Gaming Grand Theft Auto IV

Well the PS3 has two 256MB of RAM and the 360 has just the one chunk of 512MB. That means the PS3 has to be passing data between the RAM and video RAM. The 360 doesn't. That reduces the amount of texture data the PS3 can use at any one time (possible reason for the PS3 version being lower res).
The Blu-Ray can hold more data, yes, but that data has to be streamed from the disc to load parts of the game. Since the Blu-Ray drive's data rate is slower than the 360's 16X DVD drive, it can't stream quickly enough, which why many PS3 games need to be installed.... that extra space doesn't make a lot of difference if you can't get it all off the disc quickly enough. So.... as more data is added to the Blu-Ray, the bigger the install size will get. Segmented, smaller, levels get around that, but GTA4 is all there at once.

If they had to reduce the resolution down from 720p it would suggest the system wouldn't run it as well at 720p. I doubt they did that for the fun of it.

 

Just reading the review made me laugh so hard I woke up my brother.. And I seriously will want to buy this when it comes for PC. Just for the fun of it. To hell with the graphics in GTA. That isnt what the game is about.. GTA for me is the new Carmageddon.

 

What I'm waiting for is a PC version that allows co-op through the single player campaign.

Now that would rock!

Until then, I'll stick with Fable 2, Merc's 2, and MMO's.

 

Hope the PC version is coming soon (I am gonna guess 9 months). I like the game alot, but there is way too much aliasing going on to be ecstatic about the whole of the game. Gameplay and style are top notch though.

 

I was massively underwhelmed by this game.

I didn't even pay much attention to the hype for it, which doubled my disappointment in the game. Ahwell, can't have everything I guess.

I enjoyed the review, and although it's probably been asked at least a dozen times, how do you guys get such good screenshots from the 360? Are you using a card with component input or something?

 

You can't take screenshots from a console without a debug console and developer and publisher permission - hence, all the screenshots you see from any console game (on pretty much every site, including the big ones like Gamespot) are provided by the publisher. Having played the game we then chose the ones we feel best represent the final game and will contact the publisher if we have problems or issues with the screenshots (such as if they'd been tweaked).

 

Ahh, thanks for clearing that up. I always wondered how your console shots always looked clean in comparison to the general publics shots.

 

...unless you have a PS3, Resistrance: Fall of Man, a keyboard and can locate the printscreen button.

 

Anyone else notice that Niko bears a striking resemblance to Sasha from Behind Enemy Lines?

 

Blimey, that is a blatent copy.

 

Question: I have never played San Andreas but have heard good things about it. I'd like to play it but I'm wondering having played GTA4 if I would be disappointed going backward to the Xbox version of San Andreas. Any opinions?

I have missed most of the GTA series but I have really gotten hooked on GTA4. I agree that the graphics aren't real sharp but sometimes I look at it and it feels like I'm running around inside a Kinkade painting... It really is pretty though not realistic-looking at all. The overly-muted colors in certain portions are kind of annoying.

One of the most annoying aspects of the game is that when you agree to pick someone up they always say "be here in an hour," and many times they're on the other side of town so unless I'm currently driving a turismo or something equally capable there's no way I'll get there on time. Forget about going home and changing clothes first!

 

San Andreas would probably disappoint you if you're looking for great graphics and the same level of emergence, but in other areas it surpasses GTA4 in terms of just pure fun-ness and accessibility. I find the older games were a lot more fun a lot earlier on than before Rockstar started trying to take themselves seriously.

 

i think that´s a good game, but i don´t have ps3 or xbox. xD

 

I don't understand why all the hate is towards GTAIV's graphics? How in the world do you come to the conclusion that they are "under par"? This is easily one of the best looking games I've seen this year! I was playing it at my friends house and we were all like "Holy crap this game is freaking gorgeous".

 

I struggle to see how you can say that, unless you don't play a lot of PC games and so on. The physics are great and look fantastic, but actually just looking at the blurry DOF, lack of AA and muted, dull 'realisitic' colour scheme itself is a lot less impressive. Did you read the whole review?