Grand Theft Auto

[Croaker]

lets hear it. Can a disney lover find the love to steal, kill, be sexually immoral...you know like most Disney Teen Stars end up doing. lets hear some pro's and con's.

[elizabethswann]

I've never got a chance to play it but seeing that it's become a popular game for all the things you listed, I don't know. It's tempting.

[stev02]

fantastic game and in 1080p it's even fantistererererererererererererer

[bamato]

I won't be playing GTA4 for a lot of reasons. And my age group is a pretty big target area for this game being that I'm 22. I did play the second GTA and disliked it. so my main reason for not playing it was because 2 stunk. But I was frustrated by how much hype this game got just because it's GTA. I admit, the mechanics of the game are fairly neat, you hvae your own world to do with whatever you like. But unfortunately this promotes people to live more along the taboo side of gaming. I just wish they put this much development power, thought, and money into a more wider audience based genre. Because GTA4 is NOT meant to be played by ANYONE under age.

The one thing I do disagree with though is that people blame GTA4 for influencing their childs behavior. There was a really good article in this months Game Informer magazine where a guy that analyzes gaming's effect on younger people was interviewed by the magazine company. And he had some good straightforward ideals about the gaming industry. The game clearly states on the cover that it is an "m" game. And you cannot blame game developers for selling ideas. But you can blame parents for giving underage people access to the games. So when I hear people protesting about how terrible "Rockstar Games" is for making GTA4, and how it causes violence and such amongst younger people, it just infuriates me. And by no means am I saying that it doesn't have some negative effects on the psyche, I'm sure it does instill feelings of invincibilty in people, and that shooting prostitutes and selling drugs isn't so bad, but you have to focus on the fact that it's the adults responsibilty to keep those games out of kid's hands.

Honestly, I'm a huge gamer, have been since I got my Atari. And I have seen A LOT of games come out that were really good. And I'm sure there is a huge audience for GTA4, but I won't be in it. Not because I'm against video game violence, (I'm not) but because there are just better games out there me to invest the money on, and I don't really find the "fun" parts about GTA4everyone is raving about, fun...

Sorry if that all came out in a jarbled mess, as you can tell, I have mixed emotions on different aspects of the gaming industry. And I'm still at work doing lots of things at once on this unusually busy Friday...

[Len90]

I am also in the target group (age 17). I feel this game is so wrong and inappropriate. It is sending out a terrible message to society. However, people should be smart enough to realize that this is just a game.

I did play GTA4 with my brother (age 21). We had a blast beating the storyline and enjoyed the fact that they gave you options where you controlled the outcome of the game. The game is definitely in the top ten games I have ever played in terms of graphics. It is a great game, that is fun to play IF you are mature enough to realize it is just a game.

[kcarts]

It's a great game. Addictive. If you can remember it's a game, and not drive your car the wrong way down one way streets and shoot people on your way to the mall, I see no issue with game.

[metsofny]

San Andreas Is a great game. I've played the game through 3 times and I still love to play it. The problem is parents by adult games for their kids. It is an inappropriate game for children. Parents wouldn't buy porn for their kids so why would they buy adult video games.

[RREng77]

Questionable Premise? Maybe.
Fun to play? Absolutely.

Parents wouldn't buy porn for their kids so why would they buy adult video games.

Amen to that, metsofny!

[packwingfn]

I love the game but I would NEVER buy the game for my child (If I had one) as some of the stuff that is in the game is something that a child should not be playing unless they were mature enough to realize that it is just a video game.

I'm addicted to it otherwise and defnitely think it's a step up from the other GTA Games...so many more additions which makes the game easier and fun.

[danimal3114u]

I've played and completed the storylines (and most of the extra missions) for all the GTAs since III (Vice City, San Andreas, Vice City Stories, etc.), and IV just didn't do it for me. The missions are basically the same as they always have been, and the gameplay is mostly unchanged (with some additions like cover and new driving physics, etc). The game's content is very mature, but as everyone has said the responsibility to restrict access is in the guardians' hands as much as the game manufacturers.
The latest study showed (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/05/secretshop.shtm, http://kotaku.com/388443/ftc-its-increa ... ated-games [green is the latest information]) that it's actually more difficult for kids to buy M-Rated game than R-rated movies (same content in different media), which most people should be happy to hear. The impetus is then on the guardians for not buying games for their kids that are inappropriate, or making sure that friends' parents are aware that they don't want their child to play videogames above a certain level the same way they don't want them to watch movies with adult content.
GTA IV is just the latest in a long line of easy targets for people to mark as the downfall of modern society that will lead to our children running recklessly nude through the streets shooting innocent bystanders. The EXACT same thing happened with comic books in the 30s and 40s, and how many people are complaining that X-Men comics are destroying the fabric of our society?
Anyway, GTA IV was only a so-so game for me.
/rant
/diatribe

[Figment of Imagination]

The games fun but not that much fun

[Captain Schnemo]

I've only played San Andreas and while the game design is great, I don't think I'll be getting any other GTA games.

I've always thought the arguments about video games affecting kids were largely garbage (and, in any event, irrelevant in the face of the First Amendment), but I must admit that I felt icky playing San Andreas.

It's not that I mind the carnage, depravity, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Many of my favorite movies are not fit for...well, anyone, but what really got under my skin was the lack of intellect. For example, there's a way to do racist humor in a way that mocks racists and racism itself, while at the same time being incredibly offensive. And then there's what Carlos Mencia does, which is basically riff off classic stereotypes with no sense of irony. It lacks wit and, frankly, humor.

Killing cops is classic villainous activity, and I would not at all have minded a humorous, over the top sense of mindless violence in the face of authority...but in the game, the killings are so matter-of-fact, I don't think they're supposed be funny. Either that or the mere idea of killing a cop is supposed to be so amusing that there's no need to embellish. Or, worse, that it's supposed to be in some way "cool", which I think is what they were going for.

All that said, as has been mentioned, the problem is more with clueless parents buying this stuff for their kids without knowing anything about it, not that a company chooses to make crass and stupid entertainment and that the public laps it up.

If someone could just combine the coolness and ingenuity of the gameplay with some actual writers, it could be a great series. It amazes me that so many big name stars participate in this drek. It must be one great payday...either that or they don't let them read the script until they sign the contract.

There's also the issue of curious morality. Note that almost everyone in San Andreas who uses drugs is killed. Gun runners, murderers, thieves, and assorted other miscreants essentially live happily ever after, but if you smoke weed in the game, you die. WTF kind of message is that?

[MetalRage]

i love the GTA games

[JWG]

Big GTA fan... have been since GTA III (1 and 2 were "meh" for me). Love the online play in IV. Not how well they did it (not very), but that it's there.

Only play it after my child is in bed. House rule that I agree with. It's a great stress reliever when you realize it's only a game.