Not every game is for every player. I always make the comparison to film. Some people like Pixar stuff, some like romantic comedies, others like crime dramas and still more like some of everything. So to each his or her own, but on its technical merits GTA4 is a superior game in the action genre. Would I let a kid play it? No way! In fact if I had kids I would not buy a copy or have it in my house.