For some, asking a PC gamer to plug a Xbox 360 controller into their computer is about as blasphemous as asking the Pope to give a public lecture on the proper use of contraception. But after our brief time with an early build of the game, we’re going to have to have to go with the 360 as the preferred way to play.

Still, the mouse and keyboard work fine. In fact, we sampled a mission that ended with a car chase, and using the WASD keys to drive felt smoother to us than it did in the PC version of Vice City. You’ll need to use light-as-a-feather tapping to prevent yourself from constantly spinning out, but the same could be said about the 360’s thumbsticks. If you can’t make up your mind, you can also leave your 360 controller plugged in and use it in addition to the mouse and keyboard. This will allow you to do all your running and gunning with the keyboard and mouse, and save the 360 controller for all the driving. It’s a nice compromise and that lets you have the best of both worlds.

Above: Pirates vs Ninjas. Keyboard and Mouse vs. Controller. Some debates will never be settled, but GTA IV lets you switch between both input methods

But the most exciting thing about the PC version of GTA IV isn’t the improved graphics. It’s the new video editor. Imagine an invisible sphere around Niko at all times. Imagine being able to position a camera anywhere in that sphere. Now picture yourself as a film director with an easy-to-use and comprehensive video editing suite that’ll let you create anything from a short music video to full-length feature film. You’ll be able to set markers, track objects, and pan the camera for sweeping long shots. In just a few minutes, Rockstar representatives were able to show us how you could attach the camera to a rocket to get a really cool first-person shot of the rocket hurtling towards a nearby helicopter.

Above: Think of Niko as your star, with every building, NPC, and vehicle in Liberty City as the cast of your future short films

They also demonstrated how the wide variety of filters could be used to give your short videos a unique visual look. The sepia filter gave a brief shot of Niko walking, a nice old-timey feel. But our favorite was the sketch filter, which highlighted every person, vehicle, building, and explosion in what looked like a series of thick black marker strokes. The result reminded us of the distinct style seem in Sin City, and the implications for the tons of excellent fan-made machinima that will surely come when GTA IV releases excites us. You’ll also be able to share your videos with other players on Rockstar’s Social Club website.

Expect more details about the PC version of GTA IV when it starts hitting store shelves on November 18, and expect to read about it here, on GamesRadar.

Oct 30, 2008