GTA IV -- Money?

[TheKramers]

So I'm about half-way through TA IV, and now I find myself wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do with my money. I have like $300,000 and other than spending a dollar at the occasional Burger Shot and like 1K every time I go to the hospital, I never spend any money at all because I can't find a way to.

Will I ever get to purchase myself an awesome safehouse, or an awesome car, or spend my money to customize a car I already have? If not, then half of the game's identity has been stolen and I hope they rectify this severe issue in the next installment.

The only motivation I've had to continue further and further into the story is the light at the end of the tunnel that I might be able to buy something, but as I get further, that light is fading. What do you say?

Oh, and don't you dare say, "Spend your money on guns.". I just don't want to hear it.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

Nope, all the safehouses in the game are given to you. One mission gives you the choice between more money or a safehouse, said safehouse is one of the best in the game.

You'll occasionally spend money on weapons, but rarely enough for you to make a dent in the amount. Only when you start buying RPGs and grenades en masse will you really see a difference. Other than guns and health, you won't spend much money. Hell, you can make it through the game with just buying an AK and an MP5, so the RPG and grenades thing is just to make some missions easier.

You won't spend money on anything other than guns and health, sorry. There's just nothing to buy or the need to buy anything else.

 

[Liudeius]

Spend your money on guns.

They are quite literally the only thing in the game that cost a substantial amount of money.

Unless you want to buy tens of thousands of hot dogs.

They didn't even fix it in the expansion games (The Lost and the Damned and Ballad of Gay Tony).
The only thing you can buy is still guns. (although money is a bit harder to come by)

I'm surprised so many people are just playing it. Is it because of the rumors of GTAV?

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Yeah, I'm having the same problem; in the previous games you'd lose all your weapons when you got arrested or blacked out. It was a huge pain in the ass, but at least you had something to spend money on. Now the only thing you spend money on is ammo, yet Nico is constantly saying how he needs money. And Roman is constantly having problems with money!

Which means I keep on going to Roman:

 

[Idsertian]

You won't spend money on anything other than guns and health, sorry. There's just nothing to buy or the need to buy anything else.

Which is a shame, as it's a massively missed opportunity, but them's the breaks I guess. The money counter in GTA IV is just a means to inflate your e-peen and sit there stroking it. Still, damned good game though.

I believe Yahtzee has made many a comment on these superfluous money systems, but I'll be damned if I can remember any of them.

 

[LordRoyal]

The biggest problem I saw with GTA4 is that when they cut stuff they cut a lot of the things you spent money on, so you literally maxed out your money/ammunition by the end of the game without even trying.

Vice City rarely did that since you had that whole property part to it, same with San Andreas.

 

[Idsertian]

EDIT: Oh shit, double post. Sorry guys, my Chrome effed up.

 

[twistedmic]

Oh, and don't you dare say, "Spend your money on guns.". I just don't want to hear it.

Exhaust your monetary wealth procuring projectile weapons that use percussion and chemical reaction generated energy.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

And Roman is constantly having problems with money!

"That job was worth $5000, why didn't you take it?"
"My pocket change is $300,000. Why do you think I didn't take it?"

Which is a shame, as it's a massively missed opportunity, but them's the breaks I guess. The money counter in GTA IV is just a means to inflate your e-peen and sit there stroking it. Still, damned good game though.

Eh, it was decent. The story wasn't particularly gripping, the gameplay was difficult and the missions were repetitive. It's the standard GTA formula. Compared to it's competitor, Saints Row 2, a game where jumping of a car meant falling an lying on the ground for 7 seconds, it was an utter masterpiece.

 

[redisforever]

Just like by the middle of the Godfather game, I ran out of things to buy.

 

[omega_peaches]

So I'm about half-way through TA IV, and now I find myself wondering what the hell I'm supposed to do with my money. I have like $300,000 and other than spending a dollar at the occasional Burger Shot and like 1K every time I go to the hospital, I never spend any money at all because I can't find a way to.

Will I ever get to purchase myself an awesome safehouse, or an awesome car, or spend my money to customize a car I already have? If not, then half of the game's identity has been stolen and I hope they rectify this severe issue in the next installment.

The only motivation I've had to continue further and further into the story is the light at the end of the tunnel that I might be able to buy something, but as I get further, that light is fading. What do you say?

Oh, and don't you dare say, "Spend your money on guns.". I just don't want to hear it.

I forget, is Four Leaf Clover before or after half way?
If you constantly go on rampages, like I do, then the M4 Carbine just eats up ammo like a mofo.

 

[Aprilgold]

Spend your money and buy Saints Row 2 where money doesn't really matter as long as your having fun.

 

[Netrigan]

And Roman is constantly having problems with money!

"That job was worth $5000, why didn't you take it?"
"My pocket change is $300,000. Why do you think I didn't take it?"

Same deal as The Ballad Of Gay Tony. The whole point of the story is that you need money to keep the nightclub open... and I've got ten million in my wallet from betting on Fight Club.