GTA IV
Well, took me a while to pick it up, but have now been playing GTAIV on and off for two weeks now - as well as generally taking a bit of a holiday, taking in a bit of WWE action, and not being anywhere near work...
But, anyway, Grand Theft Auto IV.
What's impressed me the most is the sheer visceral impact some of the new features of the game have had. San Andreas had a couple, too - like the first time you ever got the blurring at really high speed, or when you jump a bike off a really high point and felt your stomach knot up as you plunged down and down and down...
One of the impacts in GTAIV wasn't so nice - I found myself getting very motion sick until my brain and eyes were able to compensate for the behind-car camera position being slightly to the left of your vehicle. I guess that decision makes some sense, as it allows the player to see both sides of the road (if driving legally on the right hand side), but until I got used to subconciously using the R3 stick to constantly adjust my viewing angle it was very disorientating and annoying.
But what suprised me most was the subconcious effect the game had on me with it's new efforts at 'realism.' Within the game the visuals are very life like, vehicles behave in a more realistic manner, the environment is also very interactive and malleable. Also the 'people' who populate Liberty City behave, react and look a lot more life-like than I've ever seen in a computer game before.
So much so that I was honestly aghast, completely taken aback, when I first saw the outcome of attacking someone. Their reactions to an unprovoked attack, their panic, then they'd go down in a crumpled heap. A minute or so later they'd pick themselves up and stagger a few yards, seriously wounded. Then they'd collapse in a doorway or behind a rubbish skip, trying to seek any cover available.
It shocked me; still does - as does what happens if you drive into a bystander. No spectacular flips and bodies flying here, no, the bystander's body will crumple and fold onto your bonnet, and flop about there until the car's momentum casts it off. Match that with a very breakable environment and realistic vehicles means I'm spending most of my time in Grand Theft Auto trying to behave in a responsible and law-abiding manner to avoid 'collateral damage.'
So, there you go - Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest in the series of morally corrupt training manuals for the gang bangers of tomorrow is encouraging me to act in a moral way.
But that's just me - once again, Rockstar have created a game that should NOT be played by children, but for adults looking for a fun, enthralling, engaging game - it's setting the standard, just like Grand Theft Auto III when it came out all those years ago.
But, anyway, Grand Theft Auto IV.
What's impressed me the most is the sheer visceral impact some of the new features of the game have had. San Andreas had a couple, too - like the first time you ever got the blurring at really high speed, or when you jump a bike off a really high point and felt your stomach knot up as you plunged down and down and down...
One of the impacts in GTAIV wasn't so nice - I found myself getting very motion sick until my brain and eyes were able to compensate for the behind-car camera position being slightly to the left of your vehicle. I guess that decision makes some sense, as it allows the player to see both sides of the road (if driving legally on the right hand side), but until I got used to subconciously using the R3 stick to constantly adjust my viewing angle it was very disorientating and annoying.
But what suprised me most was the subconcious effect the game had on me with it's new efforts at 'realism.' Within the game the visuals are very life like, vehicles behave in a more realistic manner, the environment is also very interactive and malleable. Also the 'people' who populate Liberty City behave, react and look a lot more life-like than I've ever seen in a computer game before.
So much so that I was honestly aghast, completely taken aback, when I first saw the outcome of attacking someone. Their reactions to an unprovoked attack, their panic, then they'd go down in a crumpled heap. A minute or so later they'd pick themselves up and stagger a few yards, seriously wounded. Then they'd collapse in a doorway or behind a rubbish skip, trying to seek any cover available.
It shocked me; still does - as does what happens if you drive into a bystander. No spectacular flips and bodies flying here, no, the bystander's body will crumple and fold onto your bonnet, and flop about there until the car's momentum casts it off. Match that with a very breakable environment and realistic vehicles means I'm spending most of my time in Grand Theft Auto trying to behave in a responsible and law-abiding manner to avoid 'collateral damage.'
So, there you go - Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest in the series of morally corrupt training manuals for the gang bangers of tomorrow is encouraging me to act in a moral way.
But that's just me - once again, Rockstar have created a game that should NOT be played by children, but for adults looking for a fun, enthralling, engaging game - it's setting the standard, just like Grand Theft Auto III when it came out all those years ago.