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[Bebpo]

This is the definition of Crackdown, though. None of the buildings have interiors. You can just jump on the textureless legos.

Sure but the shapes and sizes of the buildings/legos DO affect gameplay and the world. When you come across a section of super high rise buildings in Crackdown it's awesome because it means you can get that high up in the world and look down on it all and then jump to anywhere.

In GTAIV if you see an area of high rise buildings it's like...ok there they are. It doesn't affect anything and they could just be houses.

The Lego docks in Crackdown are a good example. They aren't just a visual piece sitting there but a labyrinth of fun to enjoy. When you go to the dock in GTA...you just walk around.

Well, you can do a lot of that in GTA, but (unsurprisingly) the whole package was oversold by the press in terms of what you can do. I think GameTrailers said that many of the small minigames (darts, pool) were big enough so that they could potentially be sold as their own games.

Allow me to puke.

Well part of it I guess is that the mini-games I've done so far (bowling, darts) aren't fun and they just feel like mini-games seperate from the main package instead of integrated into the world.

How far are you?

Like 8%, lol.

I think you have a lot of freedom in GTAIV. Just not in ways similar to Crackdown.

Crackdown is "I can go anywhere" and "I can lift up a giant truck". GTAIV is more "I can do this guy's mission, or this guy's, or I can do vigilante missions...but at the same time I want to get on someone's good side and get their perks. Oh but wait! There's Jacob's package missions and Brucie's car collecting missions. But I don't want to do that I want to read the in game internet."

Crackdown is more do anything, GTAIV is sandbox in terms of content.

I prefer GTAIV's approach. Crackdown gets boring to me after 30 minutes.

I see where you're coming from. GTA is a sandbox of missions and NPCs. Do whatever missions and NPCs you want. Whereas Crackdown is a sandbox of world and objects. Do whatever you want in the world.

Since I just don't care much about missions in sandbox games and I just play them for the sandbox world I guess that's why GTA doesn't grab me and Crackdown is my favorite HD-gen game.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Spoiler

If you choose to work with Dmitri on the money or revenge choice, he double crosses you on it, then kills Roman at the wedding, and the final mission has you killing Dmitri. Sounds like you chose the wrong path for the ending you wanted

Spoiler

Yeah that would have been a much better door closer for me. Except I wouldn't want to see Roman die. But it would be a much stronger ending as I felt more attached to Roman, and despise Dmitri more. Thanks for pointing that out

Dammit now I have to play through again.:lol

 

[UncleGuito]

I just beat Three Leaf Clover (took me 1 try)- wow, was that a great mission. Really had my heart pumping.

 

[alr1ght]

wtf @ just dropping a grenade straight down if you aren't aiming with the triggers. I just killed my boy

Spoiler

Packie

in Three Leaf Clover. Ridiculous.

 

[Esperado]

Spoiler

If you choose to work with Dmitri on the money or revenge choice, he double crosses you on it, then kills Roman at the wedding, and the final mission has you killing Dmitri. Sounds like you chose the wrong path for the ending you wanted

Spoiler

Yeah, I did the same exact thing. I'm guessing Rockstar wanted you to pick the ending based on what character you were most fond of. So if you liked Roman the most, you would pick his advice and if you liked Kate, etc. I admit that the ending would have had way more impact on me had I picked money instead of revenge because I was really fond of Roman and didn't really care for Kate at all. It seems kind of weird that they would put so much behind Kate even though everything involving her is completely optional.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I think you have a lot of freedom in GTAIV. Just not in ways similar to Crackdown.

Crackdown is "I can go anywhere" and "I can lift up a giant truck". GTAIV is more "I can do this guy's mission, or this guy's, or I can do vigilante missions...but at the same time I want to get on someone's good side and get their perks."

Crackdown is more do anything, GTAIV is sandbox in terms of content.

I prefer GTAIV's approach. Crackdown gets boring to me after 30 minutes.

I roughly have the same opinion and not only that but I'm not sure why Crackdown even keeps getting brought up. I understand Saints Row because that really is closer to the same style of game (even though I wasn't a big of the first Saints Row either) but when people bring up things like I can't run around like a superhuman, jump 50 ft in the air, and jump from skyscraper to skyscraper, I'm never really sure what's the point. Who bought GTA expecting that sort of thing?

I don't want that shit in my GTA. I don't want Niko to be the incredible Hulk nor do a lot of people hence the spectacular sales. That doesn't mean that people can't prefer Crackdown. I'm just a little baffled as to why people would buy a game in a series where you know you can't do that. It's liking buying Final Fantasy and complaining it's not like Oblivion.

 

[Y2Kev]

It doesn't make for a good straight comparison, yes. I believe CD suffers from the same problem in that it has no mission variety. Well, to be exact, it has no mission design at all. It's really quite sandboxy.

I think, after AssCrud, Crackdown, GTA, etc etc I'm just beginning to appreciate tightly-designed linear games.

 

[Bebpo]

Crackdown is fucking boring to me. Oh wow I can jump here and jump there! So what? How does that make it a good game? The actual game missions suck.

Well they could have at least put the leveling up abilities aspect into GTA. Leveling up abilities gives you stuff to do when not in missions.

Also I'd just like more hidden stuff. I go onto the beach in GTA and it looks cool but after walking around for a few mins I'm like "there's nothing to do on this empty beach" and I just walk back. I feel like there should be things to do everywhere to keep the fun.

It doesn't make for a good straight comparison, yes. I believe CD suffers from the same problem in that it has no mission variety. Well, to be exact, it has no mission design at all. It's really quite sandboxy.

I think, after AssCrud, Crackdown, GTA, etc etc I'm just beginning to appreciate tightly-designed linear games.

Crackdown isn't really about the missions though. The main gameplay is leveling up and doing all the optional stuff like finding agility orbs and jumping through stunt rings or even the rooftop races. That's where the game is tightly designed with great challenges and rewards.

 

[TheGreatDave]

Crackdown is fucking boring to me. Oh wow I can jump here and jump there! Not my thang.

To me, Crackdown has less of the good stuff of GTA, but it also has none of the stuff that annoys me. When I play GTA, I can find myself getting angry at things like combat, or the missions being so strict, and that didn't happen in Crackdown. Not to say GTA doesn't have advantages over Crackdown (it's the better game I'd say), but for me the things I like in Crackdown aren't just the super hero stuff. It's not that I can jump really high that I like the game, it's that I can use that ability to take down a boss in many different ways. GTA puts you in an area, tells you to kill enemies, then go to the next blip.

I'm somebody that doesn't care about story, which is probably why I'm so forgiving of Crackdown's stripped down narrative and lack of clear purpose.

 

[twinturbo2]

I'm having trouble on the mission known as "Shadow".

Spoiler

How in the hell do you keep that guy in your sights once you enter the building? Is there an elevator somewhere?

 

[vumpler]

Spoiler

Yeah that would have been a much better door closer for me. Except I wouldn't want to see Roman die. But it would be a much stronger ending as I felt more attached to Roman, and despise Dmitri more. Thanks for pointing that out

Dammit now I have to play through again.:lol

Spoiler

Yeah I got the Dimitri killing ending. It was very satisfying. It was nice though because then Romans wife calls you to tell you she's pregnant. Was pretty cool.

 

[Esperado]

Well, I'm going to print out a code sheet now and see what kind of fun I can have. I really think my emphasis on the story may have made me enjoy the game less, so lets see what happens.

Spoiler

Yeah I got the Dimitri killing ending. It was very satisfying. It was nice though because then Romans wife calls you to tell you she's pregnant. Was pretty cool.

I envy you for picking that ending.

 

[Future PhaZe]

I think GTA IV feels more repetitive because San Andreas had so many different missions with really different characters in three very different cities along with a huge number of other distractions. In trying to make things more realistic, Rockstar have made GTA a bit more boring. I really like GTA IV but I think I will ultimately remember San Andreas and parts of Vice City more fondly. I look forward to seeing where R* go next with GTA, hopefully they will create something with as much content as San Andreas. Don't get me wrong, GTA IV is excellent but I do feel something is lacking when I think of the variety of SA.

We completely agree here. GTA IV to me felt quite weak in comparison to SA. I enjoy the overall polish of GTA IV and the better performance from a story/cutscene perspective, but other than that, everything from the soundtrack to the city itself I found to be somewhat lacking.

I think I'm just always expecting some kind of grand ridiculous sequel for these games. GTA 1 was good and GTA 2 was an upgrade, but then you get this huge upgrade for GTA 3, followed by the extremely polished Vice City and completely over the top San Andreas.

Then GTA IV comes, and while a lot of things are upgraded and polished, its missing some of the depth that I'd come to know from the series.

 

[kylej]

To me, Crackdown has less of the good stuff of GTA, but it also has none of the stuff that annoys me.

You're annoyed at the lack of mission variety in GTAIV but you like Crackdown? lol


I like the random encounters. Some of the characters you meet are surprisingly deep.

 

[Won]

Finished the game/story an hour ago and I'm not sure what to think of the whole thing.
It began really great. Felt like Rockstar wanted to focus way more on the story and the relationship with the characters, but it somehow disappeared in the middle and the story never really recovered. Especially the "branching paths" at the end were completely pointless.

Spoiler

One of the choice seemed like the obvious choice, while the other one plays the story out in the way it (imo) should.

Mission design: Nothing to see here. Expected way more from a GTA game.

 

[Y2Kev]

Crackdown isn't really about the missions though. The main gameplay is leveling up and doing all the optional stuff like finding agility orbs and jumping through stunt rings or even the rooftop races. That's where the game is tightly designed with great challenges and rewards.

The orbs and leveling lasted me like 6 hours before I got tired. You have to give me something to do other than jump around. I understand this is appealing to some people, but Crackdown is, by my definition, anything but "tight."

 

[strikeselect]

the next GTA better have tanks, a good soundtrack, more minigames and side activities (robbing stores, selling drugs with the ice cream truck, buying property etc. etc.) I also wouldn't mind having the RPGish elements from SA back like the weightlifting, running stats.


so much stuff missing from the previous ones, it's pretty lame when I'm walking around the city and realize all I can really do is kill people or do a mission. meh.

 

[Darkflight]

Great, way to go game, I'm literally 10 feet from the garage for one of

Spoiler

Stevie's

cars when I get call informing me of an event later in the day (I just assumed it was the friend wanting to go out, so I obviously answer), so the event is now my main mission, meaning I can't put the car in the garage after I've been driving it slowly over 2 islands to get it there in pristine condition, great, thanks, really appreciated that.

 

[Papercuts]

You're annoyed at the lack of mission variety in GTAIV but you like Crackdown? lol


I like the random encounters. Some of the characters you meet are surprisingly deep.

Well, I think he means GTAIV had barely any mission variety and the missions are frustrating to boot, Crackdown is just random mayhem and wasn't trying to be deep.

 

[Bebpo]

The orbs and leveling lasted me like 6 hours before I got tired. You have to give me something to do other than jump around. I understand this is appealing to some people, but Crackdown is, by my definition, anything but "tight."

Well I'll stop talking about CD in a GTA thread at this point. Hopefully GTAIV's world will grow on me.

I will say though that SA sounds a lot more like something I'd get into with the stats, the stunts in the countryside, the parachuting around, etc...seems like a lot more just "living" fun to do when you're not doing the missions.

 

[Ryuuga]

the next GTA better have tanks, a good soundtrack, more minigames and side activities (robbing stores..

^

I was really hoping we'd be able to do something like that in this game. Now that you mention it, this game also doesn't provide you with as many options to earn paper.

Spoiler

I mean, I know we have the drug trafficking missions, races etc., but there is only a limited amount of those missions. It leaves players running around killing random peds for change in order to make up for the high medical fees.


Also, whatever happened to the pizza delivery?

 

[Papercuts]

^

I was really hoping we'd be able to do something like that in this game. Now that you mention it, this game also doesn't provide you with as many options to earn paper.

There's also not much to buy, at all. Really limited choices for clothes, I bought everything I could and still have so much, three leaf clover was overkill.

 

[TheGreatDave]

You're annoyed at the lack of mission variety in GTAIV but you like Crackdown? lol


I like the random encounters. Some of the characters you meet are surprisingly deep.

I'm more annoyed at the strictness of GTA. There is a big difference between "go and kill this boss" and "follow this car for 3 minutes, knowing your bullets won't do anything".

 

[DrBo42]

Are there really no parachutes in this game? I wanted to base jump off the ESB so bad.

 

[Y2Kev]

Well I'll stop talking about CD in a GTA thread at this point. Hopefully GTAIV's world will grow on me.

I will say though that SA sounds a lot more like something I'd get into with the stats, the stunts in the countryside, the parachuting around, etc...seems like a lot more just "living" fun to do when you're not doing the missions.

I'll make a thread when I start.

 

[strikeselect]

I still don't get the hate against the soundtrack.

In Vice City, everytime I stole a car there was a catchy, awesome song playing.

In IV, not so much. In fact, I'm gonna go play Vice City right now just to see how it holds up.

 

[twinturbo2]

I still don't get the hate against the soundtrack.

It can all be boiled down to "why are the Smashing Pumpkins on the classic rock station?" I love everything else, tho.

 

[gnarkill bill]

I still don't get the hate against the soundtrack.

I personally dont hate it but it just doesnt really standout like Vice City or San Andreas's Soundtracks. TO ME, GTA 4's soundtrack doesnt mix with the game well...just my opinion.

 

[Ryuuga]

Really? I like every station except LCHC.

So you like THE JOURNEY as well? I mean except for the aphex twin track, that station is just straight up coma-inducing (even though it's sort of meant to be)

 

[funkmastergeneral]

Really? I like every station except LCHC.

that and JNR are the only good music stations, for the most part they blow man.

 

[Ryuuga]

GTA 4's soundtrack doesnt mix with the game well...just my opinion.

This I can agree with. I do appreciate the effort they put into getting some of the more underground tracks. It's somewhat better then just slapping some of the latest tracks onto it and calling it a day. However, as aforementioned, it just doesn't mesh well with the game in general, whether you listen to radio for chase music or just calm travel.

 

[Salmonax]

I'm more annoyed at the strictness of GTA. There is a big difference between "go and kill this boss" and "follow this car for 3 minutes, knowing your bullets won't do anything".

Yep. It's stupid for them to ever, ever change the rules in a "sandbox" type of game. If you want to set up a roadblock of 10 cars and blast it with a rocket launcher when the AI gets caught up in it, that should really be your call.

I know they were going for a more cinematic effect on the missions by having scripted sequences that you're forced to see, but they should have figured out a way to do it without bending the game world's rules. Like, "hey, he needs to stay alive so the traffic camera sees him at this intersection, so don't kill him until then" and if you do, you fail the mission.

 

[Ceb]

The recent discussion here makes me wanna pop in San Andreas. It's a shame the parts in the beginning always feel like a chore to replay though. :/

 

[raYne]

Anyone else having issues with the Social Club not being up to date? I've beaten the game already, and played online multiple times since. Yet, it still doesn't recognize that fact. Based on that, I'd say the rest of the "stats" on the site are probably off as well.

Seems like a waste of time, so far.

edit:
Hell, the Zit thing doesn't even work.

 

[Ryuuga]

The recent discussion here makes me wanna pop in San Andreas. It's a shame the parts in the beginning always feel like a chore to replay though. :/

Wait for the San Andreas mod when GTAIV hits pc.

The majority of the soundtrack IS underground. At least, in today's society. You normally don't hear reggae/dub, electronic, afrobeat, or soul on today's radio.

True enough. This is only but one of the present day society's ills.

 

[strikeselect]

man just playing vice city and getting into trouble with the cops is still a heck of alot of fun. especially with the sweet 80s music playing and the awesome car handling.

I also forgot the police use spike strips in this game :lol

 

[CrapSandwich]

The soundtrack is great. I saw in an interview, I think it was Sam Houser or maybe Lazlow, that the soundtrack is what you'd hear on the radio in NYC in an ideal world. Which is exactly what they accomplished and it fits the city perfectly. The music is, by and large, excellent music. I think that's the problem for many people... Rockstar eschewed catchy, recognizable jingles in favor of bona fide great music.

 

[Fusebox]

Really? I like every station except LCHC.

Same! I can listen to every channel and enjoy it except for LCHC.

 

[Stoney Mason]

The soundtrack is great. I saw in an interview, I think it was Sam Houser or maybe Lazlow, that the soundtrack is what you'd hear on the radio in NYC in an ideal world. Which is exactly what they accomplished and it fits the city perfectly. The music is, by and large, excellent music. I think that's the problem for many people... Rockstar eschewed catchy, recognizable jingles in favor of bona fide great music.

Also my opinion. Terrific soundtrack. The "well known quotient" is probably lower (especially for the rock genre) but probably the best job when it comes to a more eclectic grouping.

 

[Jackl]

My GF is now addicted to the game. No not the shooting drug dealers and picking up hookers part.

But buying expensive clothes stealing high class cars and going out on dates. >.>

 

[burgerdog]

I hate LCHC!

 

[Salmonax]

Anyone else having issues with the Social Club not being up to date? I've beaten the game already, and played online multiple times since. Yet, it still doesn't recognize that fact. Based on that, I'd say the rest of the "stats" on the site are probably off as well.

Yep, it seems like it updated once when I had just started and hasn't since.

 

[Tokubetsu]

I personally dont hate it but it just doesnt really standout like Vice City or San Andreas's Soundtracks. TO ME, GTA 4's soundtrack doesnt mix with the game well...just my opinion.

The hip hop station being the exception, I barely ever listened to the radio in San Adreas. Whereas I am always listening to Radio Broker (Massive B and Beat to a lesser degree) in IV. Granted, I've been called a hipster before. :lol

 

[Fusebox]

An 80s or 90s metal channel would have been infinitely better than the musicless rot coming out of LCHC.

 

[NumberTwo]

Is there any way to turn off the radio?

 

[funkmastergeneral]

Man what do you guys have against hardcore punk

 

[Stoney Mason]

man just playing vice city and getting into trouble with the cops is still a heck of alot of fun. especially with the sweet 80s music playing and the awesome car handling.
I also forgot the police use spike strips in this game :lol

Not to call this viewing things with nostalgia because people are different and can legit view these things differently but playing the earlier GTA's for me (and I'm playing Vice City right now) feels like a mostly unappealing experience via the driving. All the cars feel the same. They have no body sway. No inertia. No nothing. I feel like I'm driving a little rocket car rather than an actual car. And don't even get me started on the collisions. It just doesn't feel very dynamic which obviously it wouldn't because it's older tech but when people talk about how certain things were in prior GTA's I'm always a little surprised. (Outside of the extra stuff that SA had of course which is very appealing)

To be fair and give the other side, the motorcycles feel less more tight which for me is a slightly better experience on the fun side.

 

[Darkflight]

Where the hell is the classical music station? I wanted to race through the city listening to some Ride of the Valkyries.

Needs some Bullet for my Valentine also, I miss custom soundtracks, I want my Weezer/Ataris/Foos/Paramore/Taking Back Sunday etc in the cars. Agree also, LCHC is awful, thank god for Liberty Rock and some decent Thin Lizzy/Queen.

 

[NumberTwo]

Not to call this viewing things with nostalgia because people are different and can legit view these things differently but playing the earlier GTA's for me (and I'm playing Vice City right now) feels like a mostly unappealing experience via the driving. All the cars feel the same. They have no body sway. No inertia. No nothing. I feel like I'm driving a little rocket car rather than an actual car. And don't even get me started on the collisions. It just doesn't feel very dynamic which obviously it wouldn't because it's older tech but when people talk about how certain things were in prior GTA's I'm always a little surprised. (Outside of the extra stuff that SA had of course which is very appealing)

To be fair and give the other side, the motorcycles feel less more tight which for me is a slightly better experience on the fun side.

I agree Stoney. Going back the previous iterations, It just feels so archaic. GTAIV gave the car physics a much needed overhaul IMO. I just can't say that enough...

 

[Stoney Mason]

Is there any way to turn off the radio?

While your in the car just hold either left or right on the dpad until it shuts off.