3. Gameplay
Now, I know that gameplay has never been Rockstar's strong suit, but this game is meant to be the "greatest game of all time", yet it's one that seems to often work against the player. There is hope, however; it appears that this has been overhauled completely for GTA V. Rockstar may have corrected this major problem at long last. One of the coolest things about GTA IV is how real the world feels. The little things in the background make this thing come to life and leap off the screen, how the fast food workers actually have different jobs that they'll do while you're in the restaurant, and in addition, cars actually break down and the population seems like they have things to do in the world of the game. This city is the closest gaming has ever come to a truly living, breathing environment. So, that was the good - how about the bad? These come in the form of commitments from our world that are worked into the fabric of the game. Why was this passed? It is just really, really annoying. Vice City had no cell phones and that was a major thing in that game's favour. They will be included in the new release, and that's great, but the trick is balance. Saints Row II gives you the option to explore, muck about or interact with NPCs without it feeling like a chore. Conversely, the chores that we wanted were cut from this installment: no taxi, paramedic or fire truck missions. I have no idea why. Not to mention that bicycles have been removed and vast motorbike usage was added via a DLC. In the past, these side quests could pull the attention away from the mediocre reality of the actual story. Instead, GTA IV made you focus on the story and its missions. Again, I have no idea why. The missions in the game are boring and repetitive: drive here, shoot people, and leave. This is the same over and over again.