How was it perceived at the time when released?t. Zoomy
>>746478072>t. ZoomyYou don't remember? It was the shit
people called it boring and the atmosphere too depressing and gloomy. everyone went back to playing SA before V came out.
>>746478287They truly nailed the slav simulator aspect
>>746478072badthe pop in was so severe that you could fall through the geometryloved my q6600 though
>>746478072It was the fastest grossing product ever made, making $500 million in the first week. Everyone loved it. The only complaint was that it wasn't as wacky as San Andreas, but all of those fags stfu after Saints Row 2 released.
>>746478072Not great. PC players hated it, because the game ran like absolute garbage, and continued being a problem for years. I think hardware advances rendered the problems meaningless though, as they normally do.
It was mixed, some people were creaming their pants about the technology while others were mad it wasn't San Andreas 2.0.
>>746478072It was a cultural worldwide event.
>>746478072i thought it was graphically impressive but that the gameplay was unremarkable and the cast was boring and unlikable.
People were giving it 10 reviews and things were never more optimistic. Halo 3 came out around the same time and was likewise impressive, and at the same time despite all that Wii was taking over the world and actually changing how you interact with games. As a Nintenchad I was very disillusioned by the PS2 and Xbox generation, since Halo and Halo 2 were complete dog shit and everyone loved it for some reason I never expected Halo 3 to actually be kinda good. Everyone loved Grand Theft Auto and this game was more immersive than the old games so it was well received, except for one thing. In most ways the game was a downgrade in scope and freedom from San Andreas. That was one of the first signs that this "next gen" shit wasn't worth chasing, and Nintendo must have known it, because they managed to make Mario Galaxy look like it has better graphics than anything on Xbox 360 and PS3. Personally I skipped this gen and went with Wii but it was cool
>>746479059>halo was dogshitt. doom boomer whos game is easy as fuck and you auto aim without needing to look up or down
Another thing about Wii. There is a Scarface game on Wii that is a million times better than every GTA game. Everything you wished would be in GTA but isn't, it's all there in Scarface for Nintendo Wii. Absolute banger.
>>746479106Nah more like Goldeneye Millenigod
>>746478072it was so dark and gritty that we all hit the griddy when gamestop opened
>>746478072It was a bit controversial. A lot of people hated it because of the darker tone and the weird driving physics. I personally loved it (and still do).
>>746478072Go pull up the thread on it from yesterday.
>>746479174Kek
>>746478976You sound like a fag, it was next level shit.
the graphics and ragdoll physics were cool
>>746478072Everyone hated it because it had way less features than San Andreas. It was a graphical upgrade, but a major gameplay downgrade.
>>746478072It was rightfully called shit and a downgrade from san andreas. Nothing really changed except now people call it good just to shit on 5 (a slightly better game) because it has no redeeming qualities.
>>746478072I wasn't really impressed, felt new and weird. even as an adult I cannot really get into it at all
>>746478072It was shit and a step back in all ways from San AndreasAbout the only thing it had going for it was the euphoria engine
>>746479167I feel bad for people that never got to experience Goldeneye 4 player split-screen
>>746480154It's an upgrade one you know how to play it
>>746480230It's a more refined and tightly crafted game than the bloated mess of San Andreas.
>>746478072Too serious, too grim, too bland and realistic visually, awkward car suspension physics, annoying nagging friend system. Pretty much the only thing that turned out true is that last one.
>>746480440It has 80 fucking missions not counting DLC in small ass samey brown city that makes vice city look gigantic, it's bloated as fuck
>>746480573san andreas is also bloated as fuck with shit missions in the middle. you just forget because it starts and ends strong enough (minus the gang wars bullshit).
>>746478072people wanted an SA clone and liied saints row 2 over it
>>746478072I could appreciate what was at the time a very detailed version of New York but I still remember thinking at the time that the story and characters were awful and it was just a bunch of missions to shoot at people. somehow GTA on PS2 had more dynamic gameplay. I really disliked it
>>746478976Honestly, that sounds like you have really bad taste. The best thing about GTA 4 IS the gameplay. That is what still makes 4 the best game in the entire series. The gunplay hasn't been topped yet.
>>746480573SA has 101 missions, retard.
>>746478123Nigger we werent exactly going to ign or /v/Also just cause 2 mogs Saints row 2
>>746480801at least i can remember how it starts and endsand badlandsand the desertand las venturasonly san fierro and early los santos tutorial missions are weak and it's not even the best gta imo
>>746478072It was the best game of all time. Still is. Also the funniest game of all time with Roman and titties and the conservative radio
>>746478072No clue. I was 12 when it first came out and I played it since my parents were cool like that and I remember loving the physics engine and trying to figure out elaborate 6 star rampages I could go on like blocking off the cluckin bell entrance with a car and throwing molotovs at cops and to see how long I could last or going to the roof of the turismo dealership and gunning down as many people as I could. Plus the physics were hilarious and I loved all the car crashes where Niko would ragdoll out the front window of the car and bounce around at 90mph. Then the radio station commercials were hilarious, NPC's said random atupid bullshit when you were walking around, the actual characters you interacted with were hilarious, and the guns felt pretty good as well. /v/iggers will tell you that GTA IV was too serious and I have no idea how they even come to that conclusion. Theres like 2 sad moments in the entire game. Ive since played eveey GTA from Vice City all the way up to 5 and GTA IV is still the best imo
No one hated it. It got 10 out of 10 from critics and audiences.
>>746478072it wasn't as significant as SA in popularity, it wasn't so much about the arcade gameplay as it was about the story which you had to pay attention to the cutscenes to understand or you'll find the actual gameplay less appealing and for a kid they just want zoom zoom go fast skip skip skip
>>746481098
The press gave it 10/10s and sucked it off. Most people liked Niko and the story but criticized the driving, overbearing cell phone calls, and lack of features like skydiving and vehicle customization. It's reputation was strong out of the gate but probably soured by 2010 after the DLCs were released the year prior.In 2011-2013 everyone was excited to get back to Los Santos for a less depressing locale and promises of fun first over sim gameplay. Again, most people sucked off GTA V upon release, and the few who didn't criticized the dick jokes and portrayal of women, not the horrible map design, half assed story, or babymode difficulty.GTA Online reached it's peak popularity in 2016 or 2017 and the Doomsday Heist update in 2018 was when Oppressor Mk 2s were introduced and its reputation then tanked between 2018-2020, culminating in Rockstar's groveling for Black Lives Matter and shutting down their online to pay respects to a career criminal, pornographer, drug addict, and shitty human being. On one hand, this is human nature - not appreciating what you have until it's gone. On the other hand, it's simple opportunity cost and the cyclical nature of fashions.It makes perfect sense that GTA VI would try to combine the strengths of 4 and 5 into one game for a widely popular GTA experience that endures greater scrutiny as time goes on.
>>746478072I would say that it was relatively polarizing at the time. I would say that the majority of people really liked it, and a substantial amount of people thought it was the greatest game ever made. On the other hand, you did have minority of people who were disappointed because it was so dreary and grey compared to sunny and warm San Andreas.I am very happy that in retrospect it is generally seen as one of the greatest games ever in general. And it genuinely is. GTA 4 is, even to this day, 18 (EIGHTEEN) years later still a technical masterpiece with great writing, good story, great characters, great map. It's just an amazing game.
scooter brothers
>>746481247That's retarded. The dlc were the best dlc ever released. Ballad of gay Tony was better than the main game.
>>746481247thanks chatAI
>>746481247I can't believe I used to be a fucking stupid incel chud like this. Glad I left that phase behind me.
>>746481046Are you me? Right down to the age and the cluck and bell killzones this was my experience with it hahaI also LOVED the Internet cafe stuff with I think Aphex twin as the background music? Haha I think that was my first introduction to ambient electronic music. It’s so interesting how everything about its marketing and artsy qualities would never likely make it into a present day AAA game. It was very unsafe in many respects. Niko let’s go bowling!
>>746481247Rockstar could literally do tick / tick releases with one game being a drama and the next one being more comedy / campy. But they can't do that strategy because the don't make games. No games! Instead they make horse testicle physics and refueling simulators.
>>746478072I remember finding it boring because I used to go to a friend's house where we'd just do crazy shit in Vice City, III and SA so I got IV but it was bleak and less arcade so it was a let down.
>>746478072Idk but I liked it
>>746478072Kino, but lots of people were disappointed they didnt keep the weight gain/muscle gain and fighting styles from SA yet still enjoyed it. V too was well received on release, especially having actual plannable heists but the online was hated because it was a few missions and not a fun sandbox like IV
>>746478976same, I remember thinking it was soulless and lifeless and brown and muddy. Lack of interiors and no faction or gang mechanics. A very shallow open world. Another overrated Rockstar open work experience.
It was shit onPeople mocked how there were no carsThe driving was considered ass
>>746478072too grimdark and focused on realism but TBoGT fixed that
>>746482179You were too dumb to remember how much gang wars sucked in SA because of how poorly implemented it was.
>>746482713lol no it’s fun af
>>746482773>randomass strip in the middle of nowhere>have to run around to initiate it >enemies will spawn behind buildings and will run away meaning you have to start overNo, it fucking sucked. TBOGT/TLAD and Undead Nightmare did it better.
>>746481384>moronic response like thatThank God you'll never own a house zoomer. You deserve the pain. >>746481527The plan was always real life sim. Dan Houser wanted prostitutes and deep girlfriend relationship mechanics in IV. I think they could do 2 GTAs per console generation but Online caught on and they're beholden to T2 shareholders and to offset losses for gambles on new studios and smaller projects.>one game being a dramaI trust no one at modern Rockstar to write a serious crime drama, economics not considered.
Gang wars are pretty fun. The Lundendorf and Cayo Perico survival are the best thing they've done in a long time. I can't remember RDR1s too much but loved that too.
>>746478789>I think hardware advances rendered the problems meaningless though, as they normally do.No, you still need to download community fixes for it not to be broken as shit. But once you do, it's easily the best way to play the game, especially with cut music restored.
>>746482894>Thank God you'll never own a house zoomer. You deserve the pain.I own a house and the pain is real.doesn't change the fact that it's chat AIcheers
>>746482713I was disappointed by San Andreas too. Vice city was the last game not to disappoint because it felt like they were moving closer to the type of crime sim many of us at the time wanted the series to he. I never understood the value people attached to stupid mini games rather than the core gameplay and AI but the majority of gamers have always been shallow and dumb graphic whores.
>>746482960>KWABWrote it myself, lived through it, don't use AI. Good luck with the brain rot.
The multiplayer was hilarious fun, particularly free roam with randoms and private races. It was graphically impressive. The missions are way too repetitive and there's not a lot to do outside of them.
I remember my friend telling me to play multiplayer and we do stunts all day
>>746478072I bought it on launch and did not like it. Was a step down from San Andreas in every way except phyics and graphics. But that is all that matters in the normalfag mind is presentation.I actually replayed it not too long ago after over a decade and my opinion has not changed. You could have a dogshit game and sprinkle it with an amazing presentation and people will love it. Civ 5 is the next game that comes to mind.
>>746478072A lot of complaining about Roman wanting to go bowling all the time. In reality he only calls you frequently at the very start because he's trying to make you feel welcome in the city
>>746479059>As a Nintenchad I was very disillusioned by the PS2 and Xbox generationYou must have been incredibly disillusioned by entire generation as I was disillusioned by the PS3 and never bought a console after that.
>>746478720>Everyone loved it.no they didn't. saints row 2's marketing campaign was built off people who didn't like gta4 compared to san andreas
The biggest downfall was the world itself, it felt dull and depressing in comparison to previous games.
>>746485449>depressingThis is one of those descriptions that are repeated over and over because people keep saying it. There is almost nothing depressing about the game. Go watch TV and see how bonkers the shit on there is. Listen to the radio and you'll see how corny and funny everrything is. This mantra is repeated by brainless people who can't form an opinion for themselves.
>>746478072It was great, got a 98 on metacric and was beloved by everyone who wasn't a Slop Andreas thirdie like >>746478287
Everyone agreed it was a good game, most also agreed it was missing a lot of content
>>746486374Yeah spot on, arguing with IV haters is almost pointless because you are not arguing with actual living people, you are arguing with a collection of catchphrases and memes
it was a massive disappointment after San Andreas and had very little cultural impact>boring cast of characters>boring gameplay>boring story>driving mechanics suck>let's go le bowling only NPCs enjoyed this slop because they will consoom every product no questions asked. real human beings knew it was shit
>>746478072I remember the first week a lot of people were disappointed by it, it was too down to earth, too "realistic" instead of gamey. You couldn't just immediately dive into fucking around with cheats and screwing about, and it was kind of dull and gloomy to boot. I feel like this was the point where Rockshart wanted you to pay attention to their lame writing and stories instead of simply letting you play the game like it was a game.
>>746478720>>746481098Hey retards. Everyone was shitting on it. There were tons of memes. My buddy bought it, we played for like two hours then decided it sucked and never booted it up again.
>>746478123He was like 3 when GTA 4 released
>>746489158>2 hoursyou're the retard here
>>746480956lol
>>746478072Friend owned the PS3Wow graphics and animations at first, but over time, meh, it just ain't fun like San Andreas wasAnd it's coming from us still being easily impressionable tweens
was cool
People liked the game engine, physics and shooting mechanics but disliked everything else and the fact that they removed features like flying planes/helis. Story was mixed, some enjoyed it for being more down to earth and impactful while others disliked how serious and gloomy it was.The fact that the TLAD dlc flopped commercially despite being released at the hight of the show Sons of Anarchy proves that people overall didn’t really care for GTA 4.
>>746489705Pretty much this.I suspect if it had more of the mechanics San Andres had then more people would have seen it as an upgrade, but at the time I seem to remember most people considering it a downgrade but still fun enough to play. No one in my friend group hated it but a good few did just want to play SA instead.
>>746489328lol at Slop Andreas utter dogshit poorly aged gameplay indeed
>>746489158You and your braindead subhuman stoner "buddies" is not everyone lmao
>>746478072It was my first open world multiplayer experience and still one of my fondest gaming memories. First time multiplayer I played for 9 hours straight. It was fun just to bullshit around and make up our own turf wars or get max wanted level together and basically play horde mode on liberty island. And yeah I enjoyed the story a lot too.
>>746489068The gooklover somehow makes the worst post yet as expected>and had very little cultural impactIV is the most beloved and discussed GTA today, no talks about Slop Andreas other than le CJ drive thru meme from the first hour of the game (90% of SA fans never beat the game and haven't played it since they were children)>>boring cast of charactersLMAOOOO objective the best cast of characters in the series, a million light years ahead of Slop Andreas cardboard cutouts>>boring gameplayA total gameplay upgrade over Slop Andreas limp dogshit gunplay and popcorn gun sounds, shitty gimmick filled garbage missions and 500 half baked minigames you played once for the novelty>>driving mechanics suckEvery single time, the IV hater is a subhuman brainlet who can't comprehend basic driving mechanics and got filtered by having to use the brake pedal unlike in his childhood PS2 babygame. IV has the best driving in the series>>let's go le bowlingYou don't have to hang out with friends, but of course you are not a living human with actual thoughts, and this is just something you heard and started mindlessly parroting like a soulless golemReally proving the point stated here >>746489014 that SA fans are subhuman cattle NPC's with no soul
>>746478072AFAIK it was very well-received, it was also criticized for being too gloomy/depressing (this was the big one), no RPG elements from GTA SA, weird driving controls, and "smaller" (even though it was more concentrated) map. I'm pretty sure they anticipated some of the complaints the game would have so they made sure to make TBoGT so at least some of the people complaining were happy.>t. Older Zoomie
cool overal but frustrating to play at times, but most of that got ignored and all the critique shit came several years later
>>746478072It was mindblowing, the graphics and the physics were like nothing else. The hype was off the chartsThen we played it and realized it's not actually that fun. But it was at least very immersive and there's always an audience for that
A lot of people disliked GTAIV when it came out because it sacrificed content and systems for graphics and tech, in terms of just stuff you could do it was a massive downgrade from San Andreas. A lot of sequels from that era were like that, HD game development took way more effort so got more detail but less game
>>746478072people were mad because this game in particular had much less features than the previous games.
>>746478976>gameplay was unremarkableI don't believe you were there. Those physics were remarkable, unlike anything else at the time. And the grounded gameplay was very original if nothing else, no open world game played like that at the time. Whether it's fun is a different matter, but it was very much remarkable on release
>>746478072I was 10 when it came out but when I was in school only niggers and ADHD bullies liked GTA, and I was playing Oblivion, Portal, and TF2 because I was better than everyone else.
i loved whipping ambulances into telephone poles and appreciating the vehicle damage system. also, i grew up to appreciate niko on every level.
>>746490238All that wall of text for what? For a game that released over 20 years ago and you're seething about it. Get some help. You flail into emotional arguments and can't stand that people disagree with your opion. Mentally ill.
>>746480931It wasn't the ideal gta I wanted, but it was a welcome game anyway, because I assumed that new gtas would remain as a more frequent thing, and that they would course correct through iterations. Back then I would have thought by 2030 we'd be on like gta 8.
>>746478072a bunch of pirates were salty because the initial cracks were rushed and didn't remove the anti piracy measureshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGzwrjjgwOk
>>746490547>NOOO you can't debunk my SA faggot NPC complaintsNot an argument, now run away bitch
>>746478072It was good, but people complained there were some features missing from SA and a smaller map, and COUSIN LET'S GO BOWLING was annoying but honestly not that big of a deal in hindsight.
>>746478072It got relentlessly shit on anyone telling you otherwise is doing some serious revisionist history
>>746478072Huge graphic revolution thanks to new gen consoles but huge downgrade in fun compared to SA
Bad. I remember borrowing it from a friend and still being disappointed
>>746490238didn't read. keep consooming goyem
>>746491126I accept your concession, soulless NPC hylic
>>746491423nothing to accept, NPC-chama. you lostGTA4 sucked lmao
>>746490730Nah you didn't present an argument in your initial post. You're just a seething fag who think new=better. Only thing GTA 4 offers is better graphics and physics. I liked the driving so much that I can't stomach GTA 5s driving. That's the only thing it has going for it in my book. TBoGT is what GTA 4 should have been
people slept on itthey liked it, they gave it good review... but granted, it's not everwhere, therefore not good compared to the other GTA's
>>746478072it was extremely well received and reviewedthe nitpicking and complaints you read in this thread were a tiny minority
>>746491451I already accepted your concession, soulless NPC hylic, but if you wish to reiterate.
>>746478072it was extremely poorly received and reviewedthe praise and glazing you read in this thread were a tiny minority
>>746478072same as now, it was shit
At the time, a very contrarian friend of mine insisted that it was an enormous disappointment, that it represented everything wrong with modern gaming, that it was a step down from San Andreas, that the driving felt awful, and that Rockstar had lost touch with what people liked about GTA in the PS2 gen.When GTA 5 came out, that same friend began preaching that 4 was a misunderstood masterpiece which course corrected from the bloat of San Andreas while evolving the tech and physics and that the writing was the best in the series, striking a perfect balance between drama and goofy.Make of that what you will. I don't care about GTA and have never finished any of them.
>>74649212098 on Metacritic, the highest rated open world game to this day. Cope
>>746492770It's sandbox, not open world
Yeah there's no way GTA 6 will have dialogue like this LMAO
It was polarizing yet impressive, plenty of people including me hated the fact it was a downgrade fun-wise from San Andreas but were puzzled and entertained by its tech and graphical leap, it helped that it didn't pretend to be as wacky as SA and became its own thing, more of a sequel to 3 than SA.Some people appreciated it but didn't like the direction, these people were rewarded with Saints Row 2 which came summer of that same year and rode the tails of this dissatisfaction, it is a fun game but way wackier to the point of Reddit, something they didn't gauge right when making SR3.Some other people downright hated IV and despite SR2 being great they didn't like it because it wasn't GTA.Overall it was an event for sure, a year later it was already considered a classic and worthy due to its advancement of the series but in terms of praise it wasn't comparable to San Andreas when it came out, that one was almost universally well-liked and everyone wanted it.
