I feel we need to know exactly how the two New Generation Titles compare with each other to get some decent comparisons of GTA. First point the prequels Vice City - Vice City Stories and Chinatown Wars are irrelevant to this arguement. They must be treated as if they didn't exist. Why? Because I believe GTA IV is the equivilent of GTA III as a first on the PS3/XBOX 360 and therefore the qualities of the prequels need to be ignored until we see an equivelant of some sort for them.

Ok now for the thread. I feel GTA IV is the better game to GTA III. Why? I would actually say there is less freedom in III than there is in IV. Ok the R1 missions are missing but that don't bother me. And if I want to do something I regard friends, dating and vigilante on GTA IV a good variety. I also appreciate the one and only Liberty City that lets you fly. Then there is interactions with Toll booths etc that I like as well as many different mission styles like gripping lorries, going into Hotels etc.

Yes everything about IV I like compared to III apart from the wanted levels. I like losing it but I don't like the extra challenge to get Six Stars. Especially online. I'll start comparing this generation to the prequels though if I get to play the DLC or if we see a prequel in another city before V. Until then I feel its only fair to majorly compare III!

Well I disagree that San Andreas and Vice City are irrelevant to the discussion, but even discounting them, I still believe that GTA III is simply not as "technically good" as GTA IV, but in all the ways that matter to me, III blows the every loving doors off of IV. Rampages (icon missions), R3 missions, self-styled rampages against cops for hours on end, the ability to stockpile as much weaponry as you desire, unlocked weapons in your safehouse, changing terrain (ie. the hilly Shoreside Vale versus the grid-like urban area), The Dodo, way better driving physics, far superior overall physics, the game gives you real reasons to explore the city for hours on end which IV simply lacks, POLICE BRIBES, Pay 'n' Sprays that work NO MATTER WHAT, Infinite Sprint, Adrenaline pills, and on and on and on.

GTA III is ten times the game that GTA IV is, even though IV is way better in terms of graphics and production.

Edit: I just wanted to clarify that this entire post is MY OPINION, not fact. I know we don't usually have to say that in opinion threads like this, but I want to be clear. GTA IV does NOT have inferior physics to III, but to my taste and in my opinion it does. Just like IV doesn't have superior physics to III, but I am sure in your opinion it absolutely does.