Grand Theft Auto IV UK Roundtable

Martin: They certainly seemed to have a little more variety than GTAs past.

Alex: D'you think? Like what?

Martin: Indoor shooting was definitely better implemented, and what we saw was slightly more nuanced than the old 'drive from point A to point B, shoot and drive back to A'.

Alex: I would've liked to have played the mission where Niko is rolling around on top of the van. That to me looked like something new and exciting. Don't get me wrong, the missions were exciting, but I'm looking forward to seeing more and digging deeper.

Martin: I'm sure there's so much more Rockstar are keeping under wraps. It seems to want certain elements to be a genuine surprise upon release, and for chattering journos like us not to ruin the experience and some of the surprises.

Alex: The new combat system really did help to bring the missions to life, especially the Deconstruction for Beginners mission. Running from cover to cover, ducking out to fire, was more Gears that GTA, and it's so much better for it. Gunning down enemies was a lot more considered, tactical even, whereas before it was largely down to luck and the size of the gun you were carrying.

Martin: Definitely. So much of old GTA was spent struggling with an archaic combat system. While this wasn't quite Gears - I still think there was a clunkiness to finding cover, though I'm sure extended play will put paid to that - it was such an improvement.

Alex: Now, it feels like if you're only packing a pistol you could still take out a group of goons, providing you use cover properly.

Martin: There was certainly more accuracy, and I agree about old GTAs being more about how big your gun was than what you did with it. Now I reckon you could get into a firefight with virtually nothing and not feel the odds were too stacked against you.

Alex: Unless, of course, you accidentally fire a bazooka at the cover you're hiding behind. That was hilarious when that happened. But the death scene was worth carking it for!

Martin: The death scenes - they were beautiful. The rag-doll physics make such a difference, like when Niko rolls out of a car, or is fired into the air from his own bazooka blast.

Alex: Ah man, when he bailed from a car at full pelt - that really looked like it hurt.

Martin: And they also make some of the enemy deaths so much more grisly. We'd seen it last time, but the goon falling on the roof of the SUV still made me wince.

Alex: And when he smashes through the windscreen if he shunts another car at speed. Ouch.

Martin: What about the health system? It was a lot more subtle than in past GTAs.

Alex: I think it worked well. Obviously it's not such a radical overhaul as the Wanted system, but it makes sense in the context of the game. I wish we'd have had the time to stop off at a Burger Shot to see how eating food boosts health, rather than just the medikits.

Martin: I didn't know if they were going to use regenerative health for this one. It actually feels kind of odd playing a game in this day and age that still uses medi-packs and a health bar.

Alex: I like that, though. The fact you have to tool up before embarking on a mission, rather than knowing everything is at max automatically.

Martin: That's one of the problems with GTA - spending an age in preparation for a particularly tough mission, only to accidentally fire a bazooka in your face, but I guess the new save point system goes some way to fixing that.

Alex: That's your own stupid fault. It never happened to me.

Martin: But you just chased helicopters all the time!

Alex: Four helicopters. That's all it was. Besides, taking out four police helicopters, including the snipers perched on the sides, took serious skill.

Martin: As does throwing a burger in the face of passers-by. I reckon I could've taken five helicopters out with just one patty given half a chance.

Alex: I'd like to see you master the hot dog next time. Anyway, I guess the big question is, did playing it for the first time live up to your expectations?

Martin: It definitely left me with an appetite for more.

Alex: Absolutely. It's progressed so much since I first saw it. From what I've seen of other sandbox games, GTA is doing stuff most other games don't even come close to. No other game nails its characters so well, or the way they fit into the environment.

Martin: GTA is one of those games that won't reveal itself after only a couple of hours of play - what we saw was instantly familiar, but there were so many touches that keep coming back to me that suggest this game is going to be huge. And you're right, GTA is still the best sandbox.

Alex: And now the environment is probably the most important character in the game. Liberty City looks like a cool place to hang out, to explore.

Martin: We didn't see or talk about multiplayer, but I can't wait to find out what it'll be like. Will it be a drop-in co-op affair? I really love the idea of hooking up with a friend and hitting the town. Just going for a leisurely drive and having a booze together, or teaming up for a mission.

Alex: I never played the PSP multiplayer missions, but I think it'll be something that's kept separate from the single-player game. Having said that, it'll be nice if it includes familiar characters and that Liberty City almost becomes your playground. I'd bet money that you'll be able to play the mini-games with pals.

Martin: I'm hoping the online is a bit more imaginative than that, but I guess that's a given. Would GTA work with deathmatch, or would that be a mismatch?

Alex: I can't see how that would work. You'd have to restrict it to certain areas of the map, which seems a bit anti-GTA. Then again, it could be some kind of turf war, battling for control over districts. That would be hugely ambitious though...

Martin: Turf war! Now that's an amazing idea. That would be absolutely amazing. From the way Rockstar is talking about it I'm guessing it'll be pretty special. I'd love a 16-player online turf war! My heart is racing just thinking about it.

Alex: That would be fully awesome. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

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