The second semi final of our Head2Head contest pits Syndicate Wars against Grand Theft Auto IV. We've already seen some gaming heavyweights fall (the other semi final matchup was particularly cut throat... and mighty close)...

Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

  • Originality - I love Grand Theft Auto. The feel of the game is quite unlike anything else bar Fallout 3 - you can't help but get sucked in to the seedy world of Niko Bellic and his good-fa-nuthin' brother, Roman. Liberty City literally lives and breathes, just like any real-life metropolis... Nevertheless, the cliche-ridden series is anything but original; our protagonist, an East European immigrant, is pursuing the "American Dream" - and characters just like him have appeared in a multitude of movies and games over the years. Syndicate Wars - and more importantly, it's predecessor Syndicate - broke new ground and spawned a whole new style of gaming. Not only unique in style and substance, but having to control and upgrade four characters at any one time added man-, and almost resource-, management to the mix. Winner: Syndicate Wars

  • Longevity - The enduring appeal of both titles is unquestionable. Syndicate Wars remains a classic in the eyes of many, although it now looks sadly dated when compared with today's releases. Nevertheless, it is still fondly remembered and should there be that much talked about sequel in the coming years, it will no doubt be a huge hit. GTA, meanwhile, remains almost timeless thanks to strong plots, numerous sub-missions and sequels - each sufficiently different from its predecessor. From its top-down origins to its most recent incarnation, GTA has also stood the test of time. Draw

  • Graphics - Syndicate's environments are dark and stylish, with a distinct feel of Blade Runner or the Matrix. Explosions are suitably large and impressive, while your agents - although minuscule - are pretty well defined... you can almost feel their muscles tense under the weight of all that weaponry and their bodies spasm as enemies unload machine gun fire into them. But although it is thoroughly appropriate to the gameplay, darkness permeates from the screen and the minimal use of the colour palette soon takes its toll - it may look nice but it's soooo dreary. Conversely, GTA wins this one hands down. The next-gen graphics and perfectly-sculpted cityscape means that everything is very believable and thoroughly engrossing. In fact, you'll be hard pushed to notice all the attention to detail as you race around the streets trying to evade the cops! Winner: GTA IV
  • Sound FX - The pulsating background noises of Syndicate's futuristic environment are perfectly suited to the game, adding to the atmosphere and drawing you in. In the distance, there's the sound of an uzi - no doubt ripping through some hapless civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's clearly far less elaborate that the incredible voice cast drafted in by the GTA developers, or the sounds of the city that seamlessly blend into the background as you run about searching for a car to steal. The Grand Theft effects are extensive and unparalleled. However, the effects are extremely well-suited to each respective game - and for that reason... Draw
  • Replayability - Syndicate will forever remain among my gaming greats but after all these years of nostalgia, I'm a little bit fearful of revisting it; I must confess that I've replayed the various levels on only a few occasions. The multiplayer game added some replayability but as most Syndicate fans will atest, this was a great game that nowadays just doesn't cut the mustard. It's desperately in need of an overhaul and update. With a bit of a facelift, I've no doubt it would be a smash hit. The fourth Grand Theft Auto, on the other hand, has bags of replayability. From the various sub-missions, to the multiplayer options, downloadable content (more out later this month!) and the hunt for all of those elusive achievements/trophies... there's plenty to keep you busy. Winner: GTA IV

The premise of Syndicate Wars was fantastic: take a cyborg agent, replace his legs to make him faster, add heftier arms so he can bear more powerful weapons, and then tinker with the rest of his body so that he can withstand all manner of bullets and bombs. Add an uzi or gauss gun to the mix, and give him a persuadertron (to tranform him into a kind of modern Pied Piper of Hamelin), and what have you got? An awesome title, that's what!

Unfortunately, it met its match with Grand Theft Auto IV. More like a Hollywood blockbuster than a typical game, it is a fantastic example of how a series should progress, and move with the times and gaming hardware.

A decade ago, it was inconceivable that any game could offer so much or look and sound so great... GTA IV heads to the final!

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