User blog comment:Ccbermanzzpedia/Hype/@comment-1980831-20100518014532

It's a good question. A lot of gamers I know complained about GTAIV being a good game, but being far over-rated by mainstream critics. Personally, I would agree. GTAIV was a brilliant game, and really set a standard for open-world games. There was a lot missing though, and the experience felt forced and coercive sometimes, which was a dramatic contrast to the organic chaos that the game engine creates. That being said, I think R* really improved on some of these shortcomings and showed an ability to respond to criticisms in TBOGT and TLAD. I have high hopes, but also a reasonable and restrained skepticism.