GTA4 Trailer Impressions
- Scribbled on March 29th, 2007 by Jonah Falcon
- Filed in Action, Editorial Content, Industry News, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, Xbox Live Marketplace
Well, the wait is finally over - Rockstar has just unveiled the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer. In case you’re too lazy to actually visit the site and view the trailer, or download it from Xbox Live Marketplace, GameTrailers or GameVideos.com, this is what happens:
Philip Glass’ “Pruitt-Igoe” from the film Koyaanisqatsi (1983) plays, as various areas of New York City Liberty City are explored, including the New Jersey Liberty Ferry Terminal, Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Flatiron Building, the Penn Station Stock Ticker, the Met-Life Get-A-Life Building, Grand Central Station, Times Square as the video speeds up (a la the same time lapse effects from Koyaanisqatsi). At the crescendo, we see a Taxi homage as taxis and other cars drive over the Manhattan Bridge, and a bearded Russian (or Arab) appears and speaks with a heavily accented voice:
Life is complicated. I’ve killed people. Smuggled people. Sold people.
As some jogger walks over the Brooklyn Bridge, he sighs in additional voice-over:
Perhaps here things will be different.
The video fades on the New York City Liberty City skyline showing the Williamsburg Bridge and the Empire State Building, as a giant IV appears.
Click “Read more” for analysis.
For one, it’s Liberty City, but this time, more than ever, it’s modelled on New York City, including the cavernous Manhattan streets. Hopefully, a more vertical game will result from this design decision. The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, with real-time lighting and material effects. This is obviously not a game built for the PlayStation 2 - this is next-gen, and for a free-form game, this is amazing looking; it makes Saints Row look like cartoon in comparison. The RAGE engine is fully at work here - the Russian’s face is just as detailed as any of the characters in Rockstar Presents Table Tennis.
Even more telling is the unnamed Russian’s speech. He talks about the questionable things he did in his former country - perhaps an ex-member of the Russian Mafia? But the line “Perhaps here things will be different” is an interesting sentiment. Is it possible that the player will be given a choice between the light and dark? Will he be an anti-hero like The Player from Saints Row? Fighting for good is unexplored territory for a GTA game. Ether a The Godfather III (”Every time I think I’m out, they PULL ME BACK IN!”) situation or a Saints Row “Clean-up-the-hood-for-the-little-guys” quest, possibly? If the character is an Arab, could the theme be terrorism?
It also indicates that unlike Saints Row, the main character is not customizable. There are tradeoffs in every game, though, and a strong st0ry will make it a non-issue.
If you’ve watched the video, what do you think?
March 29th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
This game marks a departure for the GTA series. Whenever GTA increments a number, it is always a big step. For example, GTA London was great, but GTA2 was that new game we were waiting for.
Likewise, Gta3 was a phenomenal rehaul of the series that spawned another ground breaking franchise. GTA: VC and SA were great, but GTA4 is that ground breaker we are waiting for.
Hopefully the new gameplay mechanic isn’t as simple as good or bad. *YAWN*
My first impression was that Rockstar was upgrading from mafia/gang activity to full blown terrorism. Or, that could just be American stereotypes fucking with my judgement.
Either way, brilliant trailer, and thanks for naming all those NY spots, I didn’t spot a couple like the NJ Ferry Terminal.
March 29th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
The graphics, from the trailer at least are definitely the direction the series needs to be going. I’m not exactly too pumped to be playing in Liberty City again, but with the level of detail and renovation they are putting into it, it’s hard not to get excited about the game. The Russian immigrant angle seems pretty cool, and there’s definitely many different ways they could go with the storyline. I’m just hoping that they will improve some of the gameplay elements too (mainly shooting). One thing though, after playing Crackdown, it’s going to be hard going back to standard means of transportation. Flipping cars and leaping over buildings just added a ton of fun to the open world sandbox genre…
March 29th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
[...] Theft Auto wasn’t the only “4″ making news today. The voice cast of Metal Gear Solid 4 was announced, with David Hayter reprising his role as Snake. [...]
March 29th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Koyaanisqatsi reference = hot! I was thinking more along the line of Woody Allen’s Manhattan. Try playing Gershwin in the back and you are there.
March 29th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
“One thing though, after playing Crackdown, it’s going to be hard going back to standard means of transportation.”
It looks like the game MIGHT, just MIGHT, be a little more vertical. They’re really stressing the canyons of Manhattan this time around.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Wow. I’m now gettig into Saints Row and this game makes Saints Row look like it was drawn with Crayons…. insanity.
I remember, 10 years ago, graphics like this were in the PRE-rendered video cut scenes… not the real-time game!
March 30th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Let’s hope they’re not pulling a “Sony” and showing a pre-rendered trailer.
March 30th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Actually, I screwed up a little. That’s not the Empire State Building in the final shot. It’s the Guardian Life Building (I think). I also didn’t mention some of the other landmarks shown, such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
April 1st, 2007 at 4:39 pm
[...] and other officials expressed anger and dismay at Grand Theft Auto IV using New York City (in the guise of Liberty City) as its setting, other, more clear-headed leaders of other were annoyed that their cities were not [...]
April 7th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I enjoy your comments on usenet and this trailer preview is well done. Thanks.
About the new game, I’m normally sceptic about previews and release dates. But with Rockstar you know they rarely miss a date and that they seem to have all tightly planned, even using an already tested engine from their last next-gen game. This is not a prerendered trailer for sure, and it’s a fact we are gonna play GTA IV in October.
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:42 pm
[...] that everything we’ve seen so far of GTAIV has been running on an Xbox 360 — from the trailer, to the Game Informer exclusive [...]
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:57 pm
building…
Hello. Great post! I agree 100%!…
January 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
That dudes name was Niko. yes hes from russia and the storys much like vice city, build your empire. I found this out from the newest trailer, Move Up Ladies. Watch it on youtube.com