With game reviewers still mopping up their collective ejaculate, you'd think GTA IV was the greatest game of all time. The amount of hyperbole showered on Rockstar's game was unparalleled, with nearly every critic unleashing a string of adjectives that cast GTA IV as the second coming of video gaming Christ. Once the initial euphoria of the graphics wears off, you soon realize that GTA IV doesn't evolve its inherent gameplay beyond that which has come before, and in a lot of respects, significantly less.
With a Metacritic score of 99%, one might think it impossible to find any faults with a game that has been equated with everything from Citizen Kane to The Godfather. Wrong.
If nothing else, Grand Theft Auto IV is a great media gateway for organizations to get free television time to spout their respective outrage towards the contents of the game. We've already had Mothers Against Drunk Driving issue a statement and some immigrant organization is bent out of shape, but I've come up with a list of 10 groups that have been suspiciously silent.
1. DMV
The Department of Motor Vehicles should condemn GTA IV for its horrible portrayal of licensed drivers. Apparently, the Liberty City branch of the DMV will give a license to anyone, evidenced by the total lack of Student Driver vehicles on city streets. In Liberty City, if you can afford the fee, you get a license. Simple as that.
If you're one of the millions of gamers who will be picking up Grand Theft Auto IV this week, don't forget to sign up for Rockstar's Social Club. There you can link your Xbox Live Gamertag or Playstation Network ID to your Rockstar account and track a myriad of stats. There are also special competitions sponsored by Rockstar that act something like dynamic Xbox Live achievements. The first large competition is for entry into what has been dubbed The 100% Club. Qualifying Social Club members that attain 100% completion within 7 days of the release of GTA4 (that's today) will receive a limited edition "key to the city".
Even if you have no intention of playing a marathon session of Grand Theft Auto IV for The 100% Club, the Social Club is a fun diversion and just another way to prove your gaming superiority to your friends, besides GTA4's built-in multiplayer modes. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to Liberty City.
One final note: If you're looking for some more players to tool around Liberty City with, be sure to click my profile link and add myself and any other InfoAddict members you come across. Profiles can hold a Gamertag, PSN ID, Wii system number, and Steam ID, so if you haven't done that yet, what are you waiting for?!
It seems inevitable that high profile video games will get leaked. It's happened with every AAA console title in the last few years, and Grand Theft Auto IV is no exception. Whether obtained through a shady retailer or downloaded from the web (sadly GTA4 has already found its way onto pirate networks) gamers across the globe are getting their hands on one of the biggest releases of the year a week early. For those that won't stoop to less-than-legal levels to play the game or aren't willing to fellate a GameStop manager, the next few days will be a painful wait.
To help pass the time though, some lucky souls that do have Grand Theft Auto IV are giving the rest of us the next best thing: tons of video footage of the game. Rockstar Games have been quick to shut down clips that they find on YouTube and other large video outlets, but so far DailyMotion hasn't pulled anything. One nice fellow over at NeoGAF has been kind enough to keep an updated post of links to GTA4 vids, most of them coming from DailyMotion. Keep in mind that there may be spoilers in these videos, so if you want a clean slate when you pick up GTA4 you'd best steer clear.
Hit the jump for a ton more videos, and of course be prepared to play GTA4 on April 29!
The fourth and final trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV has arrived, and like the other media we've seen so far, it looks spectacular. Appropriately titled 'Good Lord, What Are You Doing?' the trailer primarily shows off more of the game's cutscenes, but there's gameplay footage to see as well. There really isn't much more to say at this point other than, "I want this game right now."
Trailer 4: Good Lord, What Are You Doing?
GTA4 arrives on April 29 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Hit the next page if you missed out on the three previous trailers.
