With Grand Theft Auto IV only a few months away, there is lots of buzz going around about the game. XBox 360 owners are particularly excited that they'll finally get some extra content that PS3 owners will not see (at least not right away). Will this game deliver on all the hype? Perhaps. For most, it's a moot point. They just want to play the next chapter in the series. The same old thing would be perfectly fine for them.

Fortunately for those wanting something more, this installment will be much more than a mere rehash. GTA IV promises to be more realistic and complex than ever before. In fact, the game is so deep that even the details on the car will be visible and functional - that includes various GPS systems and working mirrors too! The realism doesn't stop there: you can steal cop cars and access police databases and use their radios. INSANE!

Still, I find myself wondering how GTA got to be so big. I remember a simple game with an overhead view on the PC back in the days of Windows 95/98. It was great for online multiplayer. It was a very simple game. Steal cars, make money, wreak havoc.. YAY! Now the game has become so immersive and open that you have to wonder if this direction is good or bad. Whatever the case may be, the GTA franchise reminds us that virtually everyone (or at least hardcore gamers) have a little evil in them.

Some critics see GTA as a game that sets a bad example. I see it as a way for people to live alternate lives and do things they'd never do IRL. It's like playing Shark in kiddy pool when you were young: it was fun and nobody got hurt. No worries.

I feel that Grand Theft Auto IV will be very special simply because it's returning to it's roots. There are plans for extensive online multiplayer features. This excites me yet I wonder how deep multiplayer action will be, considering there hasn't been much mention of it and the game is close to shipping. I can see GTA becoming the Dope Wars of the next-gen console wars. If you don't know about Dope Wars, that's because it was a huge cult classic on computers and mobile systems but, since it was text based and some people do not know how to use computers, it never really hit the mainstream market.

This is the GTA that people formerly uninterested in the series may finally jump in on. This is the one that will bring some mass appeal in but it's got to have the online multiplayer that we're all dreaming about. I can see so many options for multiplayer. One concept I've envisioned is doing a dynamic open world much like Burnout Paradise, where you can seamlessly enter multiplayer or single-player missions/tasks without having to "exit" the current map.

Certainly, balancing issues may be a big issue but imagine being able to do trades and hire thugs online to carry out special, high-stake missions. Imagine putting out a hit on a rival crimelord contesting your turf. Big cash rewards for big bounty. The possibilities can be endless. There can be simple little touches such as dynamic billboards, player-created graffiti, breaking into a foe's crib, and stealing someone's stash. Since Liberty City (a.k.a. Crime-infested Mini-NYC) will be a very finite world, the obvious approach here would be to create dynamic instances of the city merging the different elements of each player that happens to be logged into a specific session. Makes sense, eh?

Ah, but one can only dream... Chances are that the online multiplayer will be a simple after-thought, a mere watered-down regurgitation of the single-player gameplay. That may sound crude but developers still treat mutliplayer as a bonus, not a core offering, for the most part. Sometimes, the multiplayer extensions of a game can be so different from the core game that you know they put a B team in and not the main players on the project.

I'm excited and doubtful at the same time. I wonder how many of you share the same sentiment out there. The hype on this game is pretty big. I see a lot of "this is going to be the game of the year" type of stuff out there. I just don't see it just yet. I see bigger but not different. To me, different is better than bigger. I hope to see some really fresh ideas in this game. After all, the novelty of running over pedestrians and stealing seksy cars can only hold one over for so long.. Unless you are easily amused. If that is the case, save your money and watch snails racing. =oX

Hmmm... I think I will pre-order my GTA IV next week.)

In other news, those waiting desperately for Vegas 2, GTA IV, Battlefield: BC, and other huge games this year are seeking refuge in Turok. Cynics call this game "Halo with dinosaurs" but I'd go further to say that the weapons feel more potent, balanced, and varied. Besides, it's more like Halo meets Jurassic Park meets Splinter Cell.. Maybe sprinkle in some Metal Gear Solid for extra flavor? It's not that bad of a game.. It's just a big year for video game launches. Any thoughts?