I had prepared myself to experience the world's best game. Judging by other people's reviews, Grand Theft Auto 4 was crafted in a special gaming studio in heaven, authored by Jesus Christ himself, and it descended upon us from the heavens on a golden chariot made out of chocolate covered in fairy dust. Imagine my surprise when I experienced the world's biggest turd in gaming since Davilex' A2 Racer (Dutch people will understand).
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Member since:2005-06-29
Yeah, why don't you just quote the entire paragraph, making it clear that it's more than just the dialogue and the story that make Mass Effect stand out so much here:
Edited 2009-03-28 15:45 UTC
Member since:2005-07-01
Mass Effect's plot may be epic but I'm more impressed by a small story, set in the real world than all that derivative, Star Trek stuff.
There are very few real world stories in video games. R* may make a nonsense of them with their lovable psychopath dichotomy and their body count but at least they're trying.
I thought the relationship between Nico and his cousin was actually pretty well realised - one of the most convincing relationships I've encountered in a game and that is something that seriously needs commending.
You're complaints were mostly pretty valid but it's unfair to ignore the game's qualities. The recreation of a contemporary American city has to be the best in video game history. Oh yeah, and multiplayer deathmatch rules. Seriously. Having both guns and cars as weapons and not having to aim makes for a surprisingly strategic shooter.
I think many of the game's failings derive from the fact the GTA games sell very well, so they don't like to change much (this game is nothing like as different from previous games as people make out). But, hopefully, the law of diminishing may finally be kicking in, even if the gaming world hasn't got the message from this and The Sims that people would like some games set in a real world that they can relate to.
BTW, you forgot to mention that the over-the-shoulder camera used in combat is complete rubbish.
Member since:
2007-09-25
"I guess the people handing out the praise (basically every game reviewer) have never played Mass Effect, which sports the best dialogue and story of any game ever made."
I stopped paying attention to the review at this point. Seriously, that's one of the most baldly idiotic statements I've read in quite a while. Even if you do like Mass Effect, saying that its cliched plot and flatline dialogue are the "best of any game ever made" are a sure indication that the reviewer hasn't played very many games at all.
GTA 4 does leave a lot to be desired, but then so does this review.