"Just like GTA" syndrome
 

I've had alot of problems listening to people whine and snivel about how the new game is imitating Grand Theift Auto's free range movement. I mean, from what I've seen, everything about GTA is just things that game developers have been trying to do for years. Fable was open-range, is that GTA? Morrowind was open from start to finish. Hells, even QUEST 64 was trying to be free range. So was Zelda!

I'm getting tired of hearing it and it's starting to become annoying. Free range movement is what everyone hopes to acheive from their action game, and just because GTA was the most succesful that's not any reason to say every othre game is like it.

this isn't a "GTA < all GAMES!!!" I'm only talking about free-range games and why they're all attributed to be imitating GTA in a negative light.

And please dont' comment unless it's somehow useful to the topic not on your opinion on GTA. (Psr, you too)

Well, I will comment on things, including my opinion on GTA, so, nyah!...ehem... One, PSR is a moron and shouldn't post about anything. First, he should learn to spell correctly, then he should go into seclusion and study anything in general for years on end and educate himself.

Now, onto those games...Honestly, I think the GTA games kinda suck. In my opinion, they very very VERY poorly give you freedom to do as you wish. Whoa, you can drive around a city. Real open there. You can kill who ya want. Whoops, already done. (that's also arguable for GTA) There's a TON of things GTA doesn't give you the freedom to do and couldn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of giving you the freedom to do; anyone who compares any well thought, decent game to GTA with the intentions of saying GTA is the better of the two is a complete and utter fuckin moron.

So, to make this potentially long story short, people are morons and go with what's trendy. Apparently a dumb fuckin game like the latest GTA appeals to people, and thus they go with the trend. It's like music. I know countless guys who love their new-age death metal, but show no respect to the bands that preceded the ones they listen to. I personally think it's not only stupid, but ignorant, for if it wasn't for the predecessors, they wouldn't have what they do, granted they like it only because it's the "in" thing.

Sooner or later, Mirai Gen, you will stop hearing about GTA. And then you'll hear about the next craptacular piece of trash game that is somehow appealing for an enduring amount of time.

Sad, eh? ...But I have a solution. Anyone who compares GTA to another game with intents of saying GTA is better up close to you face to face...Sock them. Just unload with a fist of fury into their stupid faces. ...I mean...hey...GTA teaches us that we solve our problems best by killing the other person, so...

Yep, end rant.

I just hate the association of new titles to big name games in things like reviews. I get 2-3 gaming magazines a month, and everytime a game even has the slightest bit of carjacking, the game now has "stealing cars like in GTA". Hell, even in a Halo 2 review, they said you can steal vehicals a'la GTA.

And also, everything close to the game must be considered "can it beat this major title?" For example, in EGM this month, they gave a bunch of previews of cool new games in 2005. In it, the kept comparing these games to big hit apps like Halo 2, GTA, MGS 3, and so on. They had the balls to ask if the new Conker game will be as good as Halo 2.

See, the gaming industry is becoming sad indeed. How the FUCK can you compare Conker and Halo? Same type of game sort of (in terms of genre), but the way each delivers is so drastic from one another that comparing them only means the person doing so is a complete idiot.

Sure, a lot of the big title names DO kick ass, but a lot of the smaller title names are just as good. Frankly, I'd take simple graphics (Omg its not like totally 3d guys i cant believe this lolzerz GTA is sooooooo much better) and a good music score over most of the shit nowadays.

Too many people look at this in a strained view. As it goes with all things, the video gaming industry needs an open view of things, not some stupid convoluted perception that's going to result in EA and other craptacular game companies in dominating the business COMPLETELY.

On a side note: Stealing vehicles in Halo 2 is in no way, shape or form similar to GTA. I would like to meet the person who said that so I can punch him to death.

I have a feeling the gaming industry is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

I just get tired of people claiming the new games are the shit before they even come out, cuss and complain atthose who don't buy them when they do come out, then end up hating 3/4 of them after they actually PLAY them and then make fun of us AGAIN when we find one or two of them we like.

And then they compare all the new games to the games of the past....wow, does that get annoying. Should everything be compared to games before it.....that's kind of stifiling originality.

The Gaming industry is fine, the reviewers and idiot gamers are the ones in trouble. Personally the one thing that really burned me is when people compare sequels to games that pre-dated uber-popular game (GTA), that actually came up with half the stuff said uber popular game does, and call it a ripoff.

I'm talking about my undieing urge to slap anyone to say that Driver 3 is a GTA rip off. I mean really the original (and only good game in the series) came out before GTA. Sure the feature of car-jacking was added, but hey if GTA never came out it would've probably been there anyway, because that's the direction the series was going in.

Oh and the normal ripping off other games stuff is pissing me off too. Any game involving training an army of monsters is immeadiatley a Pokemon ripoff (Monster Rancher, which is an okay game, better than pokemon.) Every first person shooter set in the future during a war, is a Halo clone. What's next do we call every giant mech game a Mechwarrior clone? Is every 3D fighting game a Tekken clone? Hell even in the review for GTA:SA they said it ripped off the sims because now you had to eat and work out. Hell so what if they share similar elements, its not like the game revolves around that one featur ala the Sims.

Note: When I say "popular game" I mean any game that recieves lots of hype without being really innovative or unique.

Yeah, its annoying how people will point out "thats like GTA" or "thats just a rip off of this" when I'm talking about games. But thats only cause they can't see past shiny graphics or big companies(EA). They don't bother playing games that are innovative and instead play "the popular game". When these games steal other game's innovations these people don't realize it because they wouldn't ever play anything but "the popular game". But maybe that's just the people I know. I hope it is.

Most(94%) of the people I know will buy their games based on title alone. GTA because they want their hookers and violence. Halo because it's Halo. Can't name any GCN games because that's "their little sister's console". I really really wish something along the lines of DMC2 would happen to any "popular game".

I'm sorry, but I don't recognize the initials DMC2. Yes, I'm a complete loser... And, I may either 1) not get the game in Ecuador, or 2) recognize it after reading the whole name.

Also, I like GTA. It a good game that allows for a decent car/bike/boat/chopper ride, some good gunning, and a good combination of both. No, I don't think "its teh bst gam evar wtf lolz" Halo is different. "Stealing cars" in Halo is NOT anything LIKE GTA. Anyone who says that should be dragged into a dark corner, beaten up "ala GTA" and shot in painful, yet non-lethal places, until they start to, um, sorry, I got carried away.... You get the point. I don't understand why everyone hates GTA. It's a good game, if you play it. And, DRIV3R, or Driver 2 (which I think already had the carjacking, to a degree) were both good games, and I would NEVER say that their carjacking was taken from GTA. They should also be.... you get it.

And, while some games are, indeed, like other games (like "True Crime" for the X-box, and GTA, which both allow you to ride around a city, kill people, and steal cars, and do missions. Only difference is that on the former, you're a cop) Other games don't compare. Like MGS2 and Final Fantasy X, a nice big debate in it's time, at least to the small gaming community here in Ecuador. Reviewers should only compare games if they actually have similar mechanics, gameplay, concepts, ect.

DMC2 is Devil May Cry 2. I had fun with the first DMC and it's a greatest hits. The third DMC is coming in March. So DMC2 came out. Luckily, I didn't have money to buy it. I'll just say it sucked(compared to DMC1 it does but I know people that haven't played DMC1 and like DMC2).

I have noticed the rise in "Like GTA" in reviews, But I don't let it bother me, because, half the time they are wrong. The car-jacking in Mafia is nothing like the car-jacking in GTA(You had to learn how to crack each lock on cars in mafia)

If you want an ordiginal game, get Rag Doll Kung Fu You can do preaty much anything you want in it. Have a fight, long jump contest or set up a game of "Simon Says"