It's GTAIV...what more can I say.
Grand Theft Auto IV is no question the biggest game of 2008(even though it's only April) and there have been epic amounts of hype behind it. I have been a fan of the series since it's birth on the PC and all those people who argue that the series is a Sony series can go and F*** their PS3 in a closet because they are what I like to call "retards". This is no question the best game in the series, but it is far from perfect. Some problems from past games are still present, but major issues(like shooting) have been fixed overall.
The story is of a high production value just like the previous games, but now with a bit more importance placed upon it. Everything is extremely well done as a whole, but as you progress through the game you'll notice that the character of Niko isn't as human as you might expect. Niko soon becomes someone who will do anything for money and barely ever questions what is asked of him. He bases most these actions on "loyalty", but he comes across as someone without empathy. This may be a good thing for most because it makes dicking around in the game easier to swallow because you will no longer doubt Niko is capable of doing those actions. Besides that the story is really well done and the voice acting is excellent. I found the writing to be great and especially enjoyed the dialogue between characters after a night of drinking. The drunken chats are funny and believable, but most importantly feel like the kind of conversations one would have while being intoxicated. So you heard it here first, I fully promote drinking and chatting. It's a win/win situation!
I found the controls for the game to be great, especially the shooting. The game does have a lock-on system that does "work", but you can turn off lock-on feature so that you always use free-aim and that is where it works best. I found the shooting system similar to that of Resident Evil 4 and it worked great for me. I never enjoyed the shooting in previous GTA games that much, but now I absolutely love the system and even the cover system works well. Pretty much any piece of architecture can be used as cover and though the action of getting into cover isn't super smooth, it does work surprisingly well. The hand-to-hand combat has been improved from "sh****" to "decent" though you never have much reason to fight with your hands. I will say that after you get used to the fighting system the small amount of depth does become fun and it is more challenging than the retarded counter system in Assassin's Creed. The driving has gone down a more realistic tone(just like the game as a whole) and it may take a little getting used to, but after some time you'll be driving like you always do; which means you'll be knocking over a lot of light poles.
The mission structure follows a very similar path as the previous games, but there are a few epic missions that will not soon be forgotten. The bank job has been the most talked about mission and all I'll say is that if Kane and Lynch was like that mission then I would have bought that game. Some missions have major flaws though, mainly most of the chase missions. When you are chasing someone in a car/bike most of the time it is impossible to kill them until they have reached a designated point, such as crashing their car or getting some backup etc. I can understand the reason behind this decision because the chases do have many scripted events that are cool, but knowing that I can't do anything until I hit a specific point really takes you out of the experience. I was chasing a guy on a bike and shot the hell out of him but he never died. I was chasing a dude in a car and shot at his tires, but apparently he found the only bullet-proof tires in game. These issues tend to take away from the open mission structure and pull you out of the experience. That is just a small gripe and for the most part the missions are fun to play.
Graphically the game is gorgeous and is truly one of the best looking games out there. Old series plagues like pop-in still happen, but they are nowhere near as bad as in previous games. The real star of the game is the Euphoria engine which allows for greatest physics I've ever seen in a game. Not only does the engine bring this game to life, but it will also leave every person with tons of great memorable moments. Though some times the physics are a bit over-the-top with crazy crashes happening when you're going around 15mph. Another big change for the game(on consoles) is the inclusion of a multiplayer component and it works rather well(with friends). I find the MP to be overall pretty good, but there isn't much depth to keep me coming back months down the road. GTAIV online is fun, but most of the fun comes from playing with people you know. I will say that I would love to see a co-op mission similar to the previously mentioned bank mission; they could even call it something like, "Cane and Linch".
GTAIV is a great achievement in the industry and is one of the best games I've ever played, but I feel so many people are quick to call it "The Greatest Game You'll Ever Play". A lot of people making that claim haven't finished the story, or are just plain consumed by the hype. The best way I can describe how I feel about GTAIV is with this statement. If I were on a deserted island and I could only take one game that I would ever be able to play, it would be GTAIV...but if I could only play one game that I would ever remember it would be Bioshock. Both games are great, but they deliver very different experiences. I would say that overall GTAIV is more fun to play, but a game like Bioshock is more memorable to me. I'm not "dissing" the game and I can pretty much guarantee that I am a bigger GTA fan than you, but people claiming that GTAIV is the greatest game you'll ever play is just a ridiculous statement. With that, I give you the first 5 Sausage game and it is some nice, tasty sausage!
(PS3 vs. X360...The PS3 does experience less pop-in, which is especially noticeable in the gun stores. The 360 does have a sharper image from what I've seen and the PS3's color palette does seem a bit more vibrant. Either way the game looks great and the real question you need to ask is, "Which controller do I prefer and which system do I prefer for online play". No matter what system you pick, you won't be missing out at all.)