So, this "GTA 4" thing then...

[ysbreker]

Oh great! My one chance to play gta4 is toast because a red ring o death :(

Good thing it's queensday tomorrow Marek, So maybe we can score a second hand 360 on the free market

[Marek]

I wouldn't touch a second hand xbox 360 with a ten foot pole.

The towel thing is supposed to kick your 360 back into gear for like a few days. It didn't work for me though. It might be a load of horseshit.

[Erkki]

Sorry to hear that, Marek. I was kind of scared that my luck would have that happen to me too, but thankfully it wasn't so.

The game is great so far. A little more like San Andreas than I thought, but I saw that right away when the gameplay videos appeared. The hype made it seem like it would feel totally new -- and in some ways it is, but a lot of things feel similar, although improved.

But one thing that is really amazing for me is the peds. There's just so much variety in the looks and behaviour of the people on the streets that it blows my mind. And all the animations are really good.

the following is not really a spoiler, but describes some moments that might be cooler if you discover them yourself:

In one of the first moments where I got out of the car to just look around and see what the people do, I walked around a bit near Roman's apartment. I saw a cop car behind a red light and thought I'd try to steal it, or at least get a closer look. But as I took a few steps, someone who had said some nasty comments to me decided to attack me and tried to stab me from behind. Immediately, the cops got out of the car and arrested the guy, put him in the back seat and drove away. Awesome! It is very true what a couple of reviewers have said that a lot happens on the streets without you having to cause it directly.

PS. Miffy, saw you wanted to play, but when I tried to join I couldn't. Don't know why. Also, what do you use to chat in multiplayer? I have the headset, but haven't tried connecting it yet.

[Roderick]

I've been playing for some 6 hours now today and it's pretty cool! It looks really nice and the carjacking and driving (and dicking) around is as always super. The cutscenes are brilliantly done and acted and the story has an unprecedented amount of pathos -Nico is a really sympathetic guy, not like the unlikeable punks of the previous three games. He's incredibly charming with his lacking English and straightforward, non-sarcastic way of thinking.

I do wonder if the game is really that revolutionary though. It seems to me at first (6 hour) glance that it's basically the same as San Andreas, but prettier and more polished. Are there going to be surprises for me yet?

And Marek, do tell me about your new job in the UK! I didn't know you were quitting Woedend!. Did they get angry?

[Nick]

Wow, played at a mates after work who had the day off. This is pure genius.

Getting drunk is fucking hilarious!

Best game out in ages.

[miffy495]

I just use the headset to talk. I think next time I want to try multiplayer I'll just make an invite-only session and send out a few. I ended up having a 12 year old yell at me about how he couldn't find the helicopter and how it was my fault. Hell with that. Hopefully invites will fare a bit better.

Getting drunk is pretty fun. I was really surprised how hard walking is. Getting behind the wheel was probably a bad idea, as I soon had a two star wanted level for accidental civilian/police officer death. Luckily I was also able to lose it while drunk, but this made the chase even more fun. I'll be going drinking with contacts again very soon. Little Jacob just got added to my phone as a friend, so it's time to take him for a drink or two.

[n0wak]

This is the most people I've seen playing the same game at the same time in the life of the 360 (there's like three more not showing. Save for the one person playing "Eternal Sonata", I had ten of eleven online people playing GTA IV). Not even Halo 3 came this close. Guys, I think this game is selling a few copies.

I only managed to play a couple missions (stupid work). Went out on a date too. Bowling. It's sad that I get more dates in Liberty City than the real world.

[Roderick]

Hahaha, when you score with your first date you get the 'warm coffee' achievement. That's comedy

[miffy495]

Any of you made Niko date a guy yet? I found it pretty interesting that one of the missions actually forces you to. It's like they're trying to get that part of the game on the news.

[Wrestlevania]

Put in the GTA4 disc .... got red ring of death.

Aaargh! That's properly shite, Marek.

I won't be able to get a replacement soon as I'm moving to the UK in 2 weeks.

Yaaaay! That's properly brilliant, Marek.

[Wrestlevania]

[Xbox Live friends photo]

Hah, I did exactly the same!

No idea if Spaff is playing GTA IV yet or not, but almost every other Xbox contact I have was last night. Unprecedented in my experience, too.

Rab's been playing since Sunday, filthy monkey. Having only discovered it this morning, I'm now certain he's going for Rockstar's "Key to the City" challenge myself...

Anyway, I played for about 3hrs last night and I'm gob-smacked. Haven't time today to write up my impressions though (sorry, Miffy!). Will do this later in the week I promise.

Edit: In fact, I might do this on the train on my way to Yahoo UK this afternoon...

[JoeX111]

My brother is playing the game on the PS3 at the same time as I'm playing on the 360 and I'm amazed by how different our adventures have been, even with little minor things. Like picking up a gun. I got my first handgun

doing a mission for Little Jacob

Whereas my brother went out drinking with Roman at a strip bar and, while trying to stumble drunkenly out of the club, he accidentally found himself on stage. The bouncers went after him and he ran into the back, where a gun was laying on a desk, which he used to escape.

I have a feeling this game is going to lead to all kinds of wacky stories.

[Roderick]

Alright, I've got a big fucking complaint here. I've been playing for quite a while now, and as the missions are getting bigger and more difficult, a huge flaw is coming to the surface: the preposterously non-existent checkpoint system. Case in point: I had to take Brucie to a street race and become number one. That meant I first had to drive halfway across the city to get a sports car, then go to the start of the race and then win.

Obviously, with the unpredictable slip-n-slide quality of the racing in GTA4 and the fact that you can't properly race until you know the track, this meant I lost time after time. This would've been OK -and the mission challenging and encouraging- if you could start the race over afterwards from the start. But instead, GTA throws you aaaaall the way back Brucie's garage, expecting you to pick up the car again and drive along, etc. And all the way, you get the same fantastically voice acted, but nonetheless grating now, conversation while in the car. For five excruciating, boring minutes. Then to start the race again and only lose -again- because you were arbitrarily clipped and sent into a spin while going 200mph.

When it got to the fourth time, I seethingly muted the TV rather than having to hear Brucie go through his routine again. But it was to no avail. When I spinned off course at the first turn, I was so sick of it that I put a bullet in Brucie's fugly head (and unfortunately you can't kill the bastard -I was really prepared to kill off all the other jobs he had to offer because I so hated this one), knowing it'd be a long time before I attempted this goddamn mission again.

WHAT. UTTER. CRAP. DESIGN.

[Nachimir]

Marek, sorry to hear about your 360 :-(

-Night driving is near impossible. Holy crap, when it gets dark it gets dark. This will probably get better when I'm in the financial districts of Algonquin rather than the poorer areas of Broker that I'm in now, but for the moment it's really tough to do anything after dark.

Won't have access to the 360 version until tomorrow, but the PS3 one has settings for brightness and contrast - night driving is fine after fiddling with these.

We about wet ourselves laughing the first time one of us propelled Nico through a windscreen

[Roderick]

Also, don't forget that by holding X for a second (on the 360) gives you stronger fog lights that really help.

[miffy495]

Yeah, I'm aware. I did tweak the brightness up a bit, but may have to do so more. That mission for Brucie is actually the last one he'll give you, Rodi. After that he'll be just a normal friend and give you the ability to call him up anytime for street races. Also the usual stuff, I've been drinking and bowling with him for example. That street race actually ended spectacularly different for me. I held first for a while, then ended up spinning out about three markers from the end. Refusing to give in, I gunned it as hard as I could down the final straightaway, being quite surprised when a small hill in the road ended up launching me up and over the two cars which had gotten ahead of me. I landed about two inches in front of the car who had previously been in first and caused that motherfucker to break hard and spin out as I happily crossed the finish line with Brucie screaming about how awesome that was and how crazy I am. I celebrated for a good 5 minutes after that.

JoeX111, I got my first handgun the same way. Didn't know there was something out behind the stripclub, but I do suggest going back and going into the room by the entrance marked "staff only." Free pump action shotgun sitting in the security office there, and as long as you switch back to empty hands when leaving the office, no one will give you trouble if you take it. Every time I go there with Roman I end up heading in just to grab some more ammo.

It's the little stuff that really makes this. The thing that's impressed me more than anything else so far is incredibly inconsequential to anything else in the game. Any of you charge your cell phones next to your computer speakers? You know that distinctive clicking noise that the speakers will make a couple of seconds before the phone rings? "click-click-click. click-click-click. click-click-click. cliiiiiiiiiiiick.?" That one. If you're driving and have the radio on, the car's speakers will make exactly the same noise the perfect amount of time before your phone rings. When I noticed that, my jaw actually dropped. That's the amount of detail they put in here. Incredible.

[Nick]

Well then here's hoping for a nice quicksave feature in the PC version. Hooray for PCs!

[miffy495]

...And I just opened up Algonquin. Holy crap that was pretty. Just after getting to the island, Brucie called me up about a helicopter tour that he wanted to take a couple of girls on with me as the pilot. Was only supposed to scope out Broker Bridge at night, but I went all around downtown and through Middle Park as well. beautiful night scene. So cool.

[Cigol]

That speaker clicking thing in real life, I've always wondered, what is that?! Plus should it be happening in the car as its never done that with mine, just my PC - still either way it's a cool addition and I've enjoyed reading the comments in this thread (both positive and negative )

...now just to get the game... a console... and a HD-TV

[Erkki]

That speaker clicking thing in real life, I've always wondered, what is that?! Plus should it be happening in the car as its never done that with mine, just my PC

Happens to me in the car all the time if a phone is close to the radio, mostly when changing cells (masts).

[werd123]

If anything I'm waiting for the PC version, IF I get a new PC, I might have to think "fuck it" and get a 360 for this (and a few other games not on the PC).

From what I heard so far, it's great....but, I'm just wondering if this game actually has a custom soundtrack feature and if there is a chainsaw (Even if it is not like Vice City, blood spraying about and more like San Andreas with less violence I don't care, it's GTA tradition.)

This game just screams detail, I don't care if it's a another Oblivion (Played it, finished it, so I won't play it ever again), the gaming experience will be worth it.

[Roderick]

I was wondering, do any of you guys know if there are media out there that criticize the lack of a checkpoint system I described above? Or perhaps even some insight on why they might have chosen not to use it, like an interview?

[miffy495]

No custom soundtracks, no. The one in there is pretty good, but not the best they've had. The classic rock station (LRR Liberty Rock Radio) is pretty sweet though. The Who, Bowie, the Smashing Pumpkins, Queen, R.E.M., etc. As an added bonus, not only is there an Iggy Pop song in there (I Wanna Be Your Dog), he's also the bloody DJ! Hells. Yes.

[Cigol]

I was wondering, do any of you guys know if there are media out there that criticize the lack of a checkpoint system I described above? Or perhaps even some insight on why they might have chosen not to use it, like an interview?

The IGN review did criticise it, but only in passing, nowhere near as verbose.

Happens to me in the car all the time if a phone is close to the radio, mostly when changing cells (masts).

Ah, well I stand corrected, perhaps my speaker system is a little too weedy to notice or something

[Erkki]

I think if there will be a PC version, I will get that one too and play it again. I have always enjoyed the GTA games more on the PC. Even with a HD TV, albeit a relatively small one, it's always a bit too blurry for me on the TV.

I was wondering, do any of you guys know if there are media out there that criticize the lack of a checkpoint system I described above? Or perhaps even some insight on why they might have chosen not to use it, like an interview?

I also noticed some reviews talk about it. Don't remember which ones, I read the reviews at Eurogamer, GameSpy, IGN, Computer And Video Games, and watched the video reviews of GameSpot and GameTrailers.