The Way Things Are

“So what do you think?”

I hate that question because more often than not, it gets me into trouble. This is something I was asked a lot after my first night in Liberty City. After all the hype and hyperbole, it seemed like all anyone wanted to know was the opinions of others, whether to validate their own or not. Crawling to bed post midnight launch and after hours of roaming the city, even my girlfriend had to ask the question. So what the hell did I think?

“I didn’t have a religious experience,” I told her

And I’m still waiting for one.

I spoke with a friend of mine today about reviews and we both came to the same conclusion: the entire process is built upon expectations, be it the writers or that of the audience. The hype machine for Grand Theft Auto IV was huge and oddly enough, I seemed to miss out on the entire thing. In fact, I had been so distracted by life that I didn’t even realize GTA was coming out until 3 weeks prior to launch. My excitement for the game had nothing to do with it, I definitely wanted to get my hands on it. For once I was actually thankful. I was getting the opportunity to experience a game in the bizarre, utopian world of Dennis Dyack’s dreams where the only played game is a completed game and without much information beforehand.

This of course was derailed by the early onslaught of reviews — exclusive reviews at that and the kind that make me cringe and remind me why I simply call myself a writer. When editorial outlets receive exclusive treatment, it’s typically handed out by simply asking before anyone else or by presenting some sort of unique story idea to the developer. With reviews though, you play the numbers game. With embargoes set to go off on a Sunday night, suddenly, IGN was posting their review that Friday. A perfect ten and their first in a decade. Like everyone else, I freaked out a little. Say what you will about IGN, but a ten from them is huge as they don’t exactly hand them out like candy. A seven page love letter to a game that by all accounts is the cultural center of our industry.

So why this rotten feeling? Naturally, the avalanche of perfect scores followed and I’m not impressed. Some folks, including one from IGN, have already gone on the warpath about it but for all the wrong reasons. Grand Theft Auto IV is not a bad game. Not even close. But is it truly deserving of perfect scores? I’m part of the Dan Hsu, “a ten out of ten doesn’t mean perfection” coalition, but even with that, I’m not sold. The problems I have fall on both sides of the fence, being ours and theirs.

On our side, I know how these deals work. The unspoken rule of review embargoes. That if you appease the gods of PR and bend over, you get to break free. I’m not saying this happened with GTA IV because I obviously haven’t a clue, but I’ve seen it happen. I’ve been asked to do it in the past and it’s always a fantastic reminder of where we are. There’s also those who, for lack of better way to put it, don’t want to look stupid. When IGN came blasting out of the gate with a ten, I guarantee you at least one editor out there said, “You know … they gave it a ten.” Again, I’ve been there. These are also the same types who will turn around and say, “I don’t give a fuck what Metacritic says” when they need something higher to fit their agenda.

And then there’s that whole business of upsetting developers and publishers with honesty. No one wants to do that. This is all why I refuse reviews these days. “The back bone,” they call it. I’m fine without, thanks.

So if that’s our problem, what’s theirs? For as improved as Grand Theft Auto IV is over the past iterations, its just that: improved for Grand Theft Auto. The rest of the pack has grown wiser for their experiences, even if they can’t quite put all the pieces together like Rockstar. The mechanics only just as I find myself pointing at each individual facet of the game and saying, “Oh, Saints Row does aiming better,” or, “I had more fun driving in Crackdown.” The problem with open world games is that they’re the ultimate jack of all trades, master of none titles and GTA IV exemplifies that. For a game that garners perfect scores, I feel that it should truly shine above the rest.

And it does for the most part. I do believe that GTA IV is the best in its class, but some have given it far too much credit. Watch an episode of the Sopranos and then play some Grand Theft Auto. Suddenly, best in class is suddenly amateur hour and we realize that while the dialogue is passable, it’s hardly a notch above where it was before, even if Rockstar has some of the best vocal direction in the business. The newly found sympathy and emotions that people find in protagonist Nico Bellic, I feel, is overblown at best. I had a heart for the guy in the first few hours and found him to be quite charming, but I’m more than halfway through the game here and he’s already no better than the faceless thugs and killers that the series has called hero. I remember when Nico would question the kill, relying upon his own code of honor to make the call, but after a few hours he’s become the mindless killing machine that the media paints upon the game. No more questions, only obedience.

Without going much deeper into it (because lets face it, this isn’t a review either), my feelings on Grand Theft Auto IV closely match the ones I had for another flawed masterpiece, Mass Effect, only less so with the praise. What we have is a game that has a lot of issues, be it the weak characters, technical hang ups, clumsy multiplayer and huge leap backwards in terms of content (one could go on for days about how many cool, little things are missing that San Andreas introduced), but at the end of the day it’s still an entertaining game, just not worthy of a perfect score in my opinion.

Because believe me, I love Mass Effect with all my heart, but in no good conscience would I, or could I ever label it with a perfect score.

So why is that so hard to accept? That’s the question I propose to not only those in the industry, but the readers as well. Why is it so hard to accept that your favorite game in the world has issues? Lord knows mine do. In this day and age of the meta average, why are fluctuating scores so worrisome? The “you versus me” mentality of enjoying and critiquing videogames. I’d say that scores are stupid and don’t matter, but the truth is while I can’t argue the first, I can tell you that unfortunately, the latter does.

Opinions: you know the rest. How we can’t seem to cope with them is a bad sign if you ask me.