Grand Theft Auto IV: 5 out of 5 stars

This week I’ve asked Mr. Travis Fox, Ink’s comics guru, to join me in a shooting spree, play some darts and then get some lap dances afterwards.

Oh, and of course, review “Grand Theft Auto IV.”

1. GTA series have never been visually great. Is there major improvement?

Travis: The graphics finally improved dramatically.

The window shields on the cars have a cleaner section where the wipers have been used. The paint on the cars actually has metallic undercoating now, which sparkles in the sunlight. And certain cars need to be washed because they’re filthy.

It all adds another level of “realism” to a game that already thrived on it.

Neil: ‘GTA IV’ is Rockstar’s best work, graphically.

Their renderings of people need a little more work. Some of the faces look scary, and girls especially look unpleasant up close. But it’s a step up from the previous titles.

Everything else, such as the architecture in the city and vehicles, look spectacular.

2. How many people did you “accidentally” run over?

Travis: Too many to count. I find that the car physics, while amazing, have made turning corners into a game of “pedestrian bowling.”

Neil: Same here. These people just get in my way.

I scared off my first date because I ran over five pedestrians. She got out of the car and ran.

Afterwards, she gave some speech about being crazy or something. Whatever. She’s still going out with me.

3. Soundtracks have always been a staple in the GTA series. What do think of Rockstar’s selection this time?

Travis: I’m probably alone on this one, but I miss the “Country & Western station” from San Andreas.

I don’t think I’ve heard the same song twice in more than ten hours of game play.

Also, you have to hand it to the GTA team for their outstanding talk radio stations and “witty banter” from the DJs in between songs.

There have been numerous times I’ve actually stayed in the car rather than getting out and starting the mission because I was listening to the radio talk show host ranting and raving about the most trivial of subjects, like video game violence.

Neil: There are about 18 radio stations that cover every musical genre. Hip-hop, rock, metal, house or even talk radio.

I actually enjoy this soundtrack quite a bit. It’s a little more up-to-date.

I don’t believe it stacks up to Vice City’s soundtrack, which was set in the ‘80s. Going on a virtual killing spree is just not the same while listening to Hall & Oates or the Pointer Sisters.

4. What kind of extracurricular activities did you get to experience in Liberty City?

Travis: Going on a date. I’ve been to the cabaret club (where I saw a magic show go awry and a singer-songwriter singing about how she “lost my baby”... her actual baby!)

I also went bowling and visited a strip club, but I must say, getting drunk is probably the coolest “extracurricular activity” I’ve experienced thus far. You almost get sea-sick from the effect it does to the screen and how your controls are all wacky.

I can only imagine the outrage from parents that hear “YOU CAN DRIVE DRUNK IN ‘GTA IV’!” but in reality, you can’t go far without crashing or having the cops bust your drunk ass.

Neil: Getting drunk is probably my favorite. The screen goes blurry and my controller just rumbles quite a bit.

I also watched television while I was in my hideout with a dozen or so channels to check out.

While riding in my car I also picked up some prostitutes to let my character unwind a bit.

5. How has Liberty City changed since the last game?

Travis: Liberty City is much more “alive” in this latest version. Rockstar absolutely nailed the littlest of details in this city. The poorer parts of town have potholes and run-down buildings in desperate need of repainting, while the nicer suburbs have nice lawns and expensive cars in the driveways.

Neil: Subways and taxis take you across the entire city. You can even watch the scenery the entire way. The city is big and feels alive. It’s a virtual New York, where never the city never sleeps and everyone is in one big melting pot.

As a bonus, there are also a variety of restaurants, bars, comedy clubs and even Internet cafes to visit.

6. Is Niko Bellic your favorite character so far? How does he compare to other main characters from the previous titles?

Travis: Easily the most in depth and emotional character the series has ever had.

I don’t know what it is exactly, but ‘GTA IV’ seems like it has “grown up” a bit. They really take their time getting you to the “kill this guy, go blow up this truck.”

After the first major kill of the game, Niko tells a compelling story of the brutal murder and destruction back in his homeland and how he accepts what needs to be done, because that means these bastards won’t ever kill again.

That struck me as something that No. 1: puts the entire killing you do in context and No. 2: a character from an earlier installment would never have said.

Neil: I actually care for this Niko Bellic character. He’s got a past he’s trying to forget but it keeps following him.

Once he arrives in the U.S. he finds out the “American dream” is a sham. It isn’t different from what he left back home.

I find Niko to be more of a street vigilante, like the character Charles Bronson portrays in the Death Wish movies, which is a different direction in the GTA series.

7. What was your number of casualties in the game?

Travis: I honestly took the route of “let him live” when given the choice of killing certain characters.

I haven’t kept track of how many people I’ve killed, but in the past, I used to kill people on the street to gather money.

This time I haven’t done anything like that.

I think most of that comes from the fact that the plot is interesting and entertaining, and I am constantly starting a new mission after the last one is beaten.

Neil: I did just the opposite and whacked everyone when I had the opportunity to.

So far my number of causalities is around 89. That includes pedestrians, drug dealers and mafiosos.

It’s weird. I always feel compelled to attack strangers on the street, like Travis, but this time around I got wound up exploring the massive virtual world of Liberty City.

8. ‘GTA IV’ worth the wait?

Travis: Worth the wait, worth the delay, worth the three years since the last one.

This is without a doubt the best game of the year and the most fun crammed into a $60 package ever.

Neil: Yes, yes, yes and yes. I would have to agree it has game of the year written all over it. With an online multiplayer mode, for the first time investing $60 for this game seems like a steal.

If you're a hardcore videophile expecting GTAIV to display in a full 1080p and it doesn't, check your PS3 video settings. Most games select its highest resolution automatically but for whatever reason you have to select this manually for GTAIV. Uncheck 720p in your settings and you'll get the full 1080p. No doubt it's a magnum opus with a spit and polish unheard of in previous GTAs, I can't help but feel I've played it before, just with the difficulty turned way down. I actually find myself playing Persona 3 FES more than GTAIV, but JRPGS have always been at the bottom of my videogame pyramid tho.

Posted 28 weeks ago by Terrell