Do you like Grand Theft Auto?

[no oneder]

So GTA 3's 10th anniversary is coming up and I've noticed a general dislike for the series around here. Why does people hate GTA so much?? I think it's a good series. GTA San Andreas was one of the best games for PS2 in the history of the world, and now everyone hates the damn thing?

So, do you like it? Why?
Hate it? Why?

I personally think it's a kick ass game. The game that defined my childhood. I always liked the stories. All of them. They all tied up so tightly and felt like a movie. The radio was also good in all the games. There was always something for everyone. The in-game fictional universe also always amazed me and I could talk about storylines, characters, missions, cars and weapons for hours. The witty humor it uses throughout the series is just great and its cynical view on the decadent american popular culture is just spot on. It's just one of those things...

 

[LiberalSquirrel]

It's kinda "meh" to me as a series, to be honest. I can see why people would enjoy it, but it's not my type of game by a long shot.

 

[Omnific One]

Only played GTA:IV, and I wish that it was a bit more arcade-y. I like the story, but playing it isn't all that enjoyable.

 

[FolkLikePanda]

I like it, favourite one is Vice City. I dunno maybe cause it gives a bit of depth to the culture of the time periods its set in, plus it has ridiculous parts both within the story and out (adverts, easter eggs etc.) that just make me laugh and continue laughing long after seeing them for the first time. Plus they give you a sense of freedom that a lot of games don't give you (Taking on the Army single handedly, taking illegally and practically legally owning any car you want, doing crazy stunts and the cops not givng a crap).

 

[DeadlyYellow]

IV took the series down a darker a grittier road, which led to some hilarious inconsistencies between characterization and gameplay. I remember one of the Faustin missions where Niko says on his cellphone that he didn't want to kill anyone he didn't have to, while driving down pedestrians on the sidewalk.

 

[Xeraxis]

III was a good game. I remember all the shenanigans I did with the police and army chasing after me. Fun times.
Didn't really play Vice City, as it wasn't that appealing to me.
San Andreas was terrific, IMO the best of the series
And don't really care for IV

So generally, sort of.

And OP, you should realize by now how many people bash on stuff that's popular, just for the sake of it.

 

[Dalek Caan]

No. It's boring and not open world but instead a serious of streets that lead to dull endless building. Found the game-play boring to, and the characters and the driving. All of it very boring.

 

[D-Ray]

I like GTA, but I don't love it.

It's a good stress reliever for me...but I can't play it for long periods of time because it gets old really quickly.

 

[GWarface]

Played them all and love them..
Im only a little sad about the way they went with IV, awesome history and graphics but the gameplay was way to serious and clunky..

Im juts hoping they will talk about the next one soon.. If there will be one that is..

 

[everythingbeeps]

I kind of enjoyed GTA3 and Vice City. Never really got into San Andreas, and I definitely couldn't get into GTAIV.

 

[Ruwrak]

I like the way the silent protagonist just takes whatever comes his way. The open world, the driving, the doing whatever you want. It's not so much about realism or driving over people. It's just hrmm nostalgia to when things just could happen and noone would complain.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

I loved every entry in the GTA series. (Except IV. That version can shrivel up and die.)

I always got a kick out of how the multiple time periods were portrayed in the games. Zany and over-the-top.

Plus, awesome radio stations.

 

[Eccentric_Jon]

I like GTA, but I don't love it.

It's a good stress reliever for me...but I can't play it for long periods of time because it gets old really quickly.

^This.

I use it mainly to blow off steam, by playing a few missions, or by getting as high a wanted level as possible and seeing how long I survive.

I've never been able to play them for long periods, but have completed all of them & enjoyed it, up to GTA IV (which I haven't got around to yet) by playing occasionally.

 

[Jamster003]

I really love GTA, I played GTA IV mainly for the story. (aswell as the psyhics engine, nothing is more fun than running people over and seeing them move in different ways every time.)

There seems to be alot of hate for it though that it is too serious compared to san andreas. It does seem more 'serious' but the comedy is still there albeit more subtle, the radio stations were still very funny.

I guess I prefer a realistic(surviving a million bullets is realistic damn you!) story over something silly, maybe thats why I loved the getaway so much.

 

[AvsJoe]

Love it. I always played the first two on my PS1 way back when. GTA 3 did nothing for me for some reason but Vice City enraptured me. Then San Andreas took right over, becoming my most-played game ever. It sits in my top 5 all time. I haven't played enough of 4 to form a strong opinion but it didn't leap out of the gate like San Andreas or Vice City.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I don't like it because I find it as boring as hell. There's never a clear indication as to what the fuck I'm supposed to be doing so once the novelty of stealing cars, running down pedestrians, and boning prostitutes and then beating them to death to get your money back wears off there's really not much else to keep me entertained. I know there were missions I could do, but there really wasn't much motivation to do them, if any. This may have been mostly because, in GTA3, I had no real idea who my character was or why he was in Liberty City. Vice City was a little better I at least had some idea who my character was and how he got to be there, but it still lacked any sense of direction. Those are the only two GTAs I've played, so maybe the others are better, but I just can't be bothered.

EDIT: Incidentally I have a lot of these same issues with Red Dead Redemption. Seems like they're a pandemic among Rockstar games.

 

[Madshadow]

The problem with open world games is lots of stuff is random, and except for a few exceptions allot of that stuff has no real depth to it, which turns it into something very repetitive. Games like GTA bore me quickly. Yes i Played GTA 1 and 2 plus III/ Vice City last one is my favorite but i never can get myself to play these games again didn't even bother with San Andreas or IV. because even GTA competitors build Urban based open world games which make them all look the same in particular in Game play.

I could go on and on but to keep it short this genre feels purposeless because you can go in so many directions which have no real depth to it removes all potential and sense of direction because the story is always very thin.

Exception that confirms the rule is Red Dead Redemption i truly love that game even the Ending. (Not as good as Outlaws though) One of the reasons i like RDR is finally aver about 10 years they bring an open world game out in a different setting and time.

That and i like story driven games ( Grim Fandango, Giants, Interstate 76, Starcraft, Uncharted, Portal, Warhammer 40k Space Marine, Witcher )

 

[Daddy Go Bot]

Probably my favorite vidya gaem franchise.