247w ago - Earlier today Rockstar gave us the first ever look at Grand Theft Auto IV running on PC. And while you can read our quite favorable impressions in our full GTA IV PC preview and check out all the screenshots, it's worth noting some of the specific enhancements for the PC version.

First of all, the visuals. Running at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600, the game's PC port offers all sorts of visual enhancements over its console counterparts, from a further draw distance to up-rezzed textures.

Then there's the replay mode. The game always records the last 30 seconds of whatever you do, and at any moment you can tap a button on the keyboard to capture a video clip. You're then able to edit together these clips in a montage editor and export your own home videos to Rockstar's Social Club website.

Perhaps best of all, though, are the multiplayer enhancements. Though Rockstar has teased about these in the past, it stated that the PC version will support more than the 16 players that the console versions had -- exactly how many more we don't yet know. Rockstar also mentioned that GTA IV on PC will offer improved searching and filtering to find the type of multiplayer games you're most interested in joining.

From what we saw and heard, GTA IV on PC is definitely worth getting excited...

249w ago - And in GTA IV, plants are one of the ONLY things you can't destroy... From killing sprees to the decay of society, Grand Theft Auto has been blamed for a lot of things. Add destroying plants. Swedish park supervisor Gert Axelsson is tired of the plants being destroyed in the park he oversees in Lulea, northern Sweden.

"I am very much considering getting surveillance," says Axelsson. And what does he blame for the plant destruction and increased vandalism? GTA "where you wreak havoc in the city." He's totally right, you know. Because the potted plant mission is my favorite.

Heck, I've been kicking over plants all week. Whenever I see a flower bed, I immediately think uproot uproot. Just like I was taught in GTA. We're surprised that people are just catching onto this now. People are so slow sometimes.'

So there you go. GTA kills plants. Let's add it to the list...

GTA Is Responsible For:

- ASBOs.
- Pregnant teens.
- Anti-Social beheiviour.
- Destruction of potted plants.
- Violence in general.
- Hitler.
- World War II.
- Dan Brown.
- The Ting-Tings.
- And that's the SHORT list.

It would seem that Jack Thompson has influenced just about everyone now... It seems DICE do listen to there...

249w ago - Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto IV will be heading to PCs in North America and Europe on September 18th and 21st, respectively.

"We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC andwe can't wait for people to play it."

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.

For more information please visit: http://www.rockstargames.com/IV

249w ago - Copies of Grand Theft Auto IV have been pulled in Thailand after a teenager confessed to murdering a taxi driver. The 18-year-old high school student is accused of stabbing the cab driver to death by trying to copy a scene from the game.

The biggest video game publisher in the south-east Asian country, New Era Interactive Media, has told retailers to stop selling GTA IV. It is due to be replaced by another video game title.

Thai newspapers say the teenager, whose name has been withheld, was arrested while trying to steer a cab backwards out of a Bangkok street with the driver still in the back seat. Police claim the 18-year-old confessed to stealing the taxi and said he killed the 54-year-old driver after he fought back. The teenager could face the death penalty if he is found guilty. Bangkok police Captain Veerarit Pipatanasak said: "He wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.

"He wanted money to play the game. His parents, who work as civil servants, did not have enough money to give him."

Thailand's Culture Ministry has recently been pushing for tougher regulation of games like Grand Theft Auto. It wants stricter age ratings and restrictions on the hours that people can play games in arcades. Ladda Thangsupachai, director of the ministry's...

250w ago - As many VGC forum-goers have been discussing with great exposition lately, there are many of us who feel as if the reviewing segment of our hobby has gone completely awry over the past few years. In my ever-so humble opinion, when it comes right down to it, I question whether it was any good from the outset.

Many of us grew up with gaming but unfortunately, in many ways, gaming hasn't grown up with us. We're still the purchasers of hackneyed trash and in most cases, we do it with a smile. I had an opening rant prepared on the review system for this editorial but after lengthy consideration, I will defer to Rob Reiner and his mockumentary classic, This is Spinal Tap.

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...
Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?
Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.
Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?
Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
Marty DiBergi: I don't know.
Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff,...