Usually I prefer playing the Grand Theft Auto series on my PC, but since I've finally jumped into the PS3 arena I decided to finally give it a try. I've gotta say it's impressive so far! Rockstar Games continues with producing a deep story-driven game experience that ranges from the movie-style experience when following the scripted gameplay to the freedom of the open world freeplay of just running around getting into trouble. My only gripe would be the control, or lack of, when driving vehicles. Even though I'm a seasoned video game veteran, I seemed to fishtale a whole lot and had to resort to practically stopping when trying to navigate sharp corners at high speeds. In previous GTA games the driving experience was much more fluid. Other than that, it was a fun gaming extravaganza on par with many action/adventure movies, with the only difference being the player determines the outcome, not some writer. Good job to all who helped this title and hopefully the franchise won't go stale any time soon!

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Become better and more realistic and this is what I like in the GTA IV and greatly improved the graphics

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I was not disappointed when I got this game. It is non stop action and even more fun when you add the cheat codes for unlimited ammo and weapons. I suggest playing for a while without the codes first until you start to get a little bored, then try out some codes 1 at a time. the graphics are as good as the last version and sometimes even better.

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This has got to be the best game in history. there is so much to do in this game i don't see how someone could ever get sick of playing it. this is a must have. infact this game is one reason i got a ps3

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Unlike previous GTA games, there are very few missions that are timed, or are based on how much damage your vehicle takes. As always, there are very funny commercials. Some motorcycle missions can be annoying, though. Also, it can be frustrating when you're trying to do a mission and you get a phone call to be on the other side of the city within an hour. There is a learning curve with the controls, but eventually they become very easy. My first PS3 game and I wasn't disappointed.

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I am only halfway through the game but already agree on most of the positive reviews. The storyline, cutscenes and voice overs are incredible. The story is not as over the top as Vice City but I find it interesting and waiting to find out what happens next. However if you do not do the story it does get a little boring because of the lack of side missions. Love all the little (but useful) features added to the game like the GPS, cellphone, being able to zoom out on the mini map, calling a cab to get around etc. I really like the new cover system as well, it works pretty good and makes the gunfights so much fun. Though they removed a lot of great features that was in San Andreas eg. car mods, buying property and the casino. There seems to be complaints in regards to the driving in IV but I havent had that problem. I LOVE how the vehicles handle in GTA IV. If you are frustrated with it I would say give it some time, once you get a feel for the driving you will discover that it is probably one of the best parts in the game. Graphics are also pretty good, especially the vehicle lighting and shadows. There are still some jaggies and its not full 1080P but graphics are definitely above average. I really only have two complaints about the game and that is the player movement and motorcycle handling. Motorcycles just plain suck, hard to control and too easy too fall off. Its a chore to use during missions. Lastly Niko's movement is very fluid but too slow. Mainly it takes too long to escape out of a vehicle or get back up from a fall, really sucks in a gunfight or high speed chase. Its only a minor annoyance, I guess thats just the price you have to pay for having better graphics and more realistic movement. Player animation though is very nice, Niko looks wicked sick carrying the carbine or shotgun! In the end its still a great game, definitely lives up to the GTA name.

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Even though I have only played one day in Liberty City as Niko Bellic, the only way to review GTA IV is to take you on a journey of those first 24 hours.

After a short 7 minute download to my hard disc drive, the game was ready. At the end of the intro movie I directed Niko into the car with Roman at the shipyard. There's an on-screen tutorial on how to accelerate, brake, handbrake, and turn the radio stations on and off. I'd seen this before in other Grand Theft Auto games, so I wondered: what was new?

Quite a bit, as I would soon discover.

I saw a map option that showed the quickest legal route in a vehicle to my destination (which isn't always the fastest). I found out that the headlights on the car can go high-beam. When I hit the pause menu, I saw a HUGE list of statistics that I would need another 4,000 characters to describe, such as time spent on the internet, time watching TV, emails & text messages sent & received, times I've played darts, shot pool, or gone bowling? And this is just skimming the surface!

After Roman left me in his crappy apartment, I tried out a few controls. I punched the fridge, and it made a sound like hitting porcelain. I watched a little TV, changing channels and adjusting the volume. I left the apartment and saw tagger graffiti in the halls. I tried to swipe a car to speed over to Roman's cab company, but I found out that the Liberty City folks don't take lightly to Grand Theft Auto. They smacked me around a bit, and I had to run through some alleyways to avoid the cops!

The first mission was pretty simple, and during that mission I picked up a crummy cell phone. What a feature: we can read and send text messages, make calls, adjust the volume, and even change the ring tone! I even got to use my charismatic skills to get a date with a fine young lady. I had to go shopping first, though. The shopping option is different, we can walk around to different clothing racks and pick out what we want...a welcome change.

"My idiot cousin was in trouble with some Albanians, but how could I say no to my lady friend? I started to take her to the funfair; we had to take a little detour because I accidentally hit a police car. Being busted would have been a sour end to our date! Once we got to the funfair, we decided to go bowling instead." [This was incredibly fun! We get a bowling tutorial and five free frames to start out, by the end of the tutorial; you'll want to play again.]

"After I dropped Michelle back at her place, I felt the vibrations of my cell phone. [Yet another reason to pick up a Dualshock Controller - I thought my actual cell phone was going off!] Roman reamed me out for choosing the girl over family, but he admitted that he probably would have done the same thing. I dropped him off at his cab company, and I sat in the car and reflected on the day's events."

I can't even put into words how IMMERSIVE this game is. Hot dogs to replenish my stamina? An in-game tutorial on how to use the controller for popping wheelies on motorcycles? Attention to details like bees at a wastebasket? Chinese lettering on cardboard boxes outside a restaurant? Skid marks on the asphalt from using the car handbrake? It's all here.

I ordered the Grand Theft Auto IV Special Edition but I just couldn't wait to review this game. After two hours of playing it, I know I'll be hooked for MONTHS unlocking all the secret goodies.

Obviously this game has the right rating. Blood, violence, sexual themes, alcohol consumption, and many other items dictate that this game shouldn't be played by the under 17 crowd. It's not for everyone, though. Some gamers may not like the freedom Liberty City offers, in which case I would highly suggest a more linear game like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

This is the type of game that makes me believe there is no difference between motion pictures and video games anymore.

Have fun! I know I will.

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Where can I start with this phenominal video game. One word comes to mind. Perfection!! Rockstar games issued other great Grand Theft Auto games in the past and they were all of excellent quality. But this time they got everything right. The game is fun. Period. Everything a video game should be. Just the right difficulty on the missions. Great cut scenes. This game really tells something of a story. Only drawback is that I thought the graphics could be a little better. And the topper of them all ONLINE PLAY! For the first time you can team up with about 16 other players for Team Deathmatch, Cops And Robbers, and many other different types of online games. Sensational. I found the online play played smoothly and only a few little lags in play. I belive this game will go down as one of the greatest games in video game history. And that is not an exagerration. Definitely not for the children. I highly recommend this game. Don't hesitate. Definitely pick this one up.

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Excellent game, it really includes it all!! It has really detailed graphics. What i really like it's that they give importance to little details, for example variety of songs, the way you ride your car and the different scenarios. Not recommended for little kids due to its violent and sexual content, but highly recommend for action lovers!!

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Fun game where one can lose track of time while playing. I have all the GTA games from the original on the PC to this one for the PS3. Only pet peeve is I wished your were able to go into more random buildings. I am sure the PS3 and blu ray can handle such a thing.

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(FYI: I just bought this game about 3 weeks before writing this review. I'm still somewhere in the beginning of the game. I'm currently at the point where my 1st apartment went in flames and I just got a new apartment).

I'm a big GTA fan and this is by far, the best one I ever played. Here are some of the things I like about it:

1) Its almost realistic. When you run people over, they don't die instantly. It takes a 2-4 run overs to kill them.

2) Realistic bullet wounds. If you shoot a person in the head, they die. Shoot them in the leg, they limp. Shoot them in the stomach, they are bent down covering their wound with their hand and trying to get away from you.

3) If you commit a crime, nearby witnesses will call the police. Cops usually arrive in less than a minute.

4) They added a cell phone to the game. You can call other AIs, dial 911, and so on.

5) Maps are equipped with GPS.

6) In previous GTA games, when you are in the police car, you're only mission was to kill the criminals in the stolen car. In GTA IV, you have variety of missions you can choose from hunting down wanted criminals, kill gang members, and of course, chase down stolen cars.

7) Most of the bridges and tunnels have tolls in it.

8) This game is base on New York City. There's a Statue of Liberty in it, except its called "Statue of Happiness" and the lady is holding a ice cream cone, not a torch.

9) Almost realistic car crashes. If you crash, you can still drive, but you will see obvious dents in it. Crash it multiple times, the car will stop running or catch on fire.

10) There's gas stations in the game, but your car has unlimited fuel anyway. I usually go the gas station and shoot the pump and the whole station will blow up. Then the cops will come after you.

11) There's some missions with intense gun battles. What I like about the shooting part of the game is that you can take cover behind objects and shoot. You can lock on to the target and shoot or you can shoot freely.

12) Several mini games such as playing 8 ball, darts, bowling (is there anything else?)

13) When you get drunk, you get drunk. The camera goes all crazy and you will get hurt if you can't balance yourself. If you drive while being drunk, and the cops see you, you will be chased.

14) You have the ability to hail a taxi cab and ride in the back and it will take you wherever you need to go.

15) The cops will only look for you in a certain area of the map. However, the more stars you have, the bigger the search area. You have to get out of the search area to get rid of your wanted stars.

16) If you drive at a very fast speed and you crash, you will be thrown through the front window and get hurt and/or possibly die.

17) Civilians do not like to be bothered. If you keep bumping into them, they will either run or start attacking you. If there's a cop nearby and you don't get violent with the other person attacking you, the cop will arrest that civilian.

18) You can break away from a police arrest, but they will shoot you if you do. Personally, I rather die and end up in the hospital than to be arrested and lose all my guns.

What I don't like:

Adjusting the graphics to my viewing pleasure. I'm still adjusting it to get the best picture. The problem I have if I set the brightness and/or contrast too low, I can't see at night. If I set it too high, its too bright and fuzzy during the day.

Overall, its a fun game. If you want to believe you are one crazy criminal where you can commit any crime you want, this is for you. If you hate violence, look the other way.

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The game is fantastic. In addition to versatile gameplay, free roam mode, and interesting missions (as usual), the game adds a hint of sarcasm into the main character's personality. This makes the cutscenes quite humorous, and makes you like the protagonist even more.

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u can do anything that u want !!! and Amazon has very good service ! Fast and cheaper than another website !!!!! Thanks

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Let it be said that I've never liked GTA. But I decided to get GTA4 after reading several articles about the change in direction they were taking and my god, has it paid off. This game is PHENOMENAL.

The Good:

Graphics-

Even though this game is running at 640p and is upscaled on PS3, this is a BEAUTIFUL game. It has some of the best and most natural looking water and light effects I've ever seen that appear photorealistic at times. I often stop and just stare at the waves or park and watch the sun hitting the road as it sets.

Story-

The voice acting is top notch and the cast has some truly memorable characters. This is one of the few games where I actually have an emotional response when things happen to the main characters...which is no small feat. Sometimes you have to make choices whether someone lives or dies and I found myself really struggling with the decision I thought was appropriate to my character. The pacing is great too. Just as you are getting satisfied with a particular location, you get access to a new islands and contacts so things always feel fresh.

Gameplay-

Thankfully, they eliminated all the things that made past GTAs tedious. No more going to the gym to lift weights, no more being forced to drive twenty minutes across town to do a mission. Finally, you can take a cab and opt to skip the driving when you are in a rush. They've also added a much needed cover system where tapping R1 will let you take cover behind virtually any object. This leads to some truly epic shootouts that will literally have you diving for cover.

They also made your cell phone the menu for the game and you rarely have to leave the game world immersion. Just call up your friends for missions or hanging out and watch Niko talk to them while he walks around the city. You can even buy ringtones, themes, and even get a camera phone and organizer.

There are also 200 music tracks on a dozen radio stations with great music and talk shows on all of them. You can waste hours watching TV at your house, going on dates to see shows or play pool and darts, or you can fool around on dozens of webpages at the internet cafe. Basically, there is a ton of depth here that will give the game dozens of hours of extra traction.

Multiplayer-

Just whip out your cell phone in the single player and hop right in to over 14 online game modes. Imagine running around New York with 15 friends and playing paintball in the streets. To just be able to hop into the whole of Liberty City and do ANYTHING is so fun and chaotic words can't describe it. Just last night, I joined Free Mode, where there are no rules. I proceeded to blow up 3 cop cars and run over a flock of pedestrians before getting plowed over by another player who had stolen a commuter bus and was on a rampage in Times Square. That was just the first 10 minutes. And I was having a blast that even my wife couldn't turn away from.

The Bad:

Other than minor framerate and A.I. glitches, my biggest complaint is that the game does some unnecessary forced loading. When you die on a mission instead of just asking you if you want to retry it, you die, it loads a respawn at the hospital and THEN you are asked to retry the mission, which leads to another load screen.

Every time you launch the game, you are forced to sit through a 2 minute intro movie. I suspect this is to distract you while the game loads in the background more than it is to set a mood, but it would still have been nice to be able to skip it sometimes.

Other than that, the clothing selection feature remains terrible. You have no way to quickly cycle through your wardrobe without having to spend 2-5 seconds loading each new outfit. If you're like me, you bought every outfit as soon as you could only to learn that you had to cycle through every single one anytime you wanted to change clothes. And other than buying clothes, money has absolutely no value in this game. For some reason, they didn't include a casino or the option to buy property, so you amass all this wealth and have virtually nothing to spend it on at the end of the game's main story.

The Verdict:

That said, the sheer freedom and realism of this game signal a landmark in gaming and anyone who likes video games should buy this game. It is the most fun I've ever had with a video game and provides 100+ hours of entertainment for sixty bucks. Despite a few flaws, the amount of content, fun, and depth of this game make it virtually flawless and worth your money.

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Yes that's correct, this game is nuts! Rockstar has officially outdone themselves and unequivocally created the most immersive gaming world I have ever played in. There's just so much detail on every street, shop, lamp post .... that none of the graphics for the shop fronts are ever repeated. You'll see a different looking shop everytime. All motion capturing and speech animations are top notch. Voice acting is also very well done.

Gameplay wise, those who have played the series before, will feel right at home. You do missions, work your way up. However, the new element of dating and some mini games have been added to the mix.As usual, it is impossible to drive the cars at high speed. You will not be able to turn at such speeds, all efforts to do so will almost certainly resulting in crashing.

The craziest thing about this game is definitely the soundtrack. From the opening theme song by michael hunter, I was hooked. Everytime I listen to that I cant help bobbing my head up and down with the beat, just an amazing tune.

Multiplayer is heapsa fun, especially cops and crooks and team deathmatch. Though I do have to concede that the multiplayer's biggest let down is also it's biggest draw card, that being able to roam the WHOLE city. Sounds cool at first, but too many a time you'll find yourself spawning somewhere, only later to realise that everyone is at a different part of the map and hence a long drive to the action ensues. It's great, but it just deteriorates the pace and excitement of multiplayer.

Though I do not believe there is a 'perfect' game, GTA 4 comes effing close. It is an absolute spectacle and Rockstar has produced perhaps the most polished game of all time in all departments!

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