I can't express my emotions! You should play it yourself. I'm fan of GTA series and it's one of the best games I've ever played. Even more... If you play GTA game for the first time, take GTA4 and be sure you won't be disappointed.

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It's on my (and many other people's) top list of best game of the year. The story and game play is fantastic. Definitely not made for the pre teen kids due to the voilence and frequent strip club visits.

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This game is awesome. It is the most realistic GTA game! The Special Edition is definetely worth the extra 30 dollars. My favorite additions are the safety deposit box and the duffel bag.

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The SE awesome i recommend getting it especially the liecense plate it's well made.

About the game well if you dont own this game u are a sinner nuff said....

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Hard to put down; glad I just graduated college and have the free time to actually make progress. If you're a fan of the series, this is the next logical step. Gorgeous to look at, the level of detail is mind boggling, the physics are all better, the story more compelling, the protagonist a more fully rounded character. Everything is hightened and it's the most immersive, open world video game I've ever experienced. I got the special edition, and the lockbox is very cool, but I'm not sure it was really worth the extra thirty bucks, but I have no regrets (you also get an art book, soundtrack CD, duffel bag, and from Amazon a "GTA4" licence plate). Definitely not for kids under 13 I'd say, or even older depending on how stupid your kids are. Stay safe, and enjoy your visit to Liberty City.

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WOW Got the special edition at the same price as the original, and was still in original wrapping. Will use seller again!

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This review will just be on the extra goodies that came included with the Special Edition.

Firstly, I was quite pleased with Amazon.com's added bonus for pre-ordering this version: Maybe I wasn't the first person on my block to get a copy, but I am the only person with a Liberty City license plate!

The safe deposit box is very sturdy, with the GTA IV logo impressed on the top of the box. While I like having the keychain and keys for it, I can't see myself using the keychain - the huge star on the end of it would hurt like hell if I had it in my pocket!

The CD is more of a sampler than anything else - as with previous Grand Theft Auto titles, the full soundtrack won't be out for a while.

It has the following tracks:

Michael Hunter - "Soviet Connection (Theme from Grand Theft Auto IV)"

Mobb Deep featuring Havoc & Prodigy from H.N.I.C. Part 2 Sessions - "Dirty New Yorker"

The Rapture - "No Sex For Ben"

Munga - "No Fraid A"

Busta Rhymes - "Where's My Money"

C.J. - "I Want You"

Joe Walsh - "Rocky Mountain Way"

Bob Marley & the Wailers and Damian Marley - "Stand Up Jamrock"

Seryoga - "Liberty City: The Invasion"

Greenskeepers - "Vagabond"

Electrik Funk - "On A Journey"

Qadir - "Nickname"

David Axelrod - "Holy Thursday"

Nas - "War Is Necessary"

Fela Kuti - "Zombie"

Global Communication - "Maiden Voyage"

Both the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Box Set and the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Box Set are welcome additions to my musical library, We'll just have to wait a while for GTA IV's box set to arrive.

The duffel bag? Well, it's a duffel bag with a Rockstar logo on it. Not much else to say on that one.

But what's the best reason to get this version?

"The Art of Grand Theft Auto IV". This 36-page book shows us all kinds of scenery from the game: Characters, weaponry, clothes, enviroments, the animation process, and much more.

My favorite segment in the book is from the art director of Grand Theft Auto IV, Aaron Garbut. He gives his own thoughts on the difficulty and sense of pride in creating a fully functioning, living, breathing, and interative city. From the cigarette butt dropped on the ground to the changing of daylight to dusk, we have untold areas to explore for days, weeks, maybe even months.

And of course, the game itself is FANTASTIC. I haven't had any of the reported problems with freezing during the intro movie or other cutscenes, so I'll consider myself lucky there. With a game this popular, I'm sure a fix will be along soon.

If you can get your hands on this version, I'd highly recommend it. As for me, I'll be preordering the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack boxed set when it becomes available.

Welcome to Liberty City!

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OH MY!!! This game brought me right back to GTA III. This game has/will revolutionize videogames just like III did. I pre-ordered from Amazon, got the LC plate, awesome!!! i thgouth it was going to be plastice, but NOPE!! i was wrong! ITS A REAL LICENSE PLATE!!! THANK YOU AMAZON!!! I have been playing it for 6 hours straight, and really glad i do not have class tomorrow, cause this is what i plan on doing tomorrow too!! Only reason i am typing this now is cause i am taking a break. WOOO!!! BACK TO GTA IV!!!

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This is for people still deciding between the regular and special editions.

I have over 15 special edition games in my collection. I have never seen a special edition as elaborate as this. For an extra thirty you get a wide variety of quality bonuses.

First thing you will realize is that it is a large, heavy box. Slide off the cardboard box and inside is the safety deposit box. This box is sturdy and has a decent amount of room. I would not say use this thing as a safe, but it is nice to store things in. It come with two keys.

The art book is probably the nicest surprise in here. It contains some incredible production art for the game. It is a 30 page (or so) hardcover book. Not a pamphlet like I was expecting. The quality of this thing is amazing. For me it was worth the extra thirty alone.

The soundtrack was the reason I got the special edition. I thought I would like a lot of the songs on there. I did enjoy most of them, but likely not all the songs will fit your tastes. Either way nice bonus. I would think they would release a more complete version down the line.

You also get a Rockstar logo keychain which is nice.

It also contains a duffel bag. It is a surprisingly good size. If you travel often you may be able to put this to good use. It is also good if you go to a gym often.

Of course you also get the game which is the most important thing of all.

If you feel burned by previous limited editions there is little to fear here. This is a great deal for collectors and grand theft auto lovers alike.

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He begged and begged. He got lucky it was his birthday. And now I don't exist anymore. I'm sure a lot of girlfriends feel the same way. GTA changes men; if he was once productive, strong, and attentive, he is now a lifeless, robotic game addict who's on permanent auto-mode. sigh...

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Rated 4.8/5.0

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

1) F**king Realistic

2) Detailed to Perfection

3) Interactive AI

4) Better than all prequels

5) Good Soundtrack

Cons:

1) Lack of Casinos

2) Repetitive missions - mostly shoot 'em ups

3) Absence of flying Dream Liners & Harrier Fighters

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i played this game on my ps3 and i switched backed to classic controller and it played best value on original controller .i played it on the 360 and it was running at garbage controlling my friend had got pissed because he complained about the driving...he was very pissed and never knew the controling on ps3 will be so much better microsoft son of b#$%^ controller.

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I bought it for my brother, and after his exams, he didn't leave the game alone at all.

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Niko is new to America. Brought by hopes and promises of his cousin Roman about how wealthy he is. Unfortunately for Niko he quickly finds the stories to be lies. Grand Theft Auto IV starts as others in the series with an anti-hero. Getting involved in doing the wrong things is all to easy in this game. From the very get go you are learning that living the American life can be difficult and in order to get your story going you must break the law. For the most part Niko doesn't have a problem with this since he has become raw after being a soldier in war.

GTA IV has probably one of the darkest stories so far in the series. This is not the type of game you will play and comment on how cheerful the story is. For those of you who have played previous GTA games you will notice many similarities. From the gameplay mechanics to the story line. Although people who are new to the GTA series will find how simple the learning curve really is in this game. The game gives you an incredible amount of tutorials and guides you thru your first several missions making things easy to understand. Most features in this game are simple to understand and keep this game from getting over anyones learning curve.

What has made the Grand Theft Auto series so superb is the story telling. Excellent voice acting with intense and exciting missions make GTA IV a true winner. From the first moment on you will notice that you aren't really playing a game as much as taking part in an intense crime drama. Think Sopranos from the former Soviet Union. The game is mission based and gives you the ability to choose what you want to do at any given point. You meet numerous characters who are all about committing crimes and they give you certain jobs. Of course these jobs increase your reputation and help progress you thru the story. Along the way you will find numerous characters. Some you will like and others you will probably want to get rid of yourself.

This game has further evolved ideas from previous GTA games. Niko can not only date one woman at a time but several. It's really up to you. Just remember how in real life this can be time consuming it can also be in a game. You will have woman calling and texting you if you ignore them to long. Then comes taking them out for dates. Each woman has different tastes and interests and it's up to you to know where to take them. Some of the activities can actually be fun like playing darts or pool as these mini games do have learning curves. The girl you are with will respond to your success or failure at these games. Obviously there are numerous other activities in wonderful Liberty City. Also it's important for Niko to accessorize and finding the best clothing to wear is important. Image is everything as as you progress you get access to better clothes. The car mechanics have improved in this game but don't expect to have similar handling to a racing game. What is cool to look at is the amazing detail they have put into the car damage. Every little ding makes an impact on the car you are in. Lastly is the music selection. An incredible 200 songs are available in Liberty City to listen to on the radio. Numerous radio stations including the talk ones belt out hit songs and comedic advertisements. Niko even has the ability to watch t.v. They covered every detail in this game and it shows.

As if a single player mode that will take you 30 to 40 hours to beat is not enough there is also online multiplayer. Yes you and 15 others can play on the beautiful streets of Liberty City. The multiplayer is truly open ended for your enjoyment. Several game modes plus the ability to create your own multiplayer. You can also invite seven friends to take on eight others. It's easy to say this game will be enjoyed for months on end.

It's easy to be impressed by Liberty City. It's as close to New York City as any game has ever got. From the pedestrians that make up the neighborhood to the realistic design of the buildings. The weather changes and the days progress realistically. This is one of those games where you can just take it in and enjoy the scenery. In Grand Theft Auto you have the freedom to do what you want. This game is intended for adults. The language and content can be mature most of the time. Although that is at a parents discretion. I wouldn't suggest this game for everyone. Although I would suggest it for those who have enjoyed previous Grand Theft Auto games. I would also suggest it for those who enjoy mafia or crime movies. This game will have you sitting back and enjoying the incredible story. Just don't forget that it's your story to play.

**Now for those of you asking. Is the special edition good for you??? If you are a GTA diehard fan I would say yes. If you enjoy getting extras for extra money I would say yes. The Special Edition comes with a mediocre soundtrack album featuring songs you may have never heard before. You also get a good quality lock box with a duffle bag. In the box is a rockstar key chain. I now own this stuff. It's nice but I don't think it's of the best value.

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This is, very simply, the best game I have ever seen. I am constantly discovering new things, and I don't have to play with a given structure. Rockstar North has truly outdone themselves with this product, I am completely pleased.

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