GTAIV: First Impressions from a GTA Skeptic

Yesterday, what may end up being the biggest game of the year finally hit store shelves, much to the delight of fans. While critics trip over themselves to heap praise on the game, I'm taking a somewhat more moderated approach. My name is Steve Watts, and I'm a Grand Theft Auto skeptic.

First, some background. I played Grand Theft Auto, and by this I mean the original. I went with the top-down perspective and ran over rows of people to see the "GERONIMO!" So I'm not a newbie. When Grand Theft Auto III came out, I ate it up like any self-respecting gamer. The freedom was enough to make our collective gaming consciousness overlook some pretty glaring flaws. Vice City came out with a better narrative and a brighter, more enjoyable setting, not to mention an 80s-fabulous soundtrack. By the time San Andreas came around, I was beginning to get sick of the formula. The flaws were more noticeable than ever, like the famously janky controls, and I ultimately decided not to make the voyage past the first few hours.

But admittedly, it's not just the games themselves that made me tired of talking about them. It was the rabid fans who seemed blind to other great games, it was the copycats that tried to blindly imitate without being willing to innovate, and most of all it was Rockstar. It's been said that defending our hobby equates to defending Rockstar, and this isn't exactly an appealing proposition considering the company baits the media at every opportunity.

So now we come to Grand Theft Auto IV, which has been hailed as a lot of things, including that it will change the way you look at video games forever. (Ahh, GameInformer.) And to some of its claims, the game manages to live up to the hype. But not all. So knowing where I'm coming from, here's my first impressions peppered with grains of salt, good common sense, and an utter immunity to the ridiculous level of hype.

In the area of story, our protagonist Niko is an instantly likable and identifiable character. His background makes him more sympathetic than many other GTA antiheroes. The narrative so far could have interesting things to say about what the "American Dream" means in modern-day society, even if it's laid on a bit thick. (Honestly, Niko's cousin, Roman, spends at least the first few hours talking nonstop about it, even calling it by name. We get the idea.)

Unfortunately, the potentially strong narrative is somewhat marred by the humor pulled straight from a high school locker room. As Tommy Vercetti was essentially a caricature of mob stereotypes, the juvenile jokes made sense in context even as I cringed for them. With a more mature narrative and genuinely likable protagonist, seeing an internet cafe called "tw@" and the TV network "CNT" are more distracting than ever. For once, I'd love to see GTA truly grow up, and it seems that this isn't the game Rockstar has decided to do so.

In many ways, the city and the way you interact with it has been thought out to make a lot more sense than in past games, and the game world responds to your actions more fluidly. Part of the GTA experience is testing the game world to see where its limitations are, and this one makes those walls much less visible. The GPS navigation is a particularly welcome addition, especially in being able to set your own waypoint. It may distract me from actually learning the streets of the fictitious city, but the game experience as a whole is better for it.

The relationship system is an interesting new addition, despite being a thin front for a collection of minigames. Some hold up better than others, and different partners enjoy some activities more than others, which will undoubtedly force you into one of the more sub-par minigames at some point. I hope they introduce new ones often enough that the limited selection available now doesn't get old and tired, and I do wish I could invite a woman out to a bar without getting drunk. Pardon me, Rockstar, but I've been to bars plenty of times and left sober.

The characters, also, react more fluidly. Roman was upset at one point for choosing to go on a date rather than helping him deal with loan sharks. My date has commented on how my outfit is the same or how a new car (that I've stolen) looks nice. Even time of day is a factor, as I discovered that calling my would-be date in the middle of the night just makes her grumpy. Calling her too soon after a previous date makes her standoffish as I appear too clingy. It's small touches like this that round out the interpersonal relationships that are at the heart of the new advances.

Unfortunately, though the walls are less visible, only a few hours in I've already run into them. After my second date I invited myself up to a woman's apartment for the "Warm Coffee" gag. On the third date? Same option. Same gag. Is this as far as relationships go? Have I already hit a wall? A more fully realized relationship system could see the couple develop, perhaps eventually invite my girlfriend to move in with me. Perhaps this actually does happen, but the impression I have so far is that a tongue-in-cheek sex gag or exploiting the relationship for assets will be as far as it goes.

Further, on one particularly hectic date, a woman was asking Niko what he does for a living, meanwhile witnessing him busting in a window, hotwiring a car, and evading the police. The conversation never wavered through the entire ordeal. Only when I lost the fuzz did my date even remark that police ever were following us. It broke the illusion in a fairly serious way. Another illusion-buster was the revelation that phone booths are useless. Sure I have a cell phone, but if I want to pay a buck to use a pay phone, why not let me? They're just props, not actual interactive items. Considering how important phone booths have been in the past, you would think they would be worked into the gameplay.

As for the weaknesses that bothered me in previous Grand Theft Auto titles? Unfortunately still present, and somewhat exacerbated by an inadequate cover system. While fisticuffs is improved, it still feels incredibly awkward. Fortunately, gun play has been improved greatly, so I shouldn't have to resort to the uncomfortable hand-to-hand combat too often. Resident Evil 4 it ain't, but I'll live.

I'm enjoying Grand Theft Auto IV, and I have no doubt it will become a smash success. And to some extent, so far, I can say it deserves it. It may not be a life-changing experience, but it is a fun journey back to an open-world environment. Congratulations to Rockstar for making a title with such devotion. You've earned part of it from me, so I'll have to see if it continues to grow as I explore the depths of Liberty City.

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