Topic: Rockstar has a new game called IV

[D_Average]

I finally picked up the game a couple weeks ago for $15 at Blockbuster, and I'm really enjoying it.  In short, it has all the same defects as No More Heroes, just not nearly as drastic.  And the game is very dark, but you can adjust the settings in the options menu which is very convenient.

It definitely seems like a great game, but clearly, any reviewer that gives it a 10 for every category when the game has a wonky combat system is a total d bag.

[GoldenPhoenix]

It's overrated, but it's still very good.  What annoyed me the most was that they didn't have a checkpoint system in the longer missions, so if you nearly got to the end of a mission but died because you fell off a cliff or did something stupid, you had to do the ENTIRE thing over again (including driving halfway across the map).  This is no big deal at the beginning of the game because the missions are short, but at the end of the game it's maddening.

I did enjoy it though.

I AGREE with Mr. Lindy Luthor. It is a good game, overrated, definably mainly because it seems like a step back in some ways from previous games. Hopefully they correct the checkpoint system with longer missions.

[D_Average]

It's overrated, but it's still very good.  What annoyed me the most was that they didn't have a checkpoint system in the longer missions, so if you nearly got to the end of a mission but died because you fell off a cliff or did something stupid, you had to do the ENTIRE thing over again (including driving halfway across the map).  This is no big deal at the beginning of the game because the missions are short, but at the end of the game it's maddening.

I did enjoy it though.

I AGREE with Mr. Lindy Luthor.

I'm speechless.

[NWR_Lindy]

I'm speechless.

Indeed, alert the press.

[KDR_11k]

The same issue with checkpoints and missions exists in the clone Saints Row as well. Maybe some missions had checkpoints, not sure but they're few. Doesn't really make sense since your health regenerates Halo-style so there's really not much need for an endurance fight since there's almost no attrition (sure, if you forgot to bring a gun...). One mission with a LOOOOONG travel path with zero threat made me stop playing that story branch for the time being. Then again SR is a different game, not GTA4 (though I didn't notice any real trouble with combat in SR, is GTA4 worse in that respect or do people just have higher standards? Plays like any other third person shooter). GTA4 is still at 70€ I think, I got SR for a tenner (using the gift card I got when I bought Zack & Wiki during a special sale last year) so I'm not really willing to get GTA4 to draw comparisons.

I think NMH's driving is more annoying than e.g. SR's, for one the map in NMH does not scroll fluidly so it can be hard to tell which road on the map is which because of the snap distance and NMH doesn't have a GPS nav-style guide, only the position of the goal.

[Dasmos]

Also in NMH there only 4 places to go in the whole map with little else in between. Maybe the occasional dumpster, but that's it.

[D_Average]

Also in NMH there only 4 places to go in the whole map with little else in between. Maybe the occasional dumpster, but that's it.

And they all have the same song in the background.  Oh well, at least its a good choice.  I start every morning by dancing to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL2od1AF_Cs

[D_Average]

Has anyone read an interview where Rockstar provided a rational reason for not including the checkpoint system?  My god, I finally beat Three Leaf Clover after a few tries, and dying at the very end of it.  For those that don't remember, here are the steps:

steal car
drive across town
rob bank
steal money
run and gun with tons of cops forever
run into subway
shoot more cops
avoid subway trains
shoot more cops
run out of subway
shoot more cops
steal car
run from cops
drop Pakie off

Dying at the end of this only to start all the way over is about as close as you can get to virtual masochism.  Seriously, who's ever decision it was not to include a check point system should be punched in the face.  And any reviewer that didn't dock them for this should be given a swift kick to the groin.

Its a pity too, as driving all over town again and again ruins and otherwise epic mission.

Edit - Son of a b##!  Looks like they've placed checkpoints into the new DLC!  http://www.gta4.net/news/index.php

[Morari]

I'm more curious as to why Rockstar purposely sabotaged the PC port by including SecuROM and Windows Live. Here's a hint Rockstar; stupid DRM makes me pirate games!

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm more curious as to why Rockstar purposely sabotaged the PC port by including SecuROM and Windows Live. Here's a hint Rockstar; stupid DRM makes me pirate games!

They did it to prevent people from finding out how broken the PC port was in every conceivable way, at least according to what I've heard about that version of the game.

[Flames_of_chaos]

I'm more curious as to why Rockstar purposely sabotaged the PC port by including SecuROM and Windows Live. Here's a hint Rockstar; stupid DRM makes me pirate games!

All the SecuROM in GTA4 does is the disc verification and I think a 1 time activation.