What? A Serbian gangster in a brown knitted sweater, stealing cars and killing people!?
Damn, I was hoping that this review was to be a positive one...
But no, I simple can't stop being annoyed with all the thing you can't do in GTA IV.
Now, in GTA: San Andreas, you could do/ interact with all kinda things.
Alot of cool features.
So why the hell did Rockstar take all of these features and ideas, throw it all in the trash can, and make a follow-up that is so boring compared?.
The list of features I'm talking about is long! Let me try and keep it simple:
Things you could do in GTA: SA, that you can't do in GTA IV:
The Gym:
Improve stamina, strength, get a more muscular look.
The Barber shops:
Get a look that you find suitable for your character.
The Tattoo shops:
Get a look that you find suitable for your character.
Buy alot of different clothes:
Get a look that you find suitable for your character.
Guns:
Improve your skills with any gun. Go to gun ranges, or just go kill people.
Means of transportation:
Improve your skills with cars, motor bikes, boats etc.
Buy properties:
The reason to make money!. Buy safehouses, buy clubs to make even more money.
Tuning:
Pimp your cars to get a unique look that suits your character.
Swimming:
I guess Niko Bellic can't hold his breath, since he can't swim under water.
Now, whats the point in throwing all that away? Those are all cool features, that really makes the game special.
In GTA IV you've got a cell phone. As you meet certain characters, their phone number will be saved in your phonebook. As you progress with these characters, they will become your friends.
With your friends you can go shoot some pool, play bowling, get drunk, go to strip-clubs, go see a stand-up show or take them out for dinner.
One of these features in particular, really makes me angry as hell! And thats the pool game.
It just doesn't work right!
My experience is that almost every time I hit the rail cushion with the cue ball, it doesn't bounce off it, but slides along, finally dropping into the pocket. This makes it alot harder to win a game.
Though its just a detail, its a detail that really pisses me off!.
In GTA IV you've also got access to the internet, found in internet café's. The internet is, as it is IRL, filled with advertising banners. Banners that you can click, and then read alot of crap.
Some banners advertises different brands and styles of clothes.
Now, as there's only three different shops in Liberty City (Russian shop, Modo, Perseus) who deals with clothes, I mistakenly thought that maybe I could buy clothes from these internet-pages, and maybe it would pop up in my safehouse. That would make it up for having only three shops to buy from, and would be a fresh twist from Rockstar. But no!
Buying clothes online is not possible.
The same thing goes for buying luxury cars, auto parts etc. etc. etc.
The only thing that is usable on the internet, is your e-mail and online dating.
And now to the final point that I wanna comment on.
Making money.
Whats the point of making money, when you don't have anything to spent it on?!
Of course I'm referring to the fact that you can't buy any properties in GTA IV.
The reason why you as Niko Bellic are doing all these shady jobs, is to make money. He says so himself; As long as it pays good, He'll do it.
But why Niko?! You can't spend them anyway.
You need 5$ for a hotdog or a soda from time to time, a few weapons, and thats it!
I DONT GET IT!
Finally, to make this review just a little constructive,
I'll point out some things that I do find good about GTA IV:
-The in-game music is great.
-There's a big variety in cars.
-Liberty City feels alive.
-Cool stand-up shows presenting Katt Williams and Ricky Gervais.
-The ability to make your own decisions in some missions.
-You can take cover behind objects.
-Keeping friendly to the annoying characters who calls you, everytime you're furthest away from their position, actually pays off.
But this is still not enough to compensate for all the bad things about this game, therefore my conclusion is that GTA IV is disappointing!
And so this ends my review of GTA IV,
a game that could have been so much more!.