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GTAIV . . . Do I really want it?
When I first heard that GTAIV was being pushed back, I was pissed. I was anxiously awaiting a return to Liberty City in all of its next-gen (current-gen?) glory. Plus, I want my damn duffel bag and lock box (mmm . . . schwag). However, once my anger subsided and I was able to think more rationally, I began to realize this was not necessarily a bad thing. With all of the other titles coming out this fall/winter (Bioshock, Mass Effect, Halo 3, COD 4, The Orange Box) I don't think I'd really have the time to fully enjoy a GTA game. Hell, the first time I jacked a bicycle in San Andreas, I rode around for nearly 4 hours (yes, real time) leveling up my bunny-hop skills. Now that I know it won't be released until at least March of next year, my gaming schedule has some much-needed breathing room.
As I came to grips with the fact that I wouldn't be playing GTAIV any time soon, something bad happened. I began to think about why I love the franchise. Yes, the missions are fun and the stories are great, but that's not why I keep coming back. I finished San Andreas the first week I got it. I have yet to go back to replay the story mode, but so far I've logged over 100 hours. That's right. I've spent way more time goofing around and doing stupid shit than I ever did "playing the game." One of my favorite things to do is pop in the invincibility code, fly over Area 69, skydive in, and see if I can steal the gunship before all hell breaks loose and I get blown to bits (you can still die in explosions while invincible . . . don't ask). While thinking about CJ's exploits brings a smile to my face, the reality of the situation smacks that fucker right off. Cheat codes. Two little words that mean nothing to me except in the GTA universe.
Goddamn cheat codes. Will these codes exist for either the 360 or PS3 versions? With the online components I'm reading about, it's not very likely. As the popularity of multiplayer grows, the ability to include cheats in games decreases. POOP!!! I know, I can still have fun with the sandbox stuff without codes. But I can have so much more fun with them. What's so fun about intentionally racking up a 5-star wanted level if you can still be hurt by bullets and melee attacks? Wouldn't it be more fun to rack up a 5-star level, sky dive onto a rooftop to wait for the fuzz to show up, launch wave after wave of rockets at them (unlimited ammo cheat), pick off a few helicopters, jump off the building to land unscathed on the pavement below, kick a few feds, steal one of their vehicles, and drive away (watch those pedestrians) like a madman, preparing for the inevitable high-speed chase/demolition derby that is to come. Add to this the fact that GTAIV looks to be a lot less "cartoony" and over the top. I haven't heard anything about the sandbox functionality, but what happens if the above scenario isn't even a possibility, with or without codes?
So, that being said, is playing only "the game" really worth it? Does anyone really play only the missions, put the controller down, say to themselves, "Well, that was rewarding," and never play again? If these people are out there, I've never met them. Maybe the online component will offer a new type of gameplay which will allay my fears and make me forget about the past. Or I might just have to bite the bullet and learn new ways in which I can wreak havoc on Liberty City. Either way, I'm stuck with a pre-order, so there's really no going back. So come next year, depending on how this all plays out, I'll have either a duffel bag full of happiness, or a lockbox full of tears.
As I came to grips with the fact that I wouldn't be playing GTAIV any time soon, something bad happened. I began to think about why I love the franchise. Yes, the missions are fun and the stories are great, but that's not why I keep coming back. I finished San Andreas the first week I got it. I have yet to go back to replay the story mode, but so far I've logged over 100 hours. That's right. I've spent way more time goofing around and doing stupid shit than I ever did "playing the game." One of my favorite things to do is pop in the invincibility code, fly over Area 69, skydive in, and see if I can steal the gunship before all hell breaks loose and I get blown to bits (you can still die in explosions while invincible . . . don't ask). While thinking about CJ's exploits brings a smile to my face, the reality of the situation smacks that fucker right off. Cheat codes. Two little words that mean nothing to me except in the GTA universe.
Goddamn cheat codes. Will these codes exist for either the 360 or PS3 versions? With the online components I'm reading about, it's not very likely. As the popularity of multiplayer grows, the ability to include cheats in games decreases. POOP!!! I know, I can still have fun with the sandbox stuff without codes. But I can have so much more fun with them. What's so fun about intentionally racking up a 5-star wanted level if you can still be hurt by bullets and melee attacks? Wouldn't it be more fun to rack up a 5-star level, sky dive onto a rooftop to wait for the fuzz to show up, launch wave after wave of rockets at them (unlimited ammo cheat), pick off a few helicopters, jump off the building to land unscathed on the pavement below, kick a few feds, steal one of their vehicles, and drive away (watch those pedestrians) like a madman, preparing for the inevitable high-speed chase/demolition derby that is to come. Add to this the fact that GTAIV looks to be a lot less "cartoony" and over the top. I haven't heard anything about the sandbox functionality, but what happens if the above scenario isn't even a possibility, with or without codes?
So, that being said, is playing only "the game" really worth it? Does anyone really play only the missions, put the controller down, say to themselves, "Well, that was rewarding," and never play again? If these people are out there, I've never met them. Maybe the online component will offer a new type of gameplay which will allay my fears and make me forget about the past. Or I might just have to bite the bullet and learn new ways in which I can wreak havoc on Liberty City. Either way, I'm stuck with a pre-order, so there's really no going back. So come next year, depending on how this all plays out, I'll have either a duffel bag full of happiness, or a lockbox full of tears.
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