Effortlessly lives up to the hype.

Good game, but overrated. The driving is fun but could have been a little better, the free roaming and exploration is cool, but not as deep as Oblivion, and the shooting/aiming is lame. Seriously, for the amount of $ they put into making this game they couldn't have made the shooter part of the game rival halo, instead of an auto-lock system that seems made for 8 year olds? I'll spend lots of hours in this game, I just hate seeing a game that could have been spectacular, only end up being very good.… Expand

This game I thought was a little poor, i got bored of the missions early on in the game and what was with the dark feel to the game. Then the game became good and unique. Thats right i turned on multi player online. This is by far the best area on the game, fight , team up, play the cop and turf wars. I thought this made the game a lot more that yet another GTA!

Overall the graphics are amazing and everything looks nice. The only downside is the car combat which makes it hard to shoot and drive at the same time.

What a bad game. I was bored after 3 hours of playing it. The storytelling is meh, and you're basically driving for the majority of the time, and you don't even get a gun for a LONG time! And on top of that, you have to buy or find your health. I died countless times from forgeting that you had to find a hotdog vendor to survive. A sentence of advice, don't buy this game. Games are meant for amusement, but there was no fun in this "game". Buy Saint's Row, it has humor, wit, and you don't have to wait 5 hours to get a gun.… Expand

Rockstar clearly bought most of their reviews. Games 10 times better than this don't get 100%.

It's a good game, just its missing that extra "edge" that San Andreas had. It feels like GTA 3 on steroids. There is just something missing that is drawing me away from the game. The storyline is okay, but not excellent. It is an average game with moderate graphics. I reccomend a rental, and if you like it, buy it. If you don't like it, wait for Saints Row 2 coming out in August 26.

Of all the GTA's I've played, this will be the first one that I actually finish. I give a lot of credit to the story and writing because this is the first time I've actually cared about the character I was playing in a GTA game. This game's just all-around amazing.

The best game ever. I just hope that the pc gamers will enjoy that soon.

Absolutely amazing. This is the definition of a world inside the world. Fires on all cylinders in story, scale, satire and gameplay.

You rate this less than ten, then you're an idiot.

I would give this 11 or more out of ten if i could. Game in the future will be judged against GTA4. Simply briliiantly amazing. The amount of detail is immense. The is a game that is worth losing your life to. I ahev played games since the early 1980s and the is the best. If you are unsure then simply BUY.

Same old, same old.

just when you think you have done everything or you start getting bored the game does something that makes you smile from ear to ear and you end up playing for another 3 hours.

This game isnt perfect that is for sure. Do not get me wrong it kicks azz and i am having a blast playing it, but it is no different really from all the other GTA's except much better graphics and the shooting, definately worth buying, it is a must own!

This game gets everything right it's hard to think some wouldn't give it 10.

the only thing i am upset about is that this game doesnt have an AO rating, if it did they could have been much more risky, and better, i really cant believe getting virtual head from a hooker is deserving of a M rating, but , it is AMAZING, MUST BUY!

A great game, as you'd expect from *any* game that cost $100 million to make, but its just not as good as the critics say, and not as good as it could have been. Missions get repetitive, cutscenes and friend relationships get tiring...at times the game actually borders on being dull, which no 10/10 game ever should. As someone who completed San Andreas to 100%, I was expecting more than this... yes, it looks stunning. But its GTA by numbers, just with beatutiful graphics and attention to detail. There's not enough inventiveness when it comes to missions...and, lets be honest, whats the point of including Alderney? The ultimate destination of the game should be Algonquin... moving onto Alderney from there feels like a step backwards. We dont need the final island. So much of the previous three islands still feels unexplored and underused, I think Rockstar's efforts would have been put to far better use in creating more varied, dynamic and longer missions, than the needless inclusion of the 4th island.… Expand

Incredible storytelling with memorable and likable characters. This GTA has the most immersive world in the series. Liberty City feels alive with the amazing amount of detail put into the world. Best GTA in the series. I only wish it had the Vice City soundtrack. Minor issues preventing a 10/10: Controls - The control balance between camera movement and player movement doesnt feel as fluid as it should be. Driving - Aside from the exotic cars, the majority of vehicles have too much understeering for this type of game. Multiplayer - The menu design for multiplayer needs alot of work. Multiplayer should be accessible before the single player mode is automatically launched. The user should have a choice to load Single or Mulitplayer at the start of the game. Also, when you quit a multiplayer game, instead of going back to the multiplayer screen, the game loads the single player mode.… Expand

Anybody who gives this game less than a 90 isn't fit to breathe the same air as the rest of us. This is the single greatest game released so far this century, hands down. The amount of content in this title will keep you busy for dozens of hours, and that's not even including the multiplayer. I gave this a 9 on here, but I would really give it a 9.5. Everything from the graphics, to the audio, to the overhauled gameplay mechanics makes this a must have for anybody who considers themselves a true gamer. Don't listen to these haters who are giving this game 5, 6, or 7's, they are completely and utterly wrong in every aspect.… Expand

An amazing experience. So many laughs and AH moments. A must have title.

It is not much different then all the other GTA's and the online is crap and doesnt seem like they put to much thought in it.

9.5/10, I was believer then, now I might turning into a (healthy) adoring follower. Who said sequels aren't good, should stop basing one's opinions on annual franchises. Although I don't expect this to be the best game of this generation--which still has at least 3 more years, it's certainly is the most ambitious and accomplished game of yet in its own right. If you love entertainment, you're in for a treat, assuming you're not easily offended (violence, hate speech, sex exploitation, and all the other stuff that you would expect from the world of Mafia and [un]organized crime). GTAIV is not my favorite game of all time, but as an eclectic gamer, this will undoubtedly be mentioned on most "Best of All Time"lists. It's funny (K. Williams), versatile (Niko), deep (scenario), superficial (Brucie), cold (most paying lords in the game), warm (Kate), and FUN like... er.... everything in the game, especially Carmen.… Expand

This game is amazing. Best Grand Theft Auto in almost every aspect. I played every grand theft auto minus the psp one's and this is the best out of all of them, by twenty. This game is great. It's one of the few games that lives up to "the hype."

It is obvious a lot of people didn't understand this game! It is hard for some to accept that GTA 4 has focused the gameplay more on realism, than on arcade play of previous GTA games. I had a problem with the driving camera angles and a few other areas as well. But once I got used to them, and accepted things like, "OK, I gotta drive the cars like real cars!" Then the game started to show it's true beauty. The amount of detail put into this game is astounding. It is not perfect, but nothing is broken, or in any way make the game unplayable. But for a game like this, to have the amount of realism incorporated into it, all the way down to pieces of paper flowing down the street, to steam rising from the sewers, shows that rockstar's focus was to give gamers an experience, where other games just want to give you something to do for a while. The story in this game is top notch in my book. The story blends movie style stories with real situations that people run into in real life. The characters all seem to fit perfectly. One thing a lot of gamers haven't realized about all GTA games is they all contain a message that is often overlooked. The moral message in this one is "Maintaining relationships". That's why the cellphone plays a key role in this game. It is known that a large majority of gamers are anti-social, or just lack people skills. GTA 4 is trying to change that. For a game this large and detailed to work as great as it does, with only a few minor problems is commendable, and should be respected. Even little details like when you fail a mission. All you have to do is bring up your cellphone and it offers the option to retry the mission, and you're right back to it. GTA 4 for me stands at the top of my list of great games right along with Zelda OoT, and Final Fantasy X. I have had a great time with this game. Cant wait for the DLC, and the next edition. I know there will be people who just hate GTA just because, but they are missing something truly spectacular in my book. Oh, and my real score for this game is 9.7!… Expand

Amazing game that has many drawbacks (Tattoos, Haircuts, Car Customisation) that will all be added to in the DLC which will help to soliify this as the greatest game ever played.

innovative, revolutionary, highly detailed . . . a gaming masterpiece not without its faults though

One of my Top 10 Favorite games of all time. Basically, it might as well be called one of the Top Ten Best Games Ever Made Period.

Just another GTA game. Fun for a while, but quickly grows repetitive and boring.

Over hyped and by the looks of it over rated. Sadly the game isn't half as good as san andreas. I couldn't put that down, but was able to put this down and pick back up call of duty just 2 days after buying GTA4.

I cannot believe how overrated this game is. Awkward, repetitive, ofen pointless and so boring. For those critics that give it a ten, may I suggest that you try sunlight again. This game is not fun, not engaging and all of the hype leaves such a bad taste in the mouth. I think I actually enjoyed earlier versions slightly better. Muddied graphics (and what is with Niko's face - he looks like a misshapen potato) and annoying radio stations - I could go on. After a few hours play I took the disc out and started playing pac-man online - pac man is a bad game; GTA IV is appalling.… Expand

Extremely overrated. Too much clintches, gameplay far to easy and requires no skills at all. Visually seems ok, but must say, Xbox version seems more like Beta test version for the PC version. To compare critics reviews with user reviews, then it looks like all the max points from reviewers are coming because of advertising money (we all know that in Gamespot it's this way).

This is definitely one of the best games ever made. I've been playing it non-stop for the past two weeks! Brilliant!

The main thing that sets this game to a high standard, was the high expectation and to me, it did not deliver. i am yet to see a GTA game better than Vice City for the fun factor, the latest have been all too shoot first, ask questions later.

Hmm.

I haven't yet played for more than about 7 hours, and I got it on the day it came out. The thing is, there's nothing drawing me too it. To be fair, it is probably one of the best games around, it's just unfortunate it isn't the first GTA, because I think some of the others were better.

Bearing in mind I haven't played it as much as some, and so may have not been given or found out certain things, but these are my main problems:

Where are the gangs? Remember GTA III with the mafia mob etc? GTA SA as well. Maybe this is something i'm yet to discover.

Why can't you swim under water? In prior to SA you drowned if you fell into the water. They then realised that was unrealistic and stupid. Now you can't go under water. What, was that too realistic?

Ah, I knocked the guy who was attacking me to the floor, a quick stamp on his head and - oh. Just punching is it? Why? And what about all the fighting styles of SA?

Anyone remember that great feeling in Vice City when you took over that mansion, and you could park your sweet car in the garage, and go to the weapons room? At that point you really felt you'd made it ... Some of the magic has been lost.

Is it possible they're trying to be too realistic, and some of the fun has been lost?

I feel harsh giving it a 7 because it's still better than 99% of games. But by GTA standards, something is lost.… Expand

No mid mission saving really kills it for me. Why is this not an option? In some cases it takes 5 minutes to drive to the mission. 1 minute to die or fail and then I have to drive 5 minutes to the mission again. The one I'm on now has two major parts, the first I have to kill dozen guys, then the second is lose a 3 start wanted rating while trapped in a building. Why does it not save after the first part!? Also I don't like having to drive back my place to save, such a waste of time since there's nothing else to do there except watch TV. I can watch TV at home! Many other issues. Graphics and physics are great but so what! it doesn't make a game...… Expand

By far and away the best game I have ever played especially the little touches, calling a cab,the internet etc. Rockstar have raised the bar again roll on the next GTA.

MOST OVERRATED GAME EVER: sure it is a great and fun game (I gave it 8 out of 10) but there is no way it is better than CoD4 or Bioshock, it might be on the same level as Halo 3 but that is even a stretch, still, it is very fun and worth buying.

Where to begin..? Well its your GTA Type game with better graphics, ability to hail cabs, swim, go bowling, play darts and Pool, Go out drinking and shows ...did I mention strip clubs? Every Person in the city acts realistically and am amazed at the detail. This game also added a cellphone to keep track of everything and to call your contacts and girlfriends.. But with all this there are yjongs that could have been added.. One is if you run a red light and a cop is there nothing happens... This should have been you getting Wanted by cops at least. also light poles get knocked down too easily. Other than those 2 things its an amazing game!… Expand

The amount of detail in this game is amazing. Freedom to do what you want, opportunity to continue or stray from the plot whenever you want, plenty of mini-games (pool, darts, bowling, arcade, internet, TV, dating, drinking with friends, comedy acts, and more) ... I was skeptical and uninterested until I played the game... but it really is pretty amazing. As for all the controversy that's associated with GTA games... I've never really played the previous versions, but in this game, Rockstar makes it clear that drunk driving is bad, mm'kay? Your vision is blurred, the camera goes crazy, and within about 30 seconds of my first attempt, I flipped my car and was caught by the cops. As for all the sex and random killings... this doesn't seem to be an actual story-part of the game, but it's allowed. If YOU as a player feel like doing this, it's up to you. Just keep in mind, it's ONLY A GAME, and it's better to experiment here rather than in real life... but in most games, you can kill your own character if you're that sadistic.... I mean, even I've tossed Mario off the cliff a couple times out of frustration..... doesn't mean I have anything against plumbers though.… Expand

Grand Theft Auto fans will enjoy, but this game getting such great reviews is indefensible. While the music, graphics, cinematics, (like flying out the front of the car window) and polish are all top notch, the controls are sluggish, the gameplay is repetitive and rehashed, and this game does not do anything to further the genre. The mini games have better counterparts in other games (for instance darts and bowling). The game is good for a few laughs, but at its core the game is nothing more than a prettier GTA 3.… Expand

Definitely a masterful job on the world art, but the driving controls are poo (and in a GTA game!), the player movement controls are worse, and the missions get really repetitive. Game reviewers are sheep. Grow a pair and give this an accurate rating!

Superb. Gripping story and amazing gameplay paired with the huge scope that is the trademark of the series. Easily the best in the series. Multiplayer is over the top, and insane but so addictive. One of the best, if not the best game ever released.

I don't know how people can't give this game a 10. It is almost perfect. It is probably my second favorite game ever, and the best game since Zelda: Orcarina of time(nothing gunna top that, sorry GTA). My favorite isnt even as good of a game (crysis), Its just a personal preference. Maybe better graphics, because if you compare it to other games of today, thats it weak spot, and has been for every other GTA, But the addition of a physics system makes this game 4 dimensional. The next GTA may be perfect if it keeps up, like this. But Niko Bellic had better be the main character next time, he is a badass.… Expand

This game was way easier than previous GTA games. Most missions were about 10 minutes of driving to the location and back, plus shoot a guy in the head which takes 4-5 seconds. Certainly entertaining, not as good as San Andreas.

I cannot believe everyone is not giving this masterpiece a 10 the graphics are perfect the story line is amazing I love the fact that Niko sounds just like Shrek with a Serbian accent.

I love it. Been playing for 3 strait days. I play missions until I get bored then I play the side quest ...awesome interweaving of the multiple objectives.

GTA4 is mostly more of the same. Sure, there are new mini games and the addition of the usable cellphone gives the game more depth, building relationships with people isn't particularly fun and the missions aren't particularly different. The aiming setup has improved and the cops are a lot more intelligent, but don't believe the hype the professional reviewers are trying to push on you. After a day or 2 of GTA4, it feels just like the games that came before it. Great, but tired, gameplay.… Expand

Yeah i know only a seven is a little harsh but im baseing this mostly on gameplay progress, loads of stuff missing from previous games its like the game is de-evolving. This being said the models look superb considering how many they had to make. Physics are a lot tighter making getting around the city feel much more realistic. The story is much as i had expected from Rockstar considering the previous GTA titles. I just feel that the game has lost some depth in the transition to next gen. Obviously if your a fan of the GTA games purely for driving around and killing people you will be more than happy with this ;) but i think a hardcore fan of the series will be quite disappointed after seeing through the nicely polished surface.… Expand

The most in depth game yet. The attention to detail is amazing and the freedom the game gives you is astounding. We've come a long way from the top view, pixelated GTA 1. Hey, this game is even a far cry from San Andreas. An excellent game, possibly the best I've ever played.

Intense game, but VERY glitchy, lots of popup, unplayable at times, and long load times. Taken it back and swapped it for the better PS3 version. If you have the choice between both versions, get the PS3 one (9/10 on my rating, with much less graphical issues, and much shorter load times)

These reactionary scores are annoying as hell, don't vote to be controversial.

For those of you who say "not perfect", I don't hold my 10 for "perfect". I give 10s to games that set new standards for immersiveness. I give 10s to games that don't confine outcomes. I give 10s to games that are the bellweather games for a console. And I give GTA IV a 10 not because it is perfect, but it's as perfect as we get in 2008. GTA IV stands apart as its own masterpiece. Any other game may do single things better, may shade a pixel better, whatever. No other game is as immersive an environment. It's what video games have always strived to be; you -- starring in a movie.… Expand

This game improves on the general formula and has certainly updated the graphics and physics. What it does not do, however, is innovate. Not only can you find the exact same elements in the past games, but there are many elements of those games which are missing from this version. I have yet to see the ability to purchase property, to alter your physical conditioning or recruit henchmen. It's also missing the bicycle and only has 2 air vehicles, both choppers so no planes, and no jet-pak. This game is missing at least half the stuff I came to love about San Andreas. The GTA series is good, but this version plays no differently than GTA1 or 2 or 2.1 or Godfather or GTA3 and that is very unfortunate. We originally planned to complete the game to 100%. This was before we purchased it and realized it was the same thing all over again. Now we don't play it much except to laugh at the ragdoll physics, which is worth the price alone. Great game as expected. Delivers everything that makes a standard GTA game. Absolutely tired of it already. Nothing new. Won't be paying any attention to GTA5 at all after this one. Series is dead to us. I should also note that the textures are terrible (absolutely disgusting up close) and the game appears to be missing the highest LOD models on many assets. The reflections and shadows are also very blocky, noisy and low-res looking. While the game is obviously incorporating many shaders and real-time reflections, it's all still very PS2 looking to me. However, the improved lighting and day/night cycles make decyphering the graphics in front of you into readable pathways much easier than in previous intsallments. Simply put, I used to not be able to tell where the hell I was going or when a turn was coming up, especially at faster speeds. It wasn't due to the speed, it was due to everything being the same orange/brown tint and made it impossible to discern what the hell was what. That is pretty much no longer an issue as draw distances are superb and the LOD transitions are smooth and it is very easy to see ahead. The DoF and motion blur help tremendously in this regard aswell to keep you focused on your path. However, with that greatness comes a problem. All of the graphics which are currently in shadow display absolutely zero tone-shifts. In short, the lighting effects turn off completely while the sun isn't directly shining on something. It appears as if there is no baked occlusion. At first glance into a shaded street, you might swear this was the PS2. I should also note this series' serious lack of new vehicles. The Cavalcade was in SA and it's the same thing. In fact, I recognize almost all of the cars. There are perhaps 7-12 that I had not seen in the other games and they are standard, boring cars. Whether or not they actually are the same brand/model, I cannot say. All I can say, is they all pretty much look and feel the same way they always did before. The game also appears to be missing specialist vehicles with special control schemes like the low-rider with the hydraulics. The right-analog stick appears to be solely for camera control in all instances. In the end, our biggest disappointment has been the lack of anything really new. We all expected to be surprised, but in fact we actually were surprised...to see all the same crap again. What I had hoped for would have certainly delayed the game and put a hold on the revenue for Take2, which makes my idea utterly ridiculous in the business world. My idea would have been to take an extra 1-2 years in development and open up every single office building, apartment complex, business and house for player entry and I would have populated all of these structures as mini-portals(worlds) which civilians carrying about their daily business. Basically, I would have had a 2nd world from the outside city that is going on inside almost every building. This way, you can add breaking and entering and terrorrism and kidnapping to your list of fun activities for the evening. Nuff said, that would have made the game king of all games of all time. As it is, it's basically just the next part in the series. It hardly feels like it even touches on the term "next-gen". I'm a 34 year old male who's played games since they came out and who can usually defeat any opponnent at any game, no matter what it is. I love games and I love playing them and I do it all the time. I don't love this game at all. I like it and I find it entertaining, but it's so far short of the next-gen mark, it feels like GTA-Prologue. The very last thing I'd like to mention is that I really dig Niko, the main character. I love his attitude and his dialogue. The delivery is succint, yet very sharp. Great voice acting on the part of his character. The other characters are really great too, especially the roid-raging Brucie.… Expand

I didn't play this game but i know this game is aweful just by looking at it, i mean c'mon on!!!! it feels like gta3 but bigger and prettier. they should have made this game more like halo 3 or something...now THAT was a game. HAAAAALOOOO 3!!!!!!! Now that game is badass unlike gta4. go buy that game instead of this boring garbage.

Its a solid title, but not revolutionary at all. It has hidden depth in relationship management, but the missions are the same old thing. The main reason this game isn't a 10 is that it is the same old game in many respects. Not much of an open world (in a city this size, there are way too few actual shops, buildings to enter). World is small, and the graphics are just ok, not next gen at all. Drop all the atmospheric effects please and up the texture size and add some bump mapping. The videos look good, but playing in game it just looks blocky. And it is just too buggy with missions ending oddly, 6 star pursuits ending if you visit a mission, etc. Very good, but not nearly the adulation its getting.… Expand

best game ever made. when you play just pay attention to all the small things R* put in the game and how they're all perfectially orchestrated

When you first play this game everything is great. There is something to like playing a new game and looking at all the stuff the game creators have created, and this had the same sort of feeling. It surprised me how many missions there were in the main story line, each one has a decent cut scene, some grander than others. For example, a mission titled three leafed clover about halfway throught the game, had the most cinema blockbuster feel, this mission particular sticks in my head. If your wanting GTA4 to be a unique to it past games it is, and is easily the best one in the series. However if i had one complaint about anything, it would be the the sandbox aspect of the game. Playing it, just by blowing things up is very fun but its troubled by the fact, we have seen crazy things in videogames for ages now. I would imagine using a PC (if ever released) could address this problem, by giving players a more powerful platform, and letting mods etc. Instead, enjoying the open world for me came from finding strange things and running about going places i didn't go before. The multiplayer experience is crap. Once in a game its ok but finding a game is a 1/10 chance, or make a game and wait for ages. If you don't agree with this and had a different experience then don't complain because i gave the game 10 anyway.… Expand

This game is not the by any means the best game ever made. It is interesting, and very well developed. However, if I had to give this a score it would never deserve the praise it is recieving. I'm not saying this game is bad, but it sure as hell to me doesn't reach the "Perfect/Innovational" standards, there are games out there that are far more original that deserve this credit. I honestly believe that this game got the reviews it did because everyone will buy it regardless, it is just one of those games that gets a lot of attention, and thus these bullshit reviewers wanted to cash in on the money train, and yes we have seen it before, Gamespot does it as well as IGN got an exclusive review of it, I wonder what that means...all in all gamewise, it is a solid game, great characters, great graphics, great story, but i've seen it all before, and it doesn't really change the way its played by anymeans.… Expand

If you rate this game anything below a 9, you are an idiot.

Best game ever hands down.

I was weary to try the game based on a youtube video montage of Nikko going to strip clubs, getting busy with hookers and then killing them in various ways afterwards. However, you don't have to do that sort of thing so I thought I'd rent it after the ridiculous hype. I'm not uptight, some things were bothersome, like the fact that most of women in this game are little more than giggling airheads primarily there for male entertainment or flirtation. But, surprisingly the sexual content didn't bother me nearly as much as the boring repetitiveness of the game. Trying to keep all these characters happy picking them up, driving to spots that become boring after a few visits feels like work after awhile. The FPS parts just don't come close to a proper FPS like CoD4. If you die, you have to drive, run-around, get ammo - menial tasks like this to get back to the short-lived action. I can't believe the reviews on this, the game is frustratingly boring! The reviews are unbelievable but I see that as more people have played the game for more than an hour, they are offering similar reviews, and are wising up about these B.S. reviews by "critics". Must have been paid. Otherwise I can't understand it.… Expand

I have just recently completed GTA4 and i think it is the best game I have ever played. I was continuously going round and finding new things that interested me such as the helicopter tour for example. One thing i would say though is that the missions are very similar but then again where can you go with a game like this. I strongly disagree with people who have given this game a low score as it does not do this game justice.… Expand

Though the city looks amazing and the story feels like an episode of The Sopranos: Eastern Block, the missions feel exactly the same as all the old GTAs. I feel like I've played this game over and over again.

Anybody who compares this game to MGS4, is frankly a fool! MGS4 is a linear sneak fest, with dodgy controls and a incoherent story line, and ultimately is a TOTALLY different genre to GTA! Second anyone is believes MGS4 should have got a higher score is very mentally unstable. Where MGS4 is the same game is it always has been just with better graphics and longer cut-scenes, GTA4 has shown the world games can rival movies! I won't got too deep into why this is a excellent game, but it is totally engrossing and simply a joy to behold. But there are several faults to it, something which MGS fanatics would never admit to. Firstly the night time contrast is too dark, way too dark. Second the missions are very similar to GTA3, infact I almost believed this was GTA3 for a short while at least. Lastly the auto targeting is still a pain and you can't fly a plane, which is very disappointing. But those things are easily sweep aside as it is gaming Nirvana for the gamer mases. Read it and weep MGS sicko's!… Expand

Its a shame to see hype play the deciding factor in a games overall score. Many of these review websites are owned and operated based on profit. If a game is advertised well, it receives near perfect scores. Not very truthful. GTA does deliver as promised, however, the gameplay and complexity is almost a step-down from GTA:SA. No game can match the size and quality shown in GTA therefore it does deserve a good score. But foes it deserve a perfect score? in my opinion, not yet.… Expand

GTA IV creates a whole new feel the the series with the detail and complexity overall. True it may feel odd but in the end it is a wonderful, violent and fulfilling experience which deserves the score it receives. One thing to everyone out there, stop looking for too much it games Rockstar worked their hardest to please you and all you want to do is complain. Please respect the people who work night and day so you can relax and enjoy gaming to its fullest. I'm not saying everything deserves a 10 but GTA IV has pushed the bar and many only try to find its faults.… Expand

This game has poor graphics for a XBOX360 game and poor taste. It appeals to little teenagers though.

Nearing the end of the story, I realized that this is what Shenmue wanted to be. Hell, this is what 3, Vice, and San Andreas wanted to be. As I have been playing this on and off since its release (it HAD to come out at the end of the semester), I found the story to be well written, the characters to be unique and often quite funny, and that the overall game definitely adheres to its own internal logic. Yes, some cars handle like crap, which is the point. What I've played online, I've liked (with the damn auto-aim OFF, for god's sake). Now what's this I hear about about DLC? Can't wait.… Expand

I still don't get the appeal of the series. Yes, our household owns a copy of this game but it sits in my kids room and never leaves. I am just bored with this type of game. Yes, they may have fixed the wonky physics but the underlying boredom remains. Just seems like it would appeal to a bunch of wanna be thugs to me. I dunno, maybe the demographic isn't 30 something Benz driving execs. Maybe I'm getting to old. In the same respect I still love FPS. Flame away posers.… Expand

Simply the best Video Game money can buy. Proving that Video Games are the next entertainment medium and that they can ultimately deliver a story as powerful and as character driven as any Tarantino film. The Graphics are truly next gen as Rockstar throw you directly into the heart of a living, breathing Liberty City. The characters are so well thought out, not only will you remember them, you'll believe you were apart of them. The story is so well executed, well... put it this way, its now my 3rd time playing through... and I still love it. After 2 months of solid playing I still haven't seen everything, the scope of this truly rich,beautiful and believable world is incredible. This is the game you will be talking about for years to come. Where were you when Rockstar released GTA IV???… Expand

This Game does one thing, many other games don't: It ROCKS. It makes a lot of fun and entetains you for a very long time. I Think this is the only sense of games. To entertain! yes, there are popups while you're flying the helicopter, but it doesn't destroy anything of the ingame atmosphere. And yes, there are some control problems, but also this doesn't affect the perfect atmosphere. In a 100% rating, I would give 97.… Expand

This isn't a bad game but it definately isn't the holy grail of gaming that all the critics are making it out to be. How can you give a game 100% when there are serious camera issues, control issues (especially during combat) and repetiiveness issues. The problem is GTA4 doesnt have the same impact that GTA3 had all that time ago when it was something new and not done before. Here it just feels the same old same old with better graphics. Also Liberty City is way less interactive and interesting than some are making it out to be. This has made me rethink my buying choices based on critics reviews - if a game gets numerous 100% I expect it to be perfect - quite simply - this isn't.… Expand

Honestly, I'm not impressed. The new GTA makes me want to say, "If you've played one GTA you've probably played them all". This isn't even GTA SA wrapped in new skin this is GTA VC wrapped in new skin. Meaning, instead of advancing in ideas (other than the horrible online play) it went back to basic mission after mission with no real character progression. If you haven't played the other GTA's or if you are into going around a massive city causing havoc then this is the game for you. However, if you're the type of player who needs some reason for the rhyme then I would steer clear of this game. Overall...awesome graphics with the same old same old.… Expand

GTA4. The scope of this game is just massive. This game could take over your life quite literally and is a credit to the game designers at Rockstar. But I just don't feel it has the charm of VICE CITY (which is still the pinnacle of the series so far). Also the targeting system has still not been perfected. Credit goes to Rockstar for the shear scope of this game, It just does not feel fresh anymore to me,.… Expand

In just 2 simple words: EXTREMELY OVERRATED.

Eh... It's pretty good... for about the first 2 hours but then it starts to get repetitive and boring. This game makes me realize how much fun San Andreas was compared to this. The multiplayer is ok to play with friends but there are some games that just don't need a deathmatch or team deathmatch or racing multiplayer modes and this is one of those games. The only multiplayer mode that this game really needed was co-op, nothing else. Overall, the game is ok but it could've done a whole lot better.… Expand

Gets to feel like a chore at times, doesn't let you unwind and enjoy the environment, controls are stilted outside of the driving.

This game took away a lot of the features that made the series good. It is a mediocre title at best and should not have recieved the critical acclaim that it has.

The missions are very repetitive, and if you fail you often have to drive a long way, which is very frustrating in the later levels. The driving is realistic, but this also makes those street races next to impossible. Multiplayer is nothing special, overall very overrated game. Definetly not a 10/10.

Dominic is an idiot..the races impossible? I never EVER had trouble coming in 1st. You are just really bad or using the wrong cars...even though I could do come in 1st with just about any car. I would give it a 9.5/10...everyone who says its bad is proabably just bad at the game itself. The controls are slick.

Wow an amazing game.. I can't beat either final mission but who cares. The voice acting is incredible and the story is as well. The graphics are very good too, for example when driving on the Brooklyn Bridge (not actual name) to Algonquin at night time, it's probably one of the most beautiful graphical moments in Videogame history. I'm pretty sure that many of these user reviewers have not even played the game.… Collapse

Repetitive and quite shallow.

I want to play games for fun not to feel like I have a second life. Bar Halo 3 this may be the most over-hyped game ever. The game gets boring, is demanding (not the same as hard), repetitive and unrewarding. The pluses to the game are that it has a very large environment and the most rounded and interesting characters of all the GTA games. Unfortunately I play games for fun and read books/ watch films for story-lines and characters. I'm not against development of characters and their lives in games but not when it is at the expense of enjoyment.… Expand

I was looking forward to getting this game for like 3 months and when I did I realised it was so inferior to the previous editions. I mean so much stuff has been lost, you can't buy properties the area is so much smaller, you can't jumo of the back of a low loader which lets face it was one of the highlights of the previous games. Wy take it out. I don't understand the hype at all. How can these sites give it 100% , have they actually played it for more than 10 minutes because after this it really becomes repetitive and frankly boring. Not a patch on gta 3 san andreas or vice city. To sum it up, HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!… Expand

Undoubtedly an excellent game, GTA 4 fall short in several places that make the game less playable than other games. The fights are often intense and action packed, but when the character dies, he is forced to go all the way back to the scene of the fight, often killing the vibe that could be created by more frequent checkpoint use. I often found myself throwing the controller away from myself in disgust after failing for the third straight time and facing the prospect of driving for another 3 minutes to survive only 20 seconds of combat. Additionally, the lack of freedom initially makes the game less appetizing to people who desired the open world aspect. I'm all for unlockable content throughout the game, but for the majority of what I played, it seemed as though I was confined by walls which could not be passed through. I didn't even know about the ability to get in boats until well after I had reached my frustration point in the game. Undoubtably it is a good game, but several flaws keep it from being really "fun."… Expand

The most over-rated, repetitive , over-hyped, boring game i've bought. I tried, dearly tried to force myself to finish the game but the controls suck, gameplay sucks, and it's nothing new. Game reviewers need to stop rating for hype and what people want to hear. I'd give it nothing more than a 6-7. Average mediocre game. Nothing special.

It is a pretty average game does nothing much new and when driving the camera takes ages to catch up with you on corners.

I give this game a 5 because the storyline sucked me personally 2 russian guys i aint felling it they should atleast put tommy back or created an american and also the game is to realistic for me dont get me wrong the graphics and details are excellent i give that a 10 but other than that its trash i wasted 60$ for nonthing worst thing is that i cant get a refund.

The most overrated game in history. Yes the city is impressive, but that dont´t cut it for me. The story? No, I dont care about Nico, why should I? Actually the extra downloadable content is more interesting. To bad that PS3 owners wont get to play these.
Its not a bad game, but it aint a must. Sorry.

I keep seeing people say that San Andreas is better then this game. All I have to say is "All you had to do was follow the damn train CJ!"

If I could give this game more than 10 I would. The best Grand Theft Auto ever made cut.

Considering the hype and acclaim, this was an extremely disappointing game as far as the GTA series go. Aside from the graphics and overall feel of the game, it feels like a huge step back. Compared to the size, depth and variety of San Andreas, this game comes up extremely short. Character and car customizations are essentially gone along with the planes and bikes. The missions are pretty cut and dry (chase this guy and kill this guy). There are no rewards besides xbox achievements and 100% completion for doing most anything. The available arsenal is stripped down with very few weapon choices It seems like much of the effort that was put into the fun free-for-all feel of SA and VC was transferred over to things like dating and bowling, which are more annoying than fun. I don't play GTA to date girls and take friends to play pool. I'll play the Sims if I want to do that. I play it because of the almost limitless opportunities to create havoc and humor. Additionally, the single player campaign and story is pretty decent, though not quite as good as VC and SA. I wouldn't say it's disappointing however. Overall, it's still a GTA game. It's great fun and has a pretty solid campaign. What I don't understand is why Rockstar seems to be putting a limit on how fun the game should be. San Andreas was far from broke, so I don't know what they were trying to fix by stripping it down. My only guess and hope is that they want the room to hype up future releases. Lowering the bar so that you can raise it later isn't progress, and I'd expect Rockstar to know better.… Expand

It does everything a sandbox game should, and its got a great multiplayer. Don't listen to the people who give it low scores. Its one of the best sandbox games ever made.

Rockstar must've been thinking, "Let's take every GTA we've created and release it on 360 as GTA IV." Subpar graphics, storyline, and gameply are all a thorn in the side of this overrated monstrosity. This game does nothing to grab a player's attention, unless you're a passive-aggressive thug that gets off on shooting up the same 10 fake people every three hours. Repetative missions and an utterly terrible driving system just shove this waste of disc space down the tubes. I gave the game to my brother after playing, don't waste your money. I was going to give this a 2 to pay homage to the programmers, but considering the huge amount of perfect scores and the tendency to feel like this game was created with a simple "copy-paste-rename" system, it earns my zero.… Expand

I don't think I can explain how much I dislike this game. It is possibly the most annoying game I've ever played. The visuals are incredible, but will the NPC's ever just shut up and let me have fun playing without insisting I do something? Controls are bad, NPC's just make me want to turn the game off, gameplay is decent, but not very fun, multiplayer is a complete joke...luckily it's a tad better than Fable 2's multiplayer, but I don't want to play random challenges with people, I want to terrorize the citry freely with people.… Expand

This was my first ever grand theft auto experience, so I did not know what to expect , and after finishing the game, I regret not picking up any of the eariler editions. This is the best experience I have ever had with a video game, period. Every mission feels fresh and new (thats saying a lot, considering there is about 100 of them), the interactions between the original and wacky characters are timeless (even if they are vulgar), I found myself sad when one of the characters died, not because I was sympathetic to them, but because I would never see any of their hiliarious with niko ever again, the story is very well told, with a slow build-up, (but gets very rewarding when the pace picks up, which is only about a couple hours into the game), that ends with a satisfying conclusion, and plenty of unexpected plot twists in-between, the world of liberty city is a great satire of new york city, that feels very much alive, but at the same time, just put a smile on your face with the light mood rockstar had built around the city (for example, the statute of happiness is always a joy to visit), the combat is fun, which is helped by the variaty of the levels, the explosivness of the later levels, and the unrellenting but stupitdity of the cops. The vehicle mechanics are awsome because they are so arcady when the rest of the world seems to be in a driving simulator, it is a strange combo that works very well, as it is fun to run over people and use your car to smash into other cars, espcially during the fast and furious car chases, and I never lauged so hard when my brother got onto a bike and started crashing all over the places running from the cops. The graphics are gorgious, espcially seeing liberty city during the night when all the lights light up. There is also so much to do, while shooting all those pigons may only be for the seriously dedicated (although there is a site ingame that will tell you where those are), all the other things you can do in liberty city are just increadable, from going to see a show by the real life ricky gervais and katt williams, to going to strip clubs, to just shooting down cops, there is plenty to do other than the main quest, which is an astonishing 30-40 hours, which is nothing to sneeze at at all. Best of all, it comes together in such a complete package (with no bugs or glitches, unless the glitches make the game more fun, like the vehicle-swingset glitch, I might add), that it almost feels overwhelming. Without a doubt the most memorable and complete gaming experience I have ever had. I almost wanted to cry when it was over, and then I realised that the game had a rediculusly wacky and insane multiplayer :). Good job Rockstar! Keep up the good work, you deserved that 98, if not higher. I know what I want for christmas (the episodic pack, which I cannot wait to see what you have in store for me with the two expansions)… Expand

While this game has some excelent graphics, a deeply involving story that makes the main protagonist feel truly human, a brilliant physics system and other main characters that sometimes feel more human than actual video game characters. I really did feel that they cut out too many things that were in GTA:SA and i came out sworly disappointed because the actual sandbox aspect of the game actually began to become very tedious because of the wow factor that GTA:SA had and i basically came expecting the same from this game and its very unfortunate to find that it's been stripped down this much.… Expand