously addictive - and it will chew through the hours, I haven't done everything the game has to offer but the very detailed stats screen shows that I've been playing it for 32 hours and 12 minutes!

Anyone who is familiar with the GTA series should know that this game is VIOLENT and beyond that it also has a stack of completely NON-PC content, from the sex with the prostitutes to the unconscionable behavior of the main character. If you're not familiar with the GTA series stop reading this and go out and get it. If you are familiar with the GTA series and you didn't like them why are you still reading? I said in the overview you wouldn't like it! If you love the GTA series, just get it!

Some of the missions are epic, they proceed through multiple environments seamlessly and feel like no other game I've played. Some of the missions are fairly standard GTA fare and can get boring after a while. Another new wrinkle is that there are missions where you make decisions instead of following a fixed path, and your decisions have an impact on the remainder of the game.

As you play the game you make contact with various characters, some of them eventually befriend you and want to play darts or pool with you, or go out to a bar, or a club with you. Some of the stuff you do with your friends is very good fun - keep an eye out for the international guests at the comedy club as some of them are hilarious. Some of the stuff you do with your friends is boring and weak after the first time (like playing pool or getting drunk). So if you are going to maintain your relationships in the game knock them back when they want to do something boring and then ring them back and propose something you want to do, it worked well for me. I enjoyed the friend system, I stayed friends with people I wanted to and I ignored the ones I didn't. You do also get perks from being friends with some people, like free cab rides, and what the cabbie has to say about not being paid is hilarious!

There is also the "warm coffee" dating part of the game which varies between amusing and pathetic in equal measure, however even that part of the game has twists!

I found the gritty graphics of Liberty City satisfactory, obviously draw distance has improved dramatically since the PS2 days, however there are still issues with "pop-in" and the odd misplaced polygon.

The control scheme is largely the same, sure it's been tweaked in a few areas and offers sixaxis controls (which I never bothered with), but it has the same weaknesses with aiming and movement feeling totally un-coordinated as it's always had. However the cover system soon became second nature for me and I did like the ability to poke a gun out from cover and spray bullets randomly.

There is online multi-player and I've heard that it was originally problematic but works much better now, however I still haven't tried it!

Score

Rating: A

Good
- All that clever and engaging GTA Action.
- Decisions in missions.
- Interesting story.

Good&Bad
- Friend and dating system, you might love it or you might hate it.
- Familiar missions.

Bad
- Control scheme remains basically the same as other 3D GTA games.
- Occasional Graphical problems.

Mr Staypuft
Old School Gamer