The joys of GTA IV #2: GTA IV is Shooting People in the Face^TM Lite

Let’s face it: the previous Grand Theft Auto games were absolutely pathetic in the shooting department. Press a button to automatically aim, and then press another to shoot. Was it fun? Nope. The only reason past GTAs sell well is the sandbox-style gameplay that lets you do anything (i.e. run over pedestrians, shoot people, steal cars, etc.) you want, anytime.

When Rockstar introduced the concept of shooting individual body parts in GTA IV, it completely changed gameplay. Not only does it add new mechanics for players to toy with—the gunfights are also shortened to a great degree. If you can make headshots, at least.

To aim at a certain part, all you need to do is press the right analog stick towards the body part while locked. You have to maintain the angle of the right analog stick to keep the crosshair on target. This makes the shootouts more engaging.

However, this concept isn’t new because The Godfather, a GTA clone another sandbox-style game, has implemented it as well. I can’t really say which is better though. In The Godfather, the crosshair stays on the body part as long as the enemy is locked on. There’s no need to maintain the right analog stick angle so all you have to do is press fire when a foe steps out of cover.

In any case, the GTA IV shooting mechanics have changed from “abysmal” to “somewhat fun,” but it’s not quite Gears of War yet in caliber. I now look forward to taking on small armies of thugs using a variety of firearms because GTA IV now feels like a lightweight third-person shooter.

Image of Grand Theft Auto IV is courtesy of Rockstar Games.