Grand Theft Auto IV: Difference between revisions
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GTA IV is powered by Euphoria, Endorphin physics engine. This new physics engine gives characters a "central nervous system" allowing more natural, unscripted movements. It also adds weight to each characters footsteps and causes them to transition when walking up or down hill. Although the size of the map is no bigger than [[San Andreas]], the detail of the city has been enriched to a unique depth. There is no "wasted" open space, and every inch of the city tells a story. | GTA IV is powered by Euphoria, Endorphin physics engine. This new physics engine gives characters a "central nervous system" allowing more natural, unscripted movements. It also adds weight to each characters footsteps and causes them to transition when walking up or down hill. Although the size of the map is no bigger than [[San Andreas]], the detail of the city has been enriched to a unique depth. There is no "wasted" open space, and every inch of the city tells a story. | ||
When it comes to game-mechanics, GTA IV has little in common with San Andreas. Many of the almost freakishly unrealistic weapons have been sacrificed for the sake of realism. Players will not be able to mow down cars with the Minigun or the Radar-guided Missile Launcher anymore.<br /> | |||
Airplanes have been sacrificed as well, which makes sense as there is only one airport. Helicopters can still be found though. The driving model has been strongly tweaked, giving a very strong sense of realism. Cars will no longer feels as if they are gliding on rails. Every shake of the steering wheel or bump in the road now has very realistic feedback. Also, players will not find the odd, plaid parachute anymore.<br /> | |||
The new cover system, which gives Niko the ability to duck behind walls, cars and barrels, is almost completely taken from the cover system featured in Gears of War, but then they say "if you copy, copy from the best". It makes firefights much more realistic and dramatic than the "duck and run" tactics poor CJ had to rely on.<br /> | |||
In the field of world-interaction, GTA IV beats everything ever created, as every object has either a function or a purpose, and if only as target for the gorgeous collision-system. Bricks can be picked up and hurled at cars, foes and most importantly, windows. Newspaper stands spray shreds of paper in every direction when hit and lamp-posts spark when ripped out of the ground. This, combined with the new Effects and Particle-system, which present us with the most gorgeous explosions ever, gives GTA IV a graphical array formerly only seen in top-notch ego-shooters. But instead of enjoying these effects in a corridor of levels, we can now celebrate them in a large and open world.<br /> | |||
Did someone yell Multiplayer? Indeed. GTA has gone from one of the last great franchises without Multiplayer to a game with the most evolved and appealing Multiplayer ever. Apart from the multitude of gaming modes, the ability to "sandbox" Liberty City with several people and inflict major carnage couldn't be any more enjoyable. | |||
Of course not everything that glitters is gold. While details soar in GTA IV, some game-elements may have been reduced too much. Niko won't nearly find the wide selection of clothes that CJ had. Airplanes, while logically removed, still somehow will be missed. Fans of Off-roading will have to suffice with parks and beaches and in the field of boating, despite the amazingly realistic water, not much has evolved since San Andreas. Are these really points we should lament? Well, GTA IV has the stuff to become the most successful game ever, so even the slightest negatives will at some point be brought up. But...<br /> | |||
Surely for those playing the game on the XBox 360, and with great probability also PS3 Users, can and will at some point make acquaintance with a feature the other GTAs were never blessed with... Downloadable Content. Rockstar has already announced that GTA IV will soon be enlarged by online-content in form of Episodes, Chapters, call it what you will. And maybe it doesn't have to end there? Can you say "Upstate Liberty City"? "Car pack"? "New weapons?" Who knows what the game engine allows to be implemented? This step will not only make a huge game even bigger, it will promise that GTA IV will have a very long half-life and replay-appeal. | |||
==Storyline== | ==Storyline== | ||