[QUOTE="Grammaton-Cleric"]
[QUOTE="Metamania"]
I disagree, at least in terms of your statement on GTA IV. Superman 64 is utter trash and should never be played.
GTA IV has a lot of problems going for it. You make it sound like the core gameplay was revolutionary and I suppose it was at the time, but the gameplay mechanics had so many problems that it wasn't good enough to be given 10 out of 10 by multiple gaming publications.
-The driving physics is bad and causes you to lose a lot on missions that require you to chase after your target or on other missions that ask you to deliver cars or packages on a certain time limit.
-The cell-phone was very distracting. You always needed to have it on in case a mission storyline comes on, not to mention if someone wanted you to go out on a date with them, which was pointless and unfulfilling. Thank Rockstar Games for coming to their senses and removing that bull****.
-One of the reasons why I prefer Saints Row over GTA is due to the story and characters. GTA, it's been pretty much serious with a lot of funny moments, but it just takes itself way too seriously. Saints Row, on the other hand, doesn't and I like that a lot. Sure, Niko Bellic and some of the cast was good, but the overall story didn't give me that much of an impression.
These are just some of the problems, off the top of my head. Keep in mind one thing; this has NOTHING to do with my skill as a gamer. I did fine playing GTA, despite the minor inconsistences to be found, but by no means is Grand Theft Auto IV a perfect videogame, something that critics unfortunately make it out to be, just because it's "Grand Theft Auto". Which is a stupid assumption to make, in the first place!
Metamania
People often assume that a game receiving a numerical score of 10 suggests perfection when in reality it simply means the game is being given the highest achievement at that particular moment based on what it offers.
GTAIV was incredibly innovative at the time of its release. Even to this day the viability and minutia of Liberty City is virtually unmatched and the implementation of Euphoria and the advanced physics it facilitated - an advancement further extrapolated in subsequent Rockstar releases - was unlike anything seen before.
Furthermore, GTAIV was a complete and total overhaul of the GTA construct and elements such as shooting and driving, which had been sloppily implemented in previous iterations, were heavily refined. The driving, often maligned, was heavily rooted in physics and prone to variables such as momentum, weight shifts and inertia and gave the vehicle handing a much deeper layer of substance than in previous games. The shooting was also greatly improved, with a tight over-the-shoulder POV and excellent bullet physics when blasting enemies.
The cell phone was a mixed bag but it was easy to ignore calls. I never understood why people seemed obliged to answer it on every ring. I beat the game and ignored most of the extraneous calls without any penalties or issues.
As to story, I rather liked the excellent voice work and the various options the game presented the player over the course of the game and I found the final mission and subsequent choice at the very end of the story to be incredibly compelling. As game protagonists go I think Nikko and his various associates, allies and enemies were above average from a narrative and characterization standpoint.
Lastly, I think the Saint's Row franchise is vapid and forgettable. The original was derivative and the second game was a technical mess with piss-poor mechanics obfuscated by loads of puerile content. The third game was solid but ultimately shallow and I have no idea what you found compelling about the narrative. In terms of bombast and fun Just Cause 2 does everything SR does but better while offering far more variety in terms of quality gameplay.
The shooting I didn't mind at some points, but it's a bit hard to do both at the same time, especially with how erratic and buggy the driving turned out to be. Maybe you didn't have a problem, but I certainly did. For me, when you are placed in a car, it has to feel smooth and responsive, especially in a videogame. If you want to go right, it automatically goes right. Maybe that's why I prefer arcade racers over simulation racers; you don't take the real-life factors into consideration when it comes to driving.
Have you played any of the Saints Row games to the point of where you completed them? If you have, then you would know that the storyline wasn't "vapid and forgettable". It wasn't supposed to be a serious drama (only occasionally and when it's necessary), but the series was just funny as all hell. I think it could be a difference of what our tastes are and where our sense of humor comes from. As for what I found ultimately compelling about the narrative, there was an actual story to it and going through each mission lead you one step closer as to what happens around the corner. The first game I find to be ridiculously hard, especially some of the side missions. I don't mind challenge in my videogames, but jesus christ, it gets harder and harder as you go, not even giving you a break.
I personally loved the driving it felt realistic to me.
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