How can you not like this game ?
Graphics.
If you have a good tv (not necessarily HD) and you customize your settings the way they should be, the graphics in this game will be a masterpiece that will not leave you wanting more detail or shading in any area. The graphics are as good as they are gonna get ( for now) in such an immense detailed location.
The city is the main part of the this game. Liberty city really is alive during the day and takes on another form at night. the city is incredibly detailed, no two streets really feel the same. you will want to look into every alley, every corner, every restaurant; because everything has so much detail and is so beautifully rendered. The character models are excellent and the nico's model is flawless. also you almost never see Pedestrian clones; rockstar put sooo much work into that area.
9.9 out of 10
Sound.
the sound is basically perfect. No voice overs seem out of place or cheesy. the dialogue is brilliantly written and hilarious at times ( especially when you get your friends drunk). The radio stations are perfect. some you will hate. like 2 or 3 out of 15 or so. so thats not an issue. there is a rap station to reggae and dancehall stations ( which the Caribbean fans like me truly appreciate), a rock and pop station, 3 talk ( comedy) stations) an R&B station ( that is amazing) a reggaeton station(spanish musica)(i still love it). and many many more.
10 0ut of 10
Gameplay
Gameplay is great but it is not without flaws. It has been tremendously enhanced. Nico runs better, shoots better, fights better... and the list goes on. The shooting system is great. locking on with the LT button and firing with RT and using the right stick to target certain points ( legs, head) all shots can be strategic with the perfect physics engine that has been added to the game. Where people not only react to the force of the bullet, but also the internal damage, and the pain. so you can have great fun filling people with holes. the biggest addition to the action other that the brilliant aiming system is * drum roll* ..... A cover system. the biggest desire for a gta game. the cover system works, it good but not great, not gears o war great, not uncharted great. The gameplay greatly slows down and feels clunky when you are using cover. Example, when you want to press up to a wall , its not always the one you wanted so you try to get off it (getting filled with bullets) and you finally get around the corner and enter wall cover, you move very slowly in cover and you have to get to the end of the cover to fire and its a pain trying to leave cover so if an enemy surprises you then you are doomed. Its just slow and clunky. and when you want to peek out and shoot or blind fire, it take like 2 seconds too many(especially online). Other than the sluggish cover system gameplay is good.
9.5 out of 10
Story
This the problem with the game, the story start out excellently, with a bang. there is a lot of excitement, and constant plot developement. And then in about 26 or so missions its done. what i mean is ... that the story is developing and building up and then you move to the next city and the story is put on pause and all the the missions to come arent on the main focus or the original story. the other missions are like side quests. the main story doesnt resurface until at mission 87. I thought the focus would be main story developement through the whole game and the main reason nico came to Liberty city which was built up to the 88 mission started there and ended there, very anticlimactically. o well it was a good run.
8 out of 10
Enjoyabily
There are a lot of things to do, not Sanandreas much, but a good amount. the extras will take 20 hrs tops. there are 10 fun assassin missions ( short lived), 10 vehicle thefts , 30 vehicle retrivals, 200 pigeons to shoot( all over the city) lots of girls to date (lots), a most wanted list to clear for the cops(loads of fun), vigalante missions rock and 50 stunt jumps to nail. o yea you can take out your friends and make them like you. do all that stuff and have 100%. the things that are most fun are short, like the 10 car thefts and the assassin missions and the most wanted list. but it will keep you for a long time, plus 14 online modes. Free mode is the best but it mostly no fun unless you have a headset
9.5 out of 10
An excellent game, a must have for anyone who doesnt hate videogames