GTA IV & Thoughts

So GTA IV finally arrived, and I've played (or watched RoboRoommate v.2 play) for 4-5 hours. I haven't finished it, but I feel like, to those one or two of you who haven't gotten the game, I have some thoughts to share.

I've never been a huge fan of previous GTA games. Usually they're too non-linear, and it's really easy to be distracted and not accomplish anything. The "action" system, ie. shooting, was always lame, and controls in general were shoddy. There wasn't anything keeping me in the game. That's the problem with a sandbox, as opposed to a roller-coaster. You can get out of the sandbox whenever you want.

Controls are somewhat improved. Niko, the protagonist, still sort of "drives like a truck," so to speak, leaning into turns, running into walls, etc. I don't understand why there's a "run" button when there are analog joysticks -- couldn't you just press the thumbstick further to make him run? There are a bajillion buttons that do a bajillion things, and they aren't necessarily very intuitive.

As for the new action control scheme, it's better than before... but still not great. Crackdown is an xbox 360 Sandbox-type action game that implements targeting in a similar manner to GTA IV, but better. Gears of War implements a cover-and-shoot system, but better than GTA IV. I don't understand why no one who developed GTA IV just didn't combine the two.

In GTA IV you can take cover behind objects, lean out and shoot. Good in theory. You can also (theoretically) target different parts of a person's body. It is not super effective. So the verdict on the controls is a modest improvement from previous versions.

As for the gameplay... I think the most amazing thing about GTA is the world they've created. Incredibly dense and involved. But the gameplay itself is much like previous GTAs. The world is more dense... but why would I want to play bowling in GTA, when I can turn on the Wii and play bowling on it much more intuitively and entertaining? Or when I can, you know... just go bowling. Or darts. Etc. There's not enough keeping me involved in the main storyline.

Also, the driving controls still suck.

So I'm going to keep at it, but it's not the "most-amazing-game-ever" that so many reviewers have said. It's the "most-amazing-game-world-ever." The game itself still needs some work. 

Like that's going to stop you.

I also haven't had a chance to listen through the entirety of the new REM, The Long Blondes, or the Raconteurs' albums, but reviews and thoughts are forthcoming. As for a first impression, the new REM is good, with some great songs, but mostly it falls into the "good" category; The Long Blondes have changed their sound so much that I was disappointed with the album, but I'm going to give it another listen to see if it grows on me now that I know what I've gotten myself into; and the Raconteurs' sounds a lot like the White Stripes with more instrumentation than the previous album, but still quality.

LOST tonight.

-RoboNixon 

Musings and Music

Weezer is coming out with a new album?! Really?! On June 17th? This year? Really? What about that whole "Rivers-Cuomo-Being-Crazy" thing? Oh, crazy-awesome? Sweet! 

Anyway, the new single is out today [EDIT: er, uh, by today I mean April 22]. It's called "Pork & Beans" and I haven't heard it. There is a clip you can listen to here, but it's not long. I'll probably find it on the series-of-tubes in the near future and link to it for your listening enjoyment.

Also, for you Weezer obsessees, drummer Patrick Wilson (not the dude from Little Children) has a online thingie-majigger.

As for other new-album news, The Dandy Warhols appear to have a new album, Earth to the Dandy Warhols coming out on May 5th. They also have a series of youtube videos on their website with snippets of songs. I have included a thingie here. I don't really know what it is -- it sounds kind of like future-music you hear in movies when they enter the future-mall and it's future-lame, but I'll reserve my judgement until the actual album is released. Their last album, Odditorium was 40% awesome, 60% lame-o. Let's hope they at least flip those percentages for this new one.

Earth to the Dandy Warhols. May 5th.

Actually, it just sounds kinda like bad 70's porn. At least until the theoretically-an-actual-song-clip at the end. This "pimp" for the new album is cooler. It has a space-suit. I like shiny things.

Even cooler is a video on Current about my other favorite Portland band, The Thermals. They explain their new album, The Body, the Blood, the Machine, while walking around the perpetually overcast reaches of town. There's some sweet performance video. Also, I think their bassist is cute. Cute in the "she plays bass, and she's a chick - totally cute!" kinda way. Anyway, you should check out the video, because it explains the album and has some sweet tuneage.

Also, for you Los Angeles children out there, I'd like to point you in the direction of The Long Blondes, who are playing at the Troubadour on June 4th. They are grood, and I plan on being there.

And on a final note, sadly, Electric Six are no longer touring, at least until October. In a "please understand that if we keep touring we will spontaneously-combust"-type post, they reveal that their new album will come out in what will now officially be called Rocktober of 2008. And that lead singer/songwriter Dick Valentine has discovered a new love that will take him away from his band-mates.

I can't speak for what my bandmates will do with their time, but I have recently discovered Las Vegas. I had never been there before last month (our show last year at the Beauty Bar doesn't count) and now I want to move there forever. I intend to fly there twice a month, by myself, hanging out for days on end, by myself....in Vegas. This is how I'm going to spend my time off. I always wondered what I'd do when I take time off from the band. The answer: I'm going to Vegas by myself. A lot.

And whatever happens there, let it inspire a Dance Epidemic.

-RoboNixon