There has been a lot of hype surrounding the Grand Theft Auto 4 video game release. I read reviews on several trusted websites and all the reviewers were giving it 100% and the highest star ratings possible. One gaming site I go to compiles all the reviews and gives a game an overall score and GTA4 still got 100%. So, naturally that meant that my husband and I had to run out and get it. I’ve played it. Frankly, I’m not impressed.
I’ve played all the other Grand Theft Autos as well and have generally liked them. As far as I can tell, Rockstar Games put as much gratuitous foul language, violence, and drugs as they could possibly get away with and still have it rated M for Mature in their current installment of the series. I know the franchise, and I expected a lot of bad language and adult themes but seriously, every other word is an expletive and every character you interact with is snorting something or smoking something. Does it need it, really? I don’t think so.
My major problems with the game aren’t completely the language and wanton drug and alcohol use. The story isn’t that great to start, and it doesn’t become even remotely interesting until at least six hours into the game. The vehicles aren’t all that responsive and don’t handle as well as some of the earlier games which in and of itself is surprising, games usually get better on more advanced systems.
Even though the game obviously is geared towards thirteen year old boys, it’s not all bad. The online multiplayer is fun. I do like that when you are on a mission and you crash the mission car, you and your NPC can get into another car and still finish a mission — having to start missions over because of a car wreck was annoying.
