First of all, please do not take this as a flaming thread.

But there seems to be some group think going on with Grand Theft Auto IV.

I am not saying it is a great game. But is it really a perfect game? Its graphics are not on par with other offerings out there from what I've seen (I do not own the game but saw it tested at a store a friend owns).

From the reviews, it appears that there are some issues with the cover system. The on-line lobby appears not to be as easy to use as the reviews is having problems reported by players (not by reviewers).  

The user scores indicate this is a pheonomenal title -- but not a class breaker (8.9 to 9.2 is what I've seen as combined scores).

Then Gamespot changes its score to go along with the crowd: http://newlevelgaming.blog-city.com/gamespot_bumps_gta_4_review_score.htm

Given that this is all happening about one week after everyone revisited all the anti-Wii arguements and it effectively knocks out a Wii game from best in the generation and a Nintendo game from best ever (if the scores hold -- which is not tough when they are at 99%), I wonder if there is there a conspiracy to boost anything that is not Nintendo.

Again, I am not blasting GTA IV (though I have said it is not "my cup of tea"). I am only wondering if the outpouring of acclaim is a bit over the top and if it could be caused people who can't accept that gaming is changing and see this as the last chance to praise something "hardcore."

Mike from Morgantown 

i don't see it that way
Nintendo just always makes quality games so that's the reason they always get high scores

maybe GTAIV is actually deserving of these ratings? (never played it before)

the ratio of flaming to praising on GTAIV is like 10:1

the ratio of flaming to praising on SMG/SSBB/MKwii/wii fit is like 0.3:1

i wonder why that is....

I don't think it's being hailed because it's not Nintendo. No.

I do however believe the reason Riot and others haven't trashed how "no game deserves a 10" like they did with SMG is because it's not on the Wii.

For me a 10 game is revolutionary, GTAIV is revolutionary?

 Maybe not but the key was your phrase "For me".  For me a game doesn't have to be revolutionary to get a 10 and many other reviewers agree I would assume.

I guess the title should have been
"Is GTA IV being hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread because it is not Nintendo"
(My question is whether it is being super-over-praised when it only deserves great praise.)

@BCNR34
Are you saying that there are 10 flames for every praise of GTA IV?
(And 3 praises for every flame of Nintendo games?)

I am not sure that I am seeing the GTA IV flames -- which is why I asked.


Mike from Morgantown

I wonder if GTA IV got 10s on the wii would people be crying? Its also funny how most wii boys are like gta is not my type of game, yet you were all praising godfather a year ago and talking about how innovative the wiimote makes it.

I haven't played the game yet so I can say if I think it's desired or not. However, I agree it is odd that many sites refuse to give out 10s because nothing is perfect. But those same sites are giving GTAIV 10s despite having some issues.

Now that isn't unknown when the game is revolutionary and setting a new bar for what games of that gender have to be. So the question becomes - Is GTAIV setting a new standard for sandbox games. And clearly the answer is yes. But is it a big improvement or something incremental that will be aped and outdone pretty quick? The first deserves 10s, the second is damn close.

@alexc - Can't speak for others, but last gen I only played 3 console games - SSB:Melee, Burnout and GTA:SA.  Brawl is fabulous, Burnout has been going downhill for years (IMO) but I still hoping for a Wii version, and I'd LOVE to have a GTA3 compliation brought to Wii with Godfather type controls and enhanced graphics.  I don't want to see GTAIV scaled down for Wii though. 

I believe it can be plausible that GTAIV scores are a bit inflated to take away the spotlight from the Wii. Here are the reason I think it is plausible:

1. this is all happening right after an "anti-wii" week
2. the praise seems to be coming from ps3/xbox biased sites

This is all speculation and opinion, and since I haven't played any GTA game, it could be that GTAIV is indeed a perfect game.

"the truth is out there" ;)