Here at ground level. I get to see it as it happens.

The game is good. The graphics are great. It was a disappointment. Quite possibly the most polished game I've ever been somewhat let down by. While the game did so much right, it failed to capture the feeling of fun, freedom, and innovation that the original Xbox/PS2 games had.

Look at GTA San Andreas. Graphically, the game looked like crap, five years ago. Still, it offered so much freedom, personality, innovation, and scope that it will be the benchmark for sandbox games for years.

On the 360, it offered some new things like cell phones and television programs, but in the end, a lot of the missions and diversions fell flat. By the end, it was pretty boring. It's a strange beast. Technically, I'd rate GTA 4 higher than Saints Row 2 because it's a better video game.....but Saints Row 2 is a better GTA styled game.

8.5/10

9.0

Great story. Great graphics

Cover system felt stiff. Step back from San Andreas

8.6/10

9.5, I know my review score is higher

http://www.vgchartz.com/games/gamereviewdisp.php?id=7102&reviewid=23

8.6/10

A big step back from SA, but its still GTA

8/10

Intersting story, but a lot of tuned-down features when compared to previous GTA games.

8.7

This was the main reasn that I wanted a HD console but I was let down alot.
Its a complete downgrade from SA, it tries to be realistic when its GTA. Lack of weapons, lack of featurs, lack of variety in missions

Online is also broken, laggy at times, and also dosn't have much variety. No party system (big let down).

The good points are that the driving physics are spot on, characters are likeable, and police and enemy AI is decent. Not much else though.

8.8

+Beautiful setting
+Great production values
+Awesome story
+Niko's voice actor
+Little Jacob

-Overrated
-Overhyped
-Step-down from San Andreas in many ways
-Money is pretty much useless

8/10
Pretty cut and dry. Decent story. Good engine. Downgrade from San Andreas. New additions were mostly annoying, such as the friend system which had your phone ringing constantly. Online just wasn't fun.

8.1
+ It's GTA
+ game looked really good
+ some welcome addition to the series
- with those additions they mindlessly took out things that made vice city and San Andreas great
- I was expecting more from the soundtrack... but in the end I was let down.
- It just wasn't as fun as previous games in the series.