Grand Theft Auto IV Continues the GTA Trends
by Liam Bailey
2008-05-03 18:18:21 **opinion**
Grand Theft Auto IV has not let its makers down, by continuing the series' trend of selling millions of copies in the first week. And also the other trend of reopening the debate over the handling of violent computer games. The Grand Theft Auto series is probably one of the most gratuitously violent games ever released, but Sydney's chief sensor for games, Bill Hastings was quick to point out that the violence is not necessary to proceed in the game, and that Grand Theft Auto players could simply drive around admiring the architecture.
That possibility was suggested because of the realism of the game, which is also part of the reason why the game is rated 18. Hastings' comments were in a Sydney Herald article, which opened with how stores had called up the censors asking what they were to do in the face of so many parents coming into stores to buy Grand Theft Auto IV with their 14 year-old children by their side. They censor's advice was to hold firm, and not to sell if it was suspected the game was being purchased for under-18's.
The realism of Grand Theft Auto, specifically the life-like movements of the characters when they were being shot, blown-up or otherwise killed, was also mentioned in another light, with some gamers saying it was so realistic it was creepy, and others saying they played the game in a different way, focussing on hanging out, and making friends etc.
I've got to admit, I don't play Grand Theft Auto to hang out and make friends, that is what real life is for, playing Grand Theft Auto, well any computer game is my time for letting go and submerging myself in a the world of the game, and in Grand Theft Auto that means carrying out the tasks asked of you, which usually involves violence. Not that I don't enjoy emptying clips of an AK47 or M16, for a guy that is the crack. Things like that, for me, are what I would never do in real life, but it is an adrenaline rush to do it in Grand Theft Auto.
I haven't got my copy of Grand Theft Auto IV yet, but I have had every previous version, and you can bet your bottom dollar I will be getting GTA IV very soon.
