Do you remember the "Hot Coffee" issue raised by earlier versions of the GTA series?
Basically there were explicit...and I mean EXPLICIT...scenes that were left in the code of the game and could only be accessed if you knew the right place and keywords to use.
This resulted in a ton of controversy, since kids were now exposed to something that parents didn't want.
So the main question is: Is there a Hot Coffee code for GTA 4?
Don't you wish! Unfortunately, Rockstar has come out and clearly stated that there is no secret code embedded this time. They didn't want to take the hit that would come from another incident like that.
The existing 'explicit' contents of GTA 4 will have to suffice.
Polyester pants and a double knit shirt aren't the usual soldier's attire. Yet they're Niko Bellic's wardrobe of choice as he hits the streets of Liberty City.
I sprint and slide in behind a nearby crate of building materials, cutting down a targeted hood with a spray of assault rifle fire.
He hasn't been in America very long, but his on-the-ground experience on the Balkan Peninsula and work as a human trafficker in the Adriatic Sea has helped him slip into the city's underworld like a scraggly bearded peg in a back-alley hole.
I switch weapons and take a well-placed sniper shot to obliterate another mug's head, sending him falling to the concrete below with a bone-crunching splat.
The pain of Niko's past has robbed him of any concern for life—especially his own—and left him convinced there is no such thing as redemption. He's a simple man who needs nothing but a greasy meal and an occasional lap dance from a stripper to keep him trudging toward the only thing that matters to him now—vengeance.
With a quick leaping movement I flip a grenade into the open bay of a helicopter. The rising chopper erupts in flames and incinerates the last of the bosses I'm sent to kill.
After several attempts, Niko—and I—finish this current mission against an army of mafia thugs. It's a pretty daunting challenge, even by Hollywood standards. But it's just one more day in the life of a Serbian killer in Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV.
High Praise It's the blending of emotionally involving storyline and violent action that nudges this title from mere video game shoot-'em-up toward something approaching interactive cinema. And that's why GTA IV has hard-core gamers and the game-reviewing press shooting their automatic rifles gleefully into the air while cheering themselves hoarse. IGN ranked the title a "10" and claimed, "It's one of the best games we've ever seen." Reviewers at GameSpot mirrored that praise, calling the latest episode in the GTA saga a "superb character-driven story."
USA Today dubbed it an "exhilarating adventure" that is much like "an interactive episode of The Sopranos" from which you can "expect a lot of bang for your buck." But writer Marc Saltzman, at least, went on to admit that "controversy is unavoidable with this game." Controversy? Didn't the out-of-this-world sales figures for Halo 3 finally put an end to everybody quibbling over a few thousand people getting brutally killed in a video game? Well, not quite.
Low Life As the thickly accented illegal immigrant Niko, players step off a merchant navy vessel and into a digital version of what amounts to be New York City. (Liberty City is "where the American Dream goes to die," boasts the game's Web site.) They then meet up with Niko's cousin, Roman—an eternal optimist who hopes to make it big in America but who's also in debt up to his ears. To help his sad sack cousin, Niko agrees to take on the role of enforcer and carry out a few missions for the Russian mob.
One thing leads to another.
Niko ends up befriending or murdering an array of lowlifes from the underbelly of society—including Russian thugs, Irish mobsters, Jamaican pot dealers, corner crack-pushers, Puerto Rican hoods, a corrupt police commissioner and a variety of other unrepentant operators and hustlers.
As befits the title, most of the open-world gameplay is made up of carjacking vehicles and recklessly racing through city streets. But assigned missions usually focus on strategically figuring out how to kill someone. Or determining the best way to retrieve stolen items. Or evading the police. Or making drug deliveries.
You can also drink and drive in this game, leaving you with a blurred and wobbly view.
"Rockstar has tried to make Grand Theft Auto IV feel like less of a video game," writes MTV News contributor Stephen Totilo. "Shooting a policeman, a criminal or a civilian will cause them to tumble with convincing physics. Shot people look hurt. Cars handle more realistically and more distinctly. ... The improved physics and animation make the game feel more real, the player's actions more fraught with consequence. ... It's a realer GTA. Is it also a game? Of course. Is it still 'just' a game? That depends on your perspective and what your hopes are for how something like this might impact those who play it."
When not making money for murder or spending it on bigger, badder weaponry, Niko can also take time to pursue the "normal" things of life. He can watch TV, go online to explore the Internet and even join a dating service. Players have the option of dating up to three or four different women and taking them out for bowling, darts or pool, hitting a few bars or catching some live comedy. And if the gal feels well-treated, she may extend the night's festivities by inviting the tough-looking Serb up for some "hot coffee." (Which puts you outside her bedroom window to hear her calling out Niko's name during sex.)
But if Niko is a "failure" in the dating department, he can always take a buddy to one of the strip clubs in town. There, busty young women dressed in brief panties and pasties will pole dance, give him an erotic lap dance and coo nasty things into his ear. Similarly, receiving sex from a prostitute is as easy as driving up, calling her into your car and finding a deserted alleyway. No hidden sex scenes needed in this GTA rendition. These women stay clothed (if you can call what they're wearing clothes), but climb onto Niko's lap and talk dirty to him while going through all the motions.
Speaking of dirty, GTA IV immerses its players in a world laced with constant foul language of every stripe. Gamers just walking down Liberty City's streets will be greeted with a cacophony of f- and s-words.
Real Crime Sex is diversion here, though. GTA games are really all about grabbing the nearest weapon and leaving your opponents' brains splattered across the wall behind them. Gamers can find or purchase a wide variety of munitions—including shotguns, machine guns and RPGs—or simply pick up a brick from an empty lot. Along with an ample rogue's gallery, innocent passersby and policemen can be run down or blown away whenever the player desires.
And if the single-player mode doesn't offer enough bloodshed, gamers are (for the first time) also given the option of online multiplayer modes. Up to 16 enthusiasts can blast each other in a host of cooperative and competitive shoot-outs that include a free-for-all deathmatch called, uh, Deathmatch.
In short, the makers of Grand Theft Auto IV have gathered together all the possible social evils they could come up with. Prostitution. Illegal drugs. Drive-by-shootings. Cop-killings. Carjackings. Political corruption. Racism. Rampant murder. Everything's bundled into one massive and, sadly, cutting-edge game—in which you're immersed for 30 to 80 hours. And that's just the first time around.
Are you mystified that anyone would spend that kind of time on this kind of stuff? Are you certain that at least kids won't be playing since parents won't let them? MTV News and Wired magazine both interviewed groups of gamers under the age of 17 who have played previous iterations of the Grand Theft Auto franchise and who plan on getting their hands on No. 4, too. One said, "My mom doesn't have a clue about games or ratings, so we'll just go in and get it." Another commented, "I am mature, and my parents know this is just a video game." Still another noted, "If my parents took video games as serious as movies and paid more attention to what I was playing, all of this could be avoided. ... Not that I would want them to do that."
We very much do want them to do that.
source: PluggedIn
I found this GTA 4 Review for Parents and thought it would be good to add here.
Check out the entire album, or pick out individual songs. This album contains songs such as:
Liberty City: The Invasion Soviet Connection Dirty New Yorker No Sex for Ben No Fraid A Where's My Money I Want You Rocky Mountain Way Stand Up Jamrock Vagabond On A Journey Nickname Holy Thursday War Is Necessary Zombie 5:23 (Maiden Voyage)
These songs may contain explicit language.
Click on the widget above to sample the songs and download them. Follow the link to get more GTA 4 songs, games and gear.
With every new installment of Grand Theft Auto comes a variety of new or updated vehicles. In GTAIV, however, vehicle updates will not only enhance their appearance but also their features, making them much more realistic. Here is a list of some confirmed vehicle features we can expect in GTAIV:
Different cars have different navigation systems. More expensive cars include GPS which talks the player through the streets. You are now required to break the window of a vehicle to perform shootings while driving. The shooting while driving mechanic has improved and you can now shoot in any direction around the vehicle using both analog sticks. Police vehicles now include an extensive GPS and database system. You can enter the name of a criminal to find out their whereabouts and the game will guide you to them. An in-car view has been added, meaning that vehicle models now have detailed interiors.
In the past, we've seen cars appear, evolve, and even disappear, and the same will certainly be true in GTA 4. Below is a list of most of the vehicles that have been spotted in screenshots and trailers (please keep in mind that the actual names of most of the following cars are not confirmed, they are merely predictions based off of past GTA games):
Albany Annihilator Banshee Blista Taxi Blista Bobcat Cabbie Classic Car Clover Coast Guard Comet Corvette Coupe Sport Dinghy FBI Car Faggio Feltzer Firetruck Ford SUV (Escape?) Freeway Idaho Infernus Karin Dilettante Landstalker Linerunner Luxury Car (Aston Martin DB9) Luxury Car (Honda NSX) Luxury SUV (Lexus) Luxury Sedan Marquis Maverick Mule NRG 900 RR PCJ Police (Crown Victoria) Police (Imapala) Police (Patriot) Police Chopper Predator Range Rover Rumpo Sabre Turbo Savanna Securicar Sedan (Dodge Charger) Sedan (Licoln Towncar) Sedan (Mitsubishi Galant) Sedan Sedan Sedan Sedan Sentinel Speeder Stallion Stinger Streetfighter Stretch Tahoma Taxi Train Trashmaster Truck Turismo Willard
BradyGames’ Grand Theft Auto IV Signature Series Guide includes the following:
MISSIONS: Maps and strategy for all main story missions--plus complete coverage of Vigilante, Car Thefts, Most Wanted, Friendships, Random Characters, and the myriad other activities required to achieve 100% completion.
Maps: Score health, armor, and weapons no matter where you are in Liberty City. Our maps show you where to find them in every mission. Pick-ups, collectibles, places of interest--everything you need and everywhere you need to be in a dedicated map section.
Secrets: Our detailed collection maps and descriptions reveal precise locations for all Unique Stunt Jumps and "Hidden Packages" in Liberty City.
Multiplayer: When you're ready to take your game online, come armed with exclusive hints and tactics for all Multiplayer modes.
Bonus Fold-out: This giant map of Liberty City features the locations and details for all Odd Jobs--with poster art on the other side!
Click on the image to get your guide, maps and walkthrough!
You can also find a bunch of various guides, walkthroughs and cheats at "GTA 4 Guides For Sale", including some that are cheaper than the Amazon version.
Check out the entire album, or pick out individual songs. This album contains songs such as:
Liberty City: The Invasion Soviet Connection Dirty New Yorker No Sex for Ben No Fraid A Where's My Money I Want You Rocky Mountain Way Stand Up Jamrock Vagabond On A Journey Nickname Holy Thursday War Is Necessary Zombie 5:23 (Maiden Voyage)
These songs may contain explicit language.
Click on the widget above to sample the songs and download them. Follow the link to get more GTA 4 songs, games and gear.
When will the GTA 4 Download - Episode One be available?
According to CVG, Microsoft Vice President, John Schappert has confirmed that the first downloadable "episode" for GTA 4 will be coming in August of 2008, exclusively to Xbox 360.
Grand Theft Auto IV: Episode One, as it's being called, is presumably the first in the previously announced two downloadable episodes for Rockstar's sequel.
While playing the game, press Up to display Niko's cellphone. Press Up again to access the keypad. Then, enter one of the following codes to activate the corresponding cheat function. Once a code has been entered correctly, a new "Cheats" menu option will be available on your phone, below "Options", where you can access the cheats without having to enter the phone number again. Note: Do not save the game after enabling a code to avoid unforeseen problems. Enabling some cheats may prevent achievements from being earned.
Full health
Dial "3625550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "DOC-555-0100". This code prevents the "Cleaned The Mean Streets", "Finish Him", "One Man Army", and "Walk Free" achievements from being earned.
Full health and ammunition
Dial "4825550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "GTA-555-0100". This code prevents the "Cleaned The Mean Streets" achievement from being earned.
Weapons tier 1
Dial "4865550100" into the cellphone. This will unlock the baseball bat, handgun, shotgun, MP5, M4, sniper rifle, RPG, and grenades. Note: This phone number translates to "GUN-555-0150". This code prevents the "Cleaned The Mean Streets" achievement from being earned.
Weapons tier 2
Dial "4865550150" into the cellphone. This will unlock the knife, Molotov cocktails, handgun, shotgun, Uzi, AK47, sniper rifle, and RPG. Note: This phone number translates to "GUN-555-0100". This code prevents the "Cleaned The Mean Streets" achievement from being earned.
Remove Niko's wanted level
Dial "2675550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "COP-555-0100". This code prevents the "One Man Army" and "Walk Free" achievements from being earned.
Add one star to Niko's wanted level
Dial "2675550150" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "COP-555-0150".
Spawn Annihilator police helicopter
Dial "3595550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "FLY-555-0100". This code prevents the "One Man Army" and "Walk Free" achievements from being earned.
Spawn Cognoscenti
Dial "2275550142" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "CAR-555-0142".
Spawn Comet
Dial "2275550175" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "CAR-555-0175".
Spawn FBI Buffalo
Dial "2275550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "CAR-555-0100".
Spawn Jetmax
Dial "9385550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "WET-555-0100".
Spawn NRG-900
Dial "6255550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "MBK-555-0100".
Spawn Sanchez
Dial "6255550150" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "MBK-555-0150". S pawn SuperGT
Dial "2275550168" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "CAR-555-0168".
Spawn Turismo
Dial "2275550147" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "CAR-555-0147".
Change weather and brightness
Dial "4685550100" into the cellphone. Note: This phone number translates to "HOT-555-0100".
# Map locations
Enter "www.whattheydonotwantyoutoknow.com" into the in-game computers to view maps that reveal all weapon, health, armor, vehicle, pigeon, ramp/stunt, and entertainment locations.
# Easy money
Go to an ATM, then cause a traffic jam to the area. Wait for someone to take money from the ATM, then kill him or her. Make sure to block any nearby roads so the ambulance cannot get to the murdered victim. Take the money they dropped on the ground. Then, run a short distance away, and go back. The money should have respawned on the ground. You can repeat this as many times as desired. You can also kill more people taking their money from the ATM to increase the amount of money that respawns. -From: Khairol161
# Repairing engine
If the vehicle you are driving breaks down and the engine will not start, call 911, and your engine should start again.
# Parking more vehicles
Outside your first hideout is a small parking area to park your vehicles and save them. Instead of parking your vehicles fully within the lines, you can park your vehicles partially within the lines to allow for more vehicles to be parked and saved. -From: Zane
# Fast travel
To avoid wasting time driving all the way across the city, call a taxi. They will take you to your destination for your mission, stores, safehouses, or even a waypoint marker. You can skip through the taxi ride, allowing you to travel across the entire city in about ten seconds. This can also be done during missions.
# Easy headshots
It is sometimes difficult to get headshots, which do count. With some practice, doing the following is an easy way to get headshots. Press [Auto-Aim], then use the Right Analog-stick to move the auto-aim target around your victim's body. Barely move the Right Analog-stick as you are shooting. This puts bullets in the chest and head, and results in an easy instant kill.
# Getting away from police
When running away from the cops, you will have a circular area in which they look for you. However, if you get out and another cop sees you, it changes. To use this to your advantage, barely get out of that circle, which you will see on your radar. Then, just sit there for about five seconds instead of flooring past it.
# Regaining health during missions
You can leave the mission area and go to a Cluckin' Bell, hotdog stand, etc. and eat food to replenish your health if you are low and cannot find a health pack. This is especially useful on missions where there are no health packs in sight. Note: You can also take a taxi to those locations during missions.
# Avoiding toll booths
Drive through any toll booth with any emergency vehicle with the sirens on. The booth attendant will open the gate, and you will save $5.
# $100 for all ringtones and themes
After getting the phone from Playboy X, go to the nearest Internet cafe. Buy all of the ringtones and themes from the ringtones site. Log out of the computer, and you will notice that you only paid $100 for all ringtones and themes.
# Easy "One Man Army" achievement
Go to the bridge that takes you to the second island and has a train track under it. Walk along the train track towards the second island before you are allowed to cross the bridge. When you are about half way, you should have a six start wanted level. Then, just stand on the train track for five minutes to get the achievement. You do not have to worry about the police because they will be on the bridge above you so they cannot shoot, and the helicopters are above you so you have cover from them.
# Achievements
Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:
Off the Boat (5 points): Complete the first mission. One Hundred and Eighty (10 points): In a darts game score 180 with 3 darts. Pool Shark (10 points): Beat a friend at pool. King of QUB3D (15 points): Beat the High Score in QUB3D Finish Him (15 points): Complete 10 melee counters in 4 minutes Genetically Superior (25 points): Come first in 20 singleplayer street races. Wheelie Rider (30 points): Do a wheelie lasting at least 500 feet on a motorbike. Gobble Gobble (10 points): Score 3 strikes in a row, a turkey, in 10-pin bowling. Driving Mr. Bellic (10 points): Unlock the special ability of taxi. Rolled Over (30 points): Do 5 car rolls in a row from one crash. Walk Free (50 points): Lose a 4 star wanted rating by outrunning the cops. Courier Service (10 points): Complete all 10 package delivery jobs. Retail Therapy (10 points): Unlock the special ability of buying guns from a friend. Chain Reaction (20 points): You must blow up 10 vehicles in 10 seconds. One Man Army (40 points): Survive 5 minutes on 6 star wanted level. Lowest Point (5 points): Complete mission "Roman's Sorrow". Over Fulfilled (10 points): Complete all 10 Exotic Export orders. Manhunt (15 points): Complete the most wanted side missions from the police computer. Cleaned The Mean Streets (20 points): Capture 20 criminals through the police computer. Fed The Fish (5 points): Complete the mission "Uncle Vlad". It'll Cost Ya (5 points): Complete a taxi ride without skipping from one island to another. Sightseer (5 points): Fly on all helicopter tours of Liberty City. Warm Coffee (5 points): Successfully date a girl to be invited into her house. That's How We Roll! (10 points): Unlock the special ability of helicopter. Half Million (55 points): Reach a balance of $500,000. Impossible Trinity (10 points): Complete mission "Museum Piece". Full Exploration (20 points): Unlock all the islands. You Got The Message (20 points): Deliver all 30 cars ordered through text message. Dare Devil (30 points): Complete 100% of the unique stunt jumps. Assassin's Greed (20 points): Complete all 9 assassin missions. Endangered Species (50 points): Collect every hidden package in the game. Under the Radar (40 points): Fly underneath the main bridges in the game that cross water with a helicopter. Dial B For Bomb (10 points): Unlock the special ability of phoning for a bomb to be placed. Gracefully Taken (10 points): Complete mission "I'll Take Her". Liberty City (5) (20 points): After meeting all possible friends, the ones left alive all like you above 90%. No More Strangers (5 points): Meet all random characters. That Special Someone (10 points): Complete mission "That Special Someone". You Won! (60 points): Complete the final mission. Liberty City Minute (30 points): Complete the story missions in less than 30 hours. Key To The City (100 points): Achieve 100% in "Game progress" statistic. Teamplayer (10 points): Kill 5 players who are not in your team, in any ranked multiplayer team game. Cut Your Teeth (5 points): Earn a personal rank promotion in multiplayer Join The Midnight Club (10 points): Win a ranked multiplayer race without damaging your vehicle too much and with damaged enabled. Fly The Co-op (15 points): Beat our time in ranked versions of "Deal Breaker", "Hangman's NOOSE" and "Bomb da Base II". Take It For The Team (10 points): Be on the winning team in all ranked multiplayer team games. Top Of The Food Chain (10 points): Kill 20 players with a pistol in a ranked multiplayer deathmatch. Top The Midnight Club (20 points): Come first in 20 different ranked standard multiplayer races. Wanted (20 points): Achieve the highest personal rank in multiplayer. Auf Wiedersehen Petrovic (30 points): Win all ranked multiplayer variations, all races and "Cops 'n Crooks", as both sides. Let Sleeping Rockstars Lie (10 points): Kill a Rockstar developer in a ranked multiplayer match.
