Great topic. Perhaps I have a distorted sentimentality, but my attachment to any character in any game is based purely on their 'task attractiveness,' to use your terminology. I still remember my little soldiers in Syndicate, differentiated only by their names; after countless missions, I subconsciously attributed each their own personality, as was devastated when one would die after a long compaign. X-Com elicited similar emotions; a newer soldier, even with better stats, was less appealing than one who had seen me through the early trials.

THIS JUST IN

Microsoft unable to hear themselves speak; mouths move largely without control.

@Grenadeh @SurfaceNerd Microsoft is not trying to advertise, they are trying to sell your information to OTHER advertisers.

@Godokuno_Dan Also, you really just need to look back one week to the GTAV episode to see that controversy was not only rife, but in fact becoming problematic. Gamespot did not intend for Feedbackula to be a soap box for bitter teenagers to express their rage at those with different opinions.

@berserker66666 Because your viewpoint is clearly unbiased, you glistening beacon of objectivity and insight.

Let's please not make a feedbackula about this. These cretins don't deserve to be heard. A 9/10 is a phenomenal score for a AAA game, and calling out a game's flaws, however minor, is the reviewer's job. It is not to pander to your expectations.

Vice City was, for me, the GTA that hit that sweet-spot of lunacy and realism. It had all of fun options of the early games, and a setting that was utterly absorptive.GTA4 created no memories for me that weren't completely overshadowed by VC, despite the superior engine and realism. I hope Rockstar have not forgotten their roots for GTAV.

Good show. Even discussion of what technology you'd like to see explored in games generally, rather than by title, should be interesting.

The argument for 'advantages' of always-online are face-palmingly flawed. The advantage of always-online is not provided by the console, it's provided by your ISP at a monetary cost - that is, you have as much internet access (a good thing) as you're willing to pay for (the cost), and so if you want the joys of permanent internet (which are numerous and obvious), you will make the choice and shell out, which is something not everyone can do.

The console, then, *requires* you to have already purchased this advantage of permanent internet, without providing any further advantages. This is then just a limiting liability. *Having* to be online adds nothing above what I get from when I *choose* to be online.

@TomMcShea Sorry Tom, people seem to believe that a ranking of 8.0 is a slight against the honor of the perfect creation they have not even played.