Grand Theft Auto 4
By Rockstar Games
Genre: 3rd-person Driving/exploration/action
Players: 1-16 via Xbox LIVE (Maximum 32 on PC version)
Rating: Mature (17+) for blood, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language, strong sexual content, and use of drugs and alcohol.
The back of the box for this bestseller which was released back in April of 2008 says, “What does the American dream mean today? For Niko Bellic fresh off the boat from Europe, it is the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportunity. As they slip into debt and get dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves and sociopaths, they discover that the reality is very different from the dream in a city that worships money and status, and is Heaven for those who have them and a living nightmare for those who don’t.”
This is a perfect start to your journey in Grand Theft Auto IV. You play Niko Bellic, indeed, as he steps off the boat into Liberty City, to meet his cousin Roman, who has wooed Niko with stories of penthouses and many beautiful girls on his arm, but Niko soon finds that his cousin was lying to cover up his own problems, which include debts to the Russian mafia, and many off-putting social problems aside. In fact, Roman runs a small taxi company, which barely makes ends meet, and is far from being the rich man that he told Niko that he was.
By making deals with many dishonest men, dealing in illegal substances, committing many crimes, but overall trying to discover something about himself as well as seeking revenge for a tragedy which occurred in his past, Niko will attempt to find his own American dream.
The graphics engine in this game makes use of the middleware, Euphoria, which uses artificial intelligence and situational awareness to make the animations for each character different every time they occur. This affects how they fall, for example, downstairs, in which case they’ll crumple and go into the fetal position to try to protect themselves. In a smaller way this also affects how Niko and the others stand on the ground, placing their feet an adequate distance apart or twisting them to match the terrain.
The driving in this game is more realistic than in other similar games, but not the point of boredom or difficulty. You’ll find yourself having to accelerate much more to get up to speed than in similar games, and when you’re going quickly you cannot turn as efficiently. This may take a little getting used to, but it is very worth it, and driving is eventually very rewarding.
What is also rewarding is exploring the city, discovering little things that happen on your way to a mission location, for instance, or just exploring freely, which is highly recommended. On any given street corner you may see people just walking along minding their own business, talking on their cell phones, holding hands and walking, sometimes even starting fights; these events are all randomly generated, and no trip through the city is ever the same twice.
What you’ll do on your missions ranges from the standard delivery or hit, to more complex actions that directly intertwine with the story. You also have to make certain decisions at certain points throughout the game, which involve either killing one person or letting them go, or choosing which person to kill out of a choice of two. The ending to the game is also decided in this way, though I will not reveal any spoilers here.
The characters in the game are all very memorable, and some of them are quite affecting. You actually feel for Niko as he attempts to find his place in America, but you may find yourself a bit disgusted by the things which he is forced to do in the name of satisfying his latest boss. However, the fact that you control him means that you are sharing some of his turmoil and play some part in his destiny.
The multiplayer modes in the game are many and varied, and do not involve Niko or any of the single player elements. They range from the standard death match, to various missions including the procurement of several vehicles for your team and many other activities, as well as three cooperative missions that have you playing against the computer in rather difficult scenarios that require teamwork. All in all, the experience of the multiplayer is just as high quality as that of the single; though, of course you play with multiple people.
There have been two downloadable content packs which have been announced, one of which will be released next week, and I will be reviewing that as well, when I have played it. This pack is known as The Lost and Damned, and deals with a motorcycle gang which has some play in the main story line. I’ll know more about this when I have gotten the pack.
Graphics: 10 out of 10 – the graphics totally evoke New York City, on which the game is based. Many landmarks in the game resemble real landmarks in New York City, such as Times Square becoming Star Junction, the Statue of Liberty becoming the statue of happiness (the exterior design of this statue is quite humorous, though if you can get inside, what you find may be quite disturbing), and all of the boroughs of New York City save Staten Island have been reproduced in the game although with different names.
Sound: 10 out of 10 – although most of the actors in the game are relative unknowns, they all do a uniformly great job in evoking their characters. The most striking thing about the sound besides the atmospheric sounds of the city in which you travel, and the sharp crack of the weapons as you fire them, is the music. There are a dozen radio stations, including three talk stations, but the music stations cater to all manner of music tastes from classic rock to heavy metal to rap, with many of the tunes being evocative of the action in which you partake.
Control: 10 out of 10 – The controls which the game offers are similar to those offered by previous games of this type but are vaguely different, so it may take a bit of getting used to before you’re comfortable with them. Also, as mentioned before, the handling of the vehicles is a bit different from what we are used to, so again may take a bit of getting used to.
Gameplay: 10 out of 10 – as noted above, all the technological improvements work to create a monumental gaming experience which most likely cannot be topped by most of the driving games out there today. You can play through this game multiple times making different choices in various pivotal moments, and the story will sometimes change along with you.
Replay: 10 of 10 – though the single player experience may be a bit long for most to play again for a while after finishing it the first time, it’s the multiplayer that will bring most people back; with its nearly endless variety including the open mode which allows multiple players to roam around the world as they see fit, you’ll always have something to do either with yourself or with others.
Overall: 10 out of 10 – if my scale allowed for a higher score than this, I would give it. This is one of the best games I’ve ever played, and it may be, like other Grand Theft Auto games, a little too bloody and or graphic for some people, and they are definitely entitled to their opinion. But whenever I need to enjoy a really great story or blow some stuff away with friends, I’ll find a way to do it in Grand Theft Auto IV.<–>