Thinking of buying this game -- question

[Dale]

To each their own -- but my preference is NOT to play the murdering cutthroat criminal type (since there are plenty of those in the real world). Do the game designers force this gang-thug role on you -- or do you have a chose otherwise?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Shayla]

This probably isnt the game for you. You will shoot and kill many people. There isnt a non-violent/pacifist playstyle for the GTA games (at least none i have ever heard of.)

[AntiqueGamer]

Niko Bellic is a man with a violent past who has seen some terrible things and as such he has adapted to deal with the posttraumatic Stress he has experienced, but as Niko himself says early on in the game, "I promised myself I would not kill anyone here!"

That said Niko is a man of honor who is out to deal with life in a fundamentally violent city and can choose to commit crime, can choose to shoot and murder indiscriminately. He can choose to be the target of police aggression ... but then there are the missions where the only options open to Niko are to "let the gun do the talking."

Let's just say that most of the time you control the level of aggression, but there are also instances where you have no choice but to make the other guy understand the error of their ways with a bullet and that's not including the psychotic, fascist cops who don't arrest people in Liberty City as it generates too much paperwork and who would rather execute you on the spot.

So in as far as your perspective is admirable, if you want to play Grand Theft Auto IV, Episodes from Liberty City or even GTA-V you will take to take on the mind-set of a genocidal killer (actually, one of the characters you can play in GTA-V is a psychotic who chooses to cause as much pain and suffering as possible as he gets off on it). Actually, it's a very liberating experience, for the games compel you to commit crime and then face the punishment that arrives soon afterwards.

I often consider the moral and spiritual lessons the games invoke as they are a 'dark mirror' and a 'parody' of society in general (you have to remember, GTA is a British game with British values often acting as the undercurrent while depicting the culture of the United States as a parody of itself. Basically it's how the British see the Americans gung-ho "cowboy" mentality) where you are in effect either just as damaged as society or the last sane man standing and have to maintain your sanity one bullet at a time. If you think of yourself as simply responding to how society operates than your actions are perfectly acceptable.

If you choose to see Niko Bellic as a mindless killer than you are not paying attention for throughout the game, Niko demonstrates that he would rather not be killing people but its forced on him by circumstance.

Frankly I believe the GTA series of games are an excellent social narrative and should be played by everyone who maintains that owning a gun is acceptable. With great power comes great responsibility and if you falter, you can most definitely expect to face the consequences of your actions.

[..:: eeZee ::..]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย THEE Quentin Blackk:

There isnt a non-violent/pacifist playstyle for the GTA games (at least none i have ever heard of.)

Definitely check out the GTA pacifist serie. 😁

[Cryptic George Lopez Facts]

You have to kill people to progress through the story. If you are careful, most of these people are gang members who want you dead (triads, mafia etc.). You will be treated as a hired gun alot of the time meaning you have to do hit jobs. The game does not care about your conscience.

[AntiqueGamer]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Ima fix wolves:

You have to kill people to progress through the story. If you are careful, most of these people are gang members who want you dead (triads, mafia etc.). You will be treated as a hired gun alot of the time meaning you have to do hit jobs. The game does not care about your conscience.

Agreed. And let's not forget that many of the pedestrians are also armed, to say nothing of the running gunfights between cops and people in cars, or seemingly walking down the street. Hove Beach (your initial starting spot) is rife with corruption, open warfare and a seething undercurrent of unrest and Niko is plunged straight in at the deep end. To quote William Shatner as Captain Kirk, "We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today! We're NOT going to kill today!"

Consider this ''food for thought'' - GTA is a GAME, it has no basis in reality. It is not how people choose to live. It is not real. It is at best a ''video game'' and like most video games in the modern era it plays out the game of good vs. evil, even if good is walking that line between the shadow and the light. Ultimately as a game you can choose to play it and ''enjoy'' if you will the freedom that comes from breaking all of societies laws, or you can choose to be disgusted by it. I well remember the moral and ethical outrage that took place when Grand Theft Auto IV came out with a lot of protesters (mainly women) claiming that the game was a "murder simulator" and perhaps it is. But only pixels get picked on, only sprites are annilated. Nobody of consequence gets injured, mutilated or killed. Does this make it acceptable? Well, that's the real question now, isn't it?

I am a pacifist in life who would not wish harm on another human being. That said, I'm also a very effective killer in a video game environment and do indeed play against other live players in multiplayer with degree of success because I like to test my mettle. Their speed and experience and their ability to pull the trigger first vs. mine. I applaud SKILL in marksmanship, in tactical thinking (I am a fan of guerilla and unconventional warfare) and in their execution of "set ups" or "traps" but I have no time for cheats who I see as honorless fools. So, thats my two-cents worth. If you can play and enjoy the story and step outside of your moral, psychological and ethnical objectives, then you can readily excuse Niko Bellic's actions as he is simply responding to stimuli.

And one last thing, everyone here in this forum: WE'RE ALL Niko Bellic yet at the same time we are ourselves, and most of us here are not stone-cold killers or seek out violence in real life. A video game is simply a fantasy. Nothing more.

[AntiqueGamer]

Are we to assume, Dale that you will not be playing Grand Theft Auto IV, V or Episodes From Liberty City?

[Dale]

Thank you @AntiqueGamer for your time and thorough thoughtful responses. Second, your professionalism is a breath of fresh air considering many of my valid questions (in past years) on this forum are responded to by bratty crass juveniles that hate the world, themselves, and everybody…as evident in most U-tube videos where thumbs-down ratio is about 1:10,000 (I worked in technical marketing for 6 years – the other 40 years has been programming and especially mainframe database administration).

Perhaps I should have been more specific in my question since it implies a PERSONAL issue. I’ve been an avid gamer since “invaders” at the 7-11 store with a roll of quarters. Now; at least 200 games, most RPG with some purely puzzle games. DeusEx, Half-Life, Tomb Raider, Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls to name a few – and my favorite series, Fallout.

Ever since I’ve played Splinter Cell-1, my combat preference has been stealth. I challenged the forum (then) to play the entire game without killing anyone (except the boss to end the game). They said “it couldn’t be done”. I did it (a real challenge).

I played Fallout-3 for nine months. Fallout New Vegas 10 months. Since I retired 3 years ago, I’ve put in well over 2,000 hours into Fallout-4 and thinking about GTA4. If you’re familiar with F4, you know there is a DLC (Nuka World) where you can play one of three murderous gangs to wage aggressive war on the innocent public to do wanton, kill, steal & destroy.

Not to get into a philosophical debate with anyone (since we all have our PREFERNCES), I cannot be a schizophrenic. Video games to me are a form of TRAINING in the real world (not some alter ego to slaughter defenseless little old ladies and children because there are no consequences). Self-analysis. My personal observation in life is: “unless you are CONSTANTLY re-evaluating your beliefs in politics, religion and the environment – then someone ELSE has already done your thinking for you”….so I keep an open (but guarded) mind.

Getting to the POINT: In F4, I kill LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of murdering cutthroat raider gang members + gunners (for hire) + other monsters. My perspective: if I take out 1 raider, I’ve just saved 100 innocent people. I guess that’s the “super hero” fantasy we all enjoy. A fantasy “help” or “take it out on others”. Diplomacy, cleverness, being vigilant, working smarter instead of harder…are challenges for me. As such, I’m not into “king of the hill” games and shooting everything that moves.

From the responses to this thread, it looks like I just might fit in with GTA4. Again thanks for your input (as well as the other contributors to this thread).

Cheers,
Dale

[AntiqueGamer]

You are most welcome Dale and if you wish to add me on STEAM you are welcome to do so. I don't generally discuss my real life computer and gaming experience on the forum as there are far too many 'punk kids' who as you said pour scorn on any commentary which involves empathic interaction or retrospect. I'm busy at the moment with GTA-IV, EFLC, GTA-V and GTA-V Online and a few orther games (most notably MAFIA 3 and Sleeping Dogs). Anyway, thank you - it was a pleasure reading your response.