GTA IV: First impressions

Grand Theft Auto IV's release for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 has dominated gaming news this week, being one of the most anticipated titles of the current console generation. After playing the game for a few hours on the Xbox 360, there is no doubt that there is a great deal of substance behind the hype.



First of all, the single-player campaign is incredibly well done. So far, the story is engrossing, the characters are far more interesting than your standard video game fare, and the city is absolutely majestic in size, scope and detail. The main character, Niko Bellic, is one of the most interesting characters we've seen in a game in recent memory. There is a great deal of conflict between wanting to just explore Liberty City for hours upon end and wanting to delve into the mysterious and gripping story of our "hero."

The game play should be very familiar to fans of the series. The hand-to-hand combat is a little slow and unwieldy, but considering you only really use it at the beginning of the game it's hardly a complaint. Ranged combat is very similar to previous GTA games, with a lock-on system that isn't always very precise. You often lock-on to targets you don't want to, but it's easy to disengage and re-engage the correct target on the fly.

The driving portion of the game is incredibly fun and frustrating at the same time. The vehicle physics have been vastly improved over past GTA titles, which make for a great time when you get your hands on a sports car or motorcycle. However, the camera doesn't react to drastic changes in direction, leaving you to scramble when chasing other vehicles or dodging cops.



Multi-player is a thrill ride all to itself. While the unintuitive cell phone interface allows you to create or enter multi-player games -- with much trial and error -- the rewards are definitely worth the initial headache. With numerous competitive and cooperative modes, with up to 16-players in some, GTA IV offers endless entertainment for almost anyone. Whether you want to blast your friends with rockets, or strafe a police blockade from an attack helicopter, or race through busy streets in a Porsche, this game has it all.

Overall, it's safe to say that the first impressions are incredibly positive. Is the game perfect? No. But, with the amount of game play and content packed into one title, this is a must-own title for any adult who owns an Xbox 360 or PS3. More impressions to follow...