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[tacoman12]

Reviews are great, can't wait to get it at midnight!

 

[truly101]

I'm a little concerned with how awful the main characters are as people. Thats always been an issue with GTA, either you run the risk of the ludo narrative dissonance or you come to terms with the main guy (or guys) is a psycho. It comes with the territory I guess.

Overall I'm looking for consistency though.

 

[CF22]

In the Sessler review he says the map isn't as big as some GTA games but I thought it was supposed to be as big as SA, RDR and GTA put together. Are R* perhaps including the underwater locations too? Which is fine by me.

The game is the largest GTA world to date including RDR. It is as wide as San Andreas and almost twice as long/tall without including the underwater portion. I find many inconsistencies in reviews all the time and I'm guessing it is because reviewers and game journalists deal with so many games that they tend to forget details.

 

[Dick Justice]

Sound like Max Payne 3, to me.

Play with free aim. Auto aim is for games journalists.

 

[nib95]

Whoops....wrong thread...

 

[RoKKeR]

Well, looks like I'll be abandoning this thread for a few weeks. Won't be able to pick up the game until at least Sep. 27th so I'm going to significantly reduce my GAF time.

Enjoy the game you bastards, I can't believe how good it looks.

 

[Karkador]

See, now it's a conversation. Based on previous GTAs, I think its particular brand of satire isn't witty or clever. Also, satire is supposed to punch up, not down. GTA is so huge at this point that few things qualify, certainly not women as an entire gender. You need some kind of context for satire to work, some contrast. Carolyn is making the argument that that isn't there, so all that's left is gross stuff that WE know is gross, Rockstar knows is gross, but that alone doesn't make satire. Satire is making fun of the people saying the gross stuff. The target here is just, women. The intent doesn't matter, if it's not landing or if it doesn't feel like satire to Carolyn, it's hard to argue with her interpretation, but that doesn't mean you can't have your own.

This, excellent post.

I'd also really wish people would stop conflating having an issue with the game's misogyny & having an issue with "morality".

Females should be barred from reviewing this game. This game is made for men and men only.

Oh, okay.

 

[bidoof01]

Females should be barred from reviewing this game. This game is made for men and men only.

 

[TheBaronOfNA]

I'm a little concerned with how awful the main characters are as people. Thats always been an issue with GTA, either you run the risk of the ludo narrative dissonance or you come to terms with the main guy (or guys) is a psycho. It comes with the territory I guess.

Overall I'm looking for consistency though.

In my case, I always see the world as to corrupted/ridiculous to even empathize with all the Characters outside of someones.Probably that's is why the satirical stuff is that and just not gross stuff, the GTA universe is so absurd and irremediable that a Psycho(s) is actually more empatic than the persons is killing.

Then again, I don't tend to play the games as a total psycho (escaping police is annoying to me and Saints Row is filling the casual virtual murder side of the equation)

 

[Soriku]

"I can imagine, 200 years from now, like our reading of Dickens, the game will be regarded as a catalog of our contemporary travails, an accelerated reality bearing more truth than just gazing at our own reflection."

Is this English?

 

[Fjordson]

THE GTA CYCLE

HYPE HYPE HYPE --> REVIEWS GO LIVE -> 10/10 10/10 5/5 --> ONE YEAR LATER --> GAME WAS WAY OVERRATED, THE DRIVING SUCKS, FRUSTRATING MISSIONS --> GTA VI ANNOUNCED -->> OMG THIS WILLL BE THE BEST GAME EVER

REPEAT

This sentiment is getting so old. I haven't gone back on my initial praise of any of the GTA's. And I've seen others on here say the same.

I thought people always stress that GAF isn't a hivemind. What happened to that?

 

[RoKKeR]

Link?

Really? That kid seems to have good taste in games. I'll bite....

I made a post earlier on in the thread about a mini Sethos review of the game, totally spaced on it. Here it is:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=81999241&postcount=7608

Krappadizzle: So now that you've played it quite a bit, what are your overall impressions?
Sethos: I can't stress this enough; Best fucking game I have ever played in my entire life. No hyperbole, no weekend crush, it's batshit insane. It's like a 10/10 TPS in its own right, then you see it has vehicles, then the massive world, then you see it's one of the most beautiful games on consoles, then the distant light thingy / bokeh effect, the RDR weather and atmosphere
Sethos: It's like every single aspect and detail is the best of the best of the best, wrapped into one big ball.
Sethos: I even started to enjoy the driving, EXCEPT quads and bikes, they are WAAAAY to sensitive to enjoy.
Krappadizzle: Wow. That's big coming from you.
Sethos: I haven't really played games that much lately but ... Just the sheer number of hours I streamed should tell you have addictive it was.
Sethos: I didn't eat friday because I was so hooked.
Krappadizzle: Yeah, It really seemed like you were having a blast. Like a toddler on pixie sticks.
Sethos: My only 'problem' was, you need to spice up things to keep the streams interesting but at some point you've been through most of it. Then people want you to rob liquor stores and shit, despite them not being listed on the map and I haven't seen a single one.

 

[TheBaronOfNA]

This, excellent post.

I'd also really wish people would stop conflating having an issue with the game's misogyny & having an issue with "morality".
.

Well, is kind of difficult to separate when It comes with the "high moral" actitude that some use to discuss this issues.

 

[Kevin Shields]

See, I thought the gunplay was much better this time around, especially when you remove the "GTA" aiming from the options menu and leave it with the tamer auto assist or no assist.

Did you play it? Is it same as Mx Payne 3?

 

[Lyot]

I made a post earlier on in the thread about a mini Sethos review of the game, totally spaced on it. Here it is:

Sethos: I can't stress this enough; Best fucking game I have ever played in my entire life. No hyperbole, no weekend crush, it's batshit insane. It's like a 10/10 TPS in its own right, then you see it has vehicles, then the massive world, then you see it's one of the most beautiful games on consoles, then the distant light thingy / bokeh effect, the RDR weather and atmosphere

Forgot to add "literally", misused of course.

 

[Absinthian]

Is this English?

For the most part, but there are unnecessary commas.

 

[The Gaming Zen]

THE GTA CYCLE

HYPE HYPE HYPE --> REVIEWS GO LIVE -> 10/10 10/10 5/5 --> ONE YEAR LATER --> GAME WAS WAY OVERRATED, THE DRIVING SUCKS, FRUSTRATING MISSIONS --> GTA VI ANNOUNCED -->> OMG THIS WILLL BE THE BEST GAME EVER

REPEAT

WOW, I THINK WE GET YOUR POINT!!!! I for one loved and love GTA IV and think it deserves the scores it received. Either way, the GTA series invokes a special something in people that few other games achieve. Reguardless if it's the best game ever is besides the point, the sales numbers speak for themselves. People LOVE this series and will continue to love it if history keeps repeating it's huge success story.

 

[Shahadan]

Escapist 3.5/5

 

[Domstercool]

Did you play it? Is it same as Mx Payne 3?

I reviewed it for DarkZero. It's not exactly the same, but there is that heaviness to it, which I am guessing is due to their experience in making Max Payne 3. I kind of wish there was a dive.

I did play Max Payne 3 on PC though, so I don't know about mouse to pad feelings.

 

[cheststrongwell]

So pumped for this! I've never beaten a GTA, and I don't plan on beating this one, but there are thousands of glorious deaths awaiting me! I can't wait to find all the new ways to murder people. I just hope the driving controls are a bit closer to SA than 4.

 

[Kevin Shields]

I reviewed it for DarkZero. It's not exactly the same, but there is that heaviness to it, which I am guessing is due to their experience in making Max Payne 3. I kind of wish there was a dive.

I did play Max Payne 3 on PC though, so I don't know about mouse to pad feelings.

So gunplay how would you rank max payne 3, rdr, and gtaV if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Hypron]

I know, and I'm willing to bet like every platinum game that's all it has too.

This is definitely not true. The wonderful 101 is probably the best "overall package" platinum has created so far.

Anyway, regarding GTA. Are most reviewers just playing the game using auto-aim? The couple of criticisms I've read in this thread about the gunplay seem to be made by people that played using auto aim. I hope shooting feels good in free aim.

 

[Conciliator]

Suspiciously(but unsurprisingly, at this point) unanimous reviews, but I am interested to check it out once it comes through my gamefly.
EDIT: more excited for the radio than anything else lol

 

[MoGamesXNA]

But the "teenage white american males" are also targeted by the jokes. GTA's always been pretty good at attacking everyone equally.

I was about to write the exact same thing and then I read your post and realised that I didn't have to. Any stereotype/gender/race could potentially find something to be offended about in GTA V if they really wanted to. It's completely ridiculous to do so though.

 

[Karkador]

Well, is kind of difficult to separate when It comes with the "high moral" actitude that some use to discuss this issues.

I'd like to see an example of what you mean

 

[TetraGenesis]

first time i've seen one of their video reviews. Nicely done.

Sorry that i called chris plante a girl earlier lol, but yeah i recalled his review touching on women not being much and it wasn't just the gamespot one.

I know people rag on Polygon (hey, I don't like Gies at all either and I disagreed with their TLOU score too) but their video content is unquestionably top notch.

They've produced dozens of gaming topic mini-docs that explore the culture of games and the people behind them. They are almost all excellent (the one about the actor behind John Marsten, anyone?) and the production values are above any of the other major players out there.

 

[EatChildren]

Game mechanics and design sound up there, and a proper return to form.

Not sold on the story yet. We'll see. Dan Houser's writing. particularly his characterisations, are consistently terrible and hampered both Grand Theft Auto IV (which had a whole bunch of other big issues) and Max Payne 3. Even Red Dead occasionally got things wrong, even if it's a high mark above those two.

That's more or less the final barrier to GTAV having a good campaign. If Houser is gonna Houser, I'm probably not going to enjoy it half as much as I'd like. Fingers crossed.

 

[SteveWinwood]

I didn't think we could go past Oscar worthy, but somehow we did.

With Dickens rolling in his grave no less.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Game mechanics and design sound up there, and a proper return to form.

Not sold on the story yet. We'll see. Dan Houser's writing. particularly his characterisations, are consistently terrible and hampered both Grand Theft Auto IV (which had a whole bunch of other big issues) and Max Payne 3. Even Red Dead occasionally got things wrong, even if it's a high mark above those two.

That's more or less the final barrier to GTAV having a good campaign. If Houser is gonna Houser, I'm probably not going to enjoy it half as much as I'd like. Fingers crossed.

Is it that you aren't sold on the characters' personalities, or how Dan Houser attempts to portray said personality with marginal success? I always felt the overt and rash portrayals are intentional. Just curious if you don't like the attempt or the result.

 

[3rdamention]

That Sessler Review is so pukeworthy. Give me a break, if you want to sound smart and wise, fine, then sound smart and wise. His review is so forced...It doesn't come across as intelligent, just like he was forcing himself to sound intelligent.

 

[EatChildren]

Is it that you aren't sold on the characters' personalities, or how Dan Houser attempts to portray said personality with marginal success? I always felt the overt and rash portrayals are intentional. Just curious if you don't like the attempt or the result.

The former. I've found Houser has one trick: make characters as depraved, deplorable, and dislikeable as possible, and use this as a hamfisted metric to paint them as shades of grey instead of black and white, which in turn almost makes them one note. The end result is a cast of almost unanimously dislikeable characters with almost caricature-like "flaws". I find it really tacky, lazy, and unappealing, like the story and cast is desperately trying to be edgy, dark, and grown up, but has no grace or sense of pacing. No highs or lows in the narrative, just constant one dimensional extremities, with the inevitable betrayal from a close friend followed by revenge and self redemption.

I also find he (and the rest of Rockstar's writing team) do a poor job of bridging play with narrative. GTAIV, and at times Red Dead, are particularly bad for this, where almost everything you do during free play is totally ignored and inconsequential of what happens in cut scenes. You can run over a thousand pedestrians in GTAIV, and Niko Bellic will still lament murder. You can massacre towns in Red Dead, and John Marston and Bonnie will still talk all friendly like nothing happened. I get that bridging a focused narrative with open, free form sandbox gameplay would be super fucking hard, but I really don't think Rockstar and Houser have done a good job of it lately.

GTAV's narrative framework seems a lot better, the three characters and their ideals more suited to the story being told, which seems like it's not taking itself overly serious. But we'll see. The moment one character reflects on the carnage and murder of a civilian when I ran over just as many on the way to activate the mission is the moment Rockstar is back to their old, shitty tricks.

 

[The Albatross]

That Sessler Review is so pukeworthy. Give me a break, if you want to sound smart and wise, fine, then sound smart and wise. His review is so forced...It doesn't come across as intelligent, just like he was forcing himself to sound intelligent.

I like Sessler, but this is sessler in a nutshell

 

[Kadayi]

Sessler's line at the end of his review was some of that delicious cringe that I knew was coming with the advent of another GTA release.

Christ.

I think Sess really sufferers from over enthusiasm. I enjoy his reviews, but man he heads into hyperbole a lot when he finds something he really likes.

 

[Papercuts]

The former. I've found Houser has one trick: make characters as depraved, deplorable, and dislikeable as possible, and use this as a hamfisted metric to paint them as shades of grey instead of black and white, which in turn almost makes them one note. The end result is a cast of almost unanimously dislikeable characters with almost caricature-like "flaws". I find it really tacky, lazy, and unappealing, like the story and cast is desperately trying to be edgy, dark, and grown up, but has no grace or sense of pacing. No highs or lows in the narrative, just constant one dimensional extremities, with the inevitable betrayal from a close friend followed by revenge and self redemption.

I also find he (and the rest of Rockstar's writing team) do a poor job of bridging play with narrative. GTAIV, and at times Red Dead, are particularly bad for this, where almost everything you do during free play is totally ignored and inconsequential of what happens in cut scenes. You can run over a thousand pedestrians in GTAIV, and Niko Bellic will still lament murder. You can massacre towns in Red Dead, and John Marston and Bonnie will still talk all friendly like nothing happened. I get that bridging a focused narrative with open, free form sandbox gameplay would be super fucking hard, but I really don't think Rockstar and Houser have done a good job of it lately.

GTAV's narrative framework seems a lot better, the three characters and their ideals more suited to the story being told, which seems like it's not taking itself overly serious. But we'll see. The moment one character reflects on the carnage and murder of a civilian when I ran over just as many on the way to activate the mission is the moment Rockstar is back to their old, shitty tricks.

It sounds like the reason Escapist docked GTA5 to a 7.5 is because the reviewer found all three characters to be completely deplorable, which I personally think would be a good thing for the same reasons. It didn't bother me in RDR much(fit the setting to me) but Niko was all over the map with contradictions, on top of further gameplay aspects such as the heist giving you loads of money and there being nothing to buy. An issue in itself, but further compounded by the sole motivation from many late game missions being he wants money...but he didn't!

This is more rockstar specific and not just Houser, but the pure game length was always an issue as well. Just dragged out, even in RDR where mexico was unneeded. 3 protags should be a hell of a lot to fix this as well. Fingers crossed anyway.

 

[kazebyaka]

Characters in Gta 5 are despicable psychopaths and the good thing, hat they always aknowledge it and love it. True maniacs. Deep too and the story makes it all even better. Don't worry people.

They are a horrible human beings, but amazing characters

 

[CrichtonKicks]

GTAV's narrative framework seems a lot better, the three characters and their ideals more suited to the story being told, which seems like it's not taking itself overly serious. But we'll see. The moment one character reflects on the carnage and murder of a civilian when I ran over just as many on the way to activate the mission is the moment Rockstar is back to their old, shitty tricks.

Did you read the Edge review? Sounds like they made an effort to address this inconsistency this time out:

If Franklin is the lens through which we have traditionally seen Grand Theft Auto and Michael is the story its creator has long wanted to tell, Trevor is the character who best embodies the way tens of millions of GTA fans actually play the game.

...

As Trevor, there’s a forced torture scene that will make you thoroughly uncomfortable until five minutes later when, back on the road, you misjudge a corner, kill a handful of pedestrians and laugh out loud, and it becomes apparent that Rockstar has made quite a powerful point, one that will later be acknowledged by one of the protagonists. We are all despicable people.

I know that some of the reviews have been hard on the story but Edge's take on it made me somewhat hopeful since I had similar issues with RDR and GTA4.

 

[Zoned]

Carolyn Petit giving GTAV editors choice is a testament to how good this game is.

Agree.

 

[Dylan]

I was not sold on this game until The Onion put out this excellent list of new features.

15-hour opening cinematic scene
Character now sometimes steps in gum
Users can unlock one free episode of the 1960’s action-comedy Car Robbers! on which the franchise is based
Gamers can dress characters up in any outfits they want, much as a 5-year-old girl would with her doll
Solid Thai restaurants
Online multiplayer mode where up to 16 players can hold hands
Free admission to botanical gardens while playing during hours of 11 a.m and 4 p.m. on Sundays
Like previous installments, gameplay immerses players in alternate reality where their lives are rich and meaningful
All three protagonists inexplicably named Gideon
Ability to lick everything
After you finish playing it for the first time, you will become known by friends and coworkers as a very cool guy, and everyone will want to talk to you about your fascinating exploits in the game

 

[Beermeister]

Females should be barred from reviewing this game. This game is made for men and men only.

 

[The Albatross]

THE GTA CYCLE

HYPE HYPE HYPE --> REVIEWS GO LIVE -> 10/10 10/10 5/5 --> ONE YEAR LATER --> GAME WAS WAY OVERRATED, THE DRIVING SUCKS, FRUSTRATING MISSIONS --> GTA VI ANNOUNCED -->> OMG THIS WILLL BE THE BEST GAME EVER

REPEAT

Except 3 out of the last 4 GTA games (III, VC, and SA) were 3 of the best games ever.

 

[Dug]

Oh my god, Tom Chick is saying good things about GTA V:

So this isn’t a review. But at this point I know enough to tell you — enthusiastically and without reservation — this is a game that deserves its inevitable commercial success, the adoring reviews that have probably just now been posted, and however many hours you can spare it.

http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2013/09/16/grand-theft-auto-v-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+QuarterToThree+%28Quarter+to+Three%29

 

[Radec]

Kamiya does games. Really good games.

He makes games, true.

Quality is debatable.

PG is a hit and miss for me.

 

[braves01]

Except 3 out of the last 4 GTA games (III, VC, and SA) were 3 of the best games ever.

Except it was the most recent game that was bad, which should make one cautious of GTA V's allegedly Dickensian social commentary.

 

[The Albatross]

Except it was the most recent game that was bad, which should make one cautious of GTA V's allegedly Dickensian social commentary.

Cmon now, 1 line from 1 review out of 35 other reviews with hundreds of lines, none of which are saying that. Nobody on Gaf is saying it's dickensian, and it isn't really abnormal for gaf to get excited about a game with very high reviews from a developer that consistently (and recently) delivers.

Even if GTAIV was over-rated and disappointing, that's because SA, VC, and III were so great. And also because RDR was also great.

 

[Fjordson]

Oh my god, Tom Chick is saying good things about GTA V:


http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2013/09/16/grand-theft-auto-v-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+QuarterToThree+%28Quarter+to+Three%29

What the fuck. No way. QT3 must have been hacked.

 

[kurbaan]

The former. I've found Houser has one trick: make characters as depraved, deplorable, and dislikeable as possible, and use this as a hamfisted metric to paint them as shades of grey instead of black and white, which in turn almost makes them one note. The end result is a cast of almost unanimously dislikeable characters with almost caricature-like "flaws". I find it really tacky, lazy, and unappealing, like the story and cast is desperately trying to be edgy, dark, and grown up, but has no grace or sense of pacing. No highs or lows in the narrative, just constant one dimensional extremities, with the inevitable betrayal from a close friend followed by revenge and self redemption.

You hit the nail on the head. GTA's character's are always one dimensional stereotypes taken to the extreme. They are usually funny but its just because of how ridiculous they are. All the gaming press always hold them up as some great example of game writing and characters but its just stereotypes X 100 that wouldn't fly in any other medium.

I didn't think we could go past Oscar worthy, but somehow we did.

With Dickens rolling in his grave no less.

I can see in 5 year's future generations will look back on this review as a modern day IGN GTA4 review with it's Oscar worthy writing.

It's funny how in one generation we've had "Oscar Worthy writing" and already in one year we have had "Citizen Kane of videogames" and "Charles dickens"

 

[CouldBeWorse]

Females should be barred from reviewing this game. This game is made for men and men only.

You didn't think this post through very well, did you?

 

[Gangxxter]

Damn, I just wanted to read one review and watch one review video and then go on a blackout until the PC version comes out. But by now I've read 2 reviews (one containing several spoilers) and have watched all those review videos.

I'm weak, I seriously need to stop.

 

[Fried Food]

Oh my god, Tom Chick is saying good things about GTA V:



http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2013/09/16/grand-theft-auto-v-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+QuarterToThree+%28Quarter+to+Three%29

Tom is one of my favorites. He knows what he likes and he knows quality.

I'm gonna hold off on reading that until I play the game a little

 

[Ingueferroque]

I didn't think we could go past Oscar worthy, but somehow we did.

With Dickens rolling in his grave no less.

Why don't you read the actual quote before taking it out of context like this.