Grand Theft Auto IV
A Review - By Gaetano Prestia
Grand Theft Auto IV is the greatest video-game of the past decade, if not of all time. That might sound blunt, especially considering this is the broadest and deepest game ever developed, but it’s the simplest way to define this game in as few a words. Never has a game been able to grasp the basics of gaming - such as character interaction, combat and difficulty - and evolve them so perfectly into a life-like presentation. Not only is GTA IV the most realistic game ever created, but also it goes so far beyond the boundaries of what we’re already used to, that the future of gaming has never been so bright. It’s a trail-blazing title that looks set to lead the way into the next-generation, years before that’s even possible. Be it because it maintains the typical GTA style (which it expands on, enormously), or because it’s one of the most intriguing, interesting, challenging and long interactive experiences ever, GTA IV is worth every single penny you spend on it. If you’ve never been able to get into previous GTA’s, that was generally considered to be OK because there were so many other titles last generation that bordered on the same quality level as them. This time, GTA IV is so far a head of every other game developed this generation, that it would be the biggest injustice to your XBOX 360 or Playstation 3 not to buy this game. You’d be missing out tremendously.
You take control of Niko Bellic, a charismatic and loyal Eastern European immigrant who hopes to escape the terrible memories of the Bosnian war in the free Liberty City, a town full of opportunity. Upon arrival with thoughts that life would be easy - full of sexy woman, money and relaxation – Niko discovers that his cousin Roman hasn’t been totally honest about his success in America. Niko must literally start with nothing and work his way up the ranks by getting involved with the wrong people and doing all sorts of chores. Sound familiar?
Character personalities and relationship evolution is a major aspect of GTA IV. As the game progresses and the highly cinematic story unfolds, we discover that Niko is a mental mess, filled with horrible memories. His banter with characters is often heartbreaking, especially when he mentions how he actually feels then and there. He admits to being a “broken” man and this is important to recognise and appreciate within the confounds of the plot. Driving around Liberty City with one of his friends is a great way to hear about Niko’s past and other stories of the city and, while hardly useful in the telling of the plot, are very interesting and entertaining to listen too, more so than in other GTA games. Rockstar has mentioned on several occasions that GTA IV is about relationships rather than character customisation and that is exactly what the main focus is in terms of gameplay in GTA IV. Completing a mission doesn’t just allow you to progress through the plot, but also to open up friendship opportunities with particular characters. Obviously, characters that eventually get on the wrong foot of Niko end up being blown away, but there are particular characters that evolve and become more accustomed to Niko’s characteristics and personality. It’s important to take advantage of this evolution and develop solid relationships with characters, be it purely friendship or something a little more intimate.
All wired contact is split between Niko’s cell phone and the games Internet. The cell phone is one of the stand-out features of GTA IV that has been tweaked and upgraded from previous GTA titles. The cell phone can be upgraded and “blinged” up at your discretion, but availability of particular items depends on your progress in the game. The phone will ring randomly at certain times, sometimes opening up one-off missions that require immediate attention. Other times it’s a phone call from a friend who Niko has performed various duties for, asking if he wants to grab a beer or visit a strip club. It’s not a necessity to agree to every little meet-up request with a friend, but if you do agree and don’t make it on time, you lose “like” points with the character in question. This is where the importance of relationship evolution comes into play and it’s vital to Niko’s reputation and future that he keeps his word. The cell phone is a vital necessity in Liberty City and has been integrated perfectly into the gameplay. It’s a very useful tool and is one of many additions that magnify GTA IV’s dominant gameplay mechanics.
After each mission or meet-up, a little notification appears above the map HUB to signify whether Niko’s relationship status with that character has gone up or down. It’s not pre-determined and, outside of the main missions, is totally dependant on your decisions and what you decide to do with your friend. Much like in San Andreas where you had a limited “respect” meter, each character’s respect and like towards Niko is noted in the statistics. The higher the percentage, the more likely they are to enjoy themselves with Niko. As mentioned above, it’s important to develop a strong relationship with particular characters and gain their trust.
The cell phone can be used as a personal organizer to remember particular events and dates, especially ones that are crucial to story progression. Sometimes you’ll organise a date for Niko and, considering how different the in-game clock is to our own, it’s difficult to grasp what time and what day it is. It’s great then that the cell phone automatically notes down events of interest.
Not all “positive” relationships are pleasurable experiences though, as you’ll notice if you decide to develop a relationship with a girl off an online dating service. Particular girls will reject your offers to date them, but others will jump at the opportunity and harass you non-stop. There’s nothing worse than getting three text messages from the same girl while you’re trying to chase down a drug dealer on a motorbike. It’s great to hear Niko’s expressions and thoughts in situations like this as well. Not only does Niko develop relationships with characters in the game, you also subconsciously develop a relationship with Niko and his laid back, not-a-care-in-world mentality. Some girls will be cool and fun to take out, but others will become too needy and aggressive and it’s situations like this that dumping the girl works out for the better. You don’t want to go breaking anyone’s heart!
Relationship evolution and progression isn’t only good for Niko’s respect and like levels, though. Certain characters give Niko access to special items and favours once he reaches a particular level of friendship. Weapons are generally the gift of choice and they come in handy when you don’t have the cash – or the cheats – to get what you want. There are other perks for high respect levels and good friendships, like Brucie giving you access to his Chopper, but I’ll leave that for you discover on your own. It’s worth noting that all of them are worth the effort and if you need an incentive to develop good relationships with characters that should be it.
The entire relationship mechanic in GTA IV is developed in such a way that you actually want to further friendships with certain characters. It’s not merely a gimmick incorporated into the gameplay that you can do for extra game time, but instead an extensive and enjoyable interactive aspect. With previous GTA titles, the story and character relationships always seemed to take a backseat to the extensive cities. GTA IV rectifies this with an amazing character-development direction where Niko and his friends/enemies, as well as the surrounding plot, take the front-seat. There are also small things, like having morality choices, that make GTA IV all that more different and original. In some instances, Niko will be given the choice of either executing an enemy or letting them go. It doesn’t make a difference on the outcome of the mission (except towards the end of the game) but it sets out to discover what kind of person Niko is and, in turn, what kind of person you are.
Another Thought (Matt Kelly): What's really wonderful with all of these relationship building mechanics is just the sheer amount of dialouge that has been recorded. One of my big annoyances with prior GTA's (particularly San Andreas) was that while these social mechanics were there in a basic form, they just were not that interesting to get involved with. You might as well have been riding around with a rubber blow up doll because you probably would have had more social interaction with it. GTA IV on the other hand keeps the relationship building fresh and interesting as characters drive around discussing elements of the story, history, and their feelings and thoughts. It keeps the social events from just turning into a robotic gaming mechanic, and instead you'll find yourself hanging out with people because you enjoy their personality. The cellphone has really aided in decentralising the process as well, and makes all the interactions a lot looser and much more casual. You'll find yourself going back just because you enjoy the character's company. Game's typically don't do pull that off, but GTA IV does, and does it well.
The story in GTA IV is probably the most interesting, intriguing and humours ever incorporated into a video-game. GTA storylines have always been praised for their tongue-in-cheek humour and pop-culture references, but GTA IV’s plot has a personality of its own. It doesn’t rely on movie, TV or era references to help generate a better relationship with the gamer, and this gives the city and people in it a stronger identity. You’ll get the feeling that Liberty City is a real city rather than a fictional one. The basic layout of the story is no different than in previous GTA titles, but it’s direction and tone gives it a different and more emotional feel than in previous iterations. Niko has to basically work his way up the ranks, be it illegally or legally, and he enlists the help of his cousin Roman and some new friends to help along the way. Of course, he encounters some hiccups and GTA IV is filled with plenty of snitches, traitors, liars and cowards. San Andreas was able to successful generate an intense and twist-infested plot and GTA IV has been able to maintain that feeling while also expanding on it. The entire story is very entertaining as it unfolds and you progress through the city.
GTA IV is the future of gaming. The gameplay execution, combat and interaction in GTA IV is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a video-game and it’s the many little things you’ll notice that make GTA IV all the more worth it. As was mentioned in the previous hands-on preview, Grand Theft Auto IV’s gameplay is probably the most realistic ever incorporated into a video-game. It takes basic direction of hand-to-hand, gun and exploration gameplay and evolves them into more extensive and enjoyable aspects. Not since Super Mario 64 have I seen a game change so much from its early predecessors. That’s a big call, because all of the typical aspects are still there; an extensive world, mission-based gameplay, great graphics and great gameplay. But they’ve all changed, or evolved, dramatically.
Evolution is an important word when thinking about GTA IV because people will look back at this game and consider it to be the first real step into the “next-generation”. The term “next-generation” is far broader than what the gaming public considers it to be, and I believe it refers to the never-ending and unknown future, not just the generation to come after the current one. GTA IV has evolved gameplay so dramatically that it’s going to be looked at in the future as a stepping-stone for more advanced game development, much like how Super Mario Bros. was back in the 80s. There’s a lot to go through when it comes to the basic gameplay because it goes beyond the simple aspects associated with GTA and free-roaming titles. There are so many little things that will grab your attention because you’ve never seen them before and the attention to detail is phenomenal.
The hand-to-hand combat has been given a complete overhaul and works perfectly. It’s based off a traditional form of martial arts and it goes beyond the essential direction of “punch, kick, repeat” seen in previous GTA titles. It’s not quite as easy to knock someone out in GTA IV as it was in previous entries, especially when Niko is coming up against a macho-aggressive pedestrian. There are now counter-attacks, which can be performed if you time Niko’s block perfectly against an oncoming attack. So, instead of just button mashing and throwing punches everywhere, it’s a necessity to time your punches and kicks properly and avoid going nuts. Fights are also a great chance to check out the AI, as people will duck and block your attacks and perform counter attacks of their own. As I mentioned above, it’s more than just a bombardment of kicks and punches, but instead attacks that are precise and timed perfectly. Unless you can get Niko to time his punches and ducks/blocks appropriately, he’ll end up in hospital, even at the hands of an old lady.
The environment is a lot more interactive this time. You’ll notice if you get run over by a car or run a pedestrian into a brick wall. Thanks to the Euphoria Motion Engine and RAGE, Niko and pedestrians respond a lot more realistically to occurrences such as these. For example, running over a pedestrian at a decent speed will see them roll onto the bonnet, onto the windscreen (which in turn will crack), onto the roof and then down the back of the car. Upon inspection of the car you’ll see blood trails, dents and scratches. The environment responds to the contact and appears as it would, had it actually hit a person at high speed. It’s quite astonishing, but not quite as much as ramming a person into a brick wall. You can literally see the blood splatter from the pedestrian and onto the wall, which will crumble and crack in a realistic manner.
Another Thought: I'm always really cynical with physics engines claiming to be the next level of realism with no physics processing card to back it up. However seeing Euphoria in action is a pretty amazing thing. Just the interaction with random people was what got me when you bump into them in the street. Typically good character animation is prescripted, but when you see that fluid random but real movement from just bumping into people, it's hard not be impressed. Couple that with an extensive dialogue library of reactions, no one seems particularly robotic.
Gun combat hasn’t quite been overhauled but instead has been given a major upgrade with the inclusion of a fantastic cover-system that works a lot better than what was probably expected. There is the basic auto-aim (which can be turned off) which works a lot better this time round with a more precise and accessible system. You can focus on particular areas of the body by nudging the right-stick and this is put to use in some scenarios where you have to shoot someone’s leg to cripple them. There’s still a health meter like in previous GTA titles, but it’s a lot more clear and precise and it’s easier to notice how much damage you’re doing to an enemy/pedestrian. It’s also a lot easier to notice if someone has armour on and this is useful because you can just pick up their armour up if and when you kill them.
The cover system is integrated well and is integral to Niko’s survival in many instances. The entire city can be used as cover, so there aren’t any specific things that you need to be near in order to move into cover. You’re not at all limited in what you can go up against. It’s as easy as walking up to an object and tapping the right trigger button. From there, Niko goes into cover and you can free-fire or auto-aim, depending on your location and how many enemies are near by. The free-aim is surprisingly accurate, more so with smaller weapons, and even the larger weapons such as the RPG can be used in free-fire with surprisingly good accuracy.
Another Thought: The cover system rocks, hands down. In a game which features so many natural cover spots it moves the fighting away from standing there with the biggest gun you could find blasting away, and move it towards something where skill can match firepower (unless its an RPG, and in that case don't hide behind a car, that's like a big red target saying 'explode me'). There's nothing cooler than coming screaming around a corner to ambush a bunch of thugs, jumping out of the car and taking cover behind it during the firefight. It makes every fight a lot more eventful, and you'll be able to do it all in multiplayer, which takes gunning down your buddies into a whole class of its own.
Sooner or later you’ll lead Niko to run afoul of the law and rack up a nice wanted level. As in previous entries, the basic star-level is still there, but it’s now the police search parameter that appears on the map Hub that will grab your attention. The goal is to get out of the circle parameter without being seen by the police. The more wanted stars you have, the larger the circle is. Once you leave the circle you have to remain out of the sight of police for a certain amount of time, otherwise the circle will reappear again. You can still use the Pay ‘n’ Spray to get rid of your wanted level (pending police don’t see you go in), but you probably won’t use it all that much as it’s great fun and very challenging to try and avoid police and get out of the wanted parameter.
Car navigation has been given a bit more emphasis this time. Each car has a built-in GPS navigation system and nicer cars even have voice-recorded directions. Cars handle a lot more realistically based on their size and style and you’ll probably find that driving is a lot more challenging than what it’s been in the past. You’ll have to be precise with your breaking and turning, especially when avoiding police or rushing to a location by a certain time. This adds a bit of suspense and challenge to the title and gives it even more of a realistic feel as you get an appropriate reaction from cars based on their appearance. Rockstar have blended the RAGE and Euphoria engines to create fantastic physics that inturn generate realistic car behaviour. What’s really amazing is that the car responds to how many and who is in it, and the characters themselves react accordingly to bumps and crashes along the way. Watch Niko as he rear-ends a truck or slams into a wall at high speeds after missing a turn. It’s a wonder to watch.
The city of Liberty City is not only a marvel to look at, but also it has more personality then any other city before in any other video-game. If you’ve visited New York City before, you’ll notice the major similarities between it and LC. Areas like Bohan represent the Bronx perfectly, while other newer areas of Liberty City represent areas like Manhattan. The pedestrians represent each area with precision and you’ll see homeless people in poorer areas, while the rich and well-dressed patrol the streets in the nicer areas. The pedestrians all have their own personalities and each go about their daily lives and all you need to do is walk around and watch what happens at an intersection to understand how detailed and alive the city is.
The city itself isn’t as big as San Andreas and this has generally been seen as a down-side, especially to those who consider SA to be the best in the GTA series. The fact of the matter is SA was a lot of space with a decent amount of action. Liberty City is a big city with constant action. There’s a lot more to do and see and while the city isn’t as big as the entire map in SA, there isn’t one area that isn’t filled with buildings and landmarks, unlike SA. While not all of the buildings can be entered, the ones that can be are very detailed. It’s a slight disappointment that the bigger skyscrapers aren’t open for business, but the ones that are should feed your appetite. There are no load times and you can climb through the back-of-house at will and head to the roof.
One of the finer and more interesting additions to GTA IV is the in-game Internet. There’s plenty there to keep you occupied for a few hours of Liberty City-time. Niko has his own email, filled with junk mail promising penis enlargements, and you can even try and find Niko a date on the online dating service. There’s a website with ring-tones and cell-phone themes as well as websites that should help you out directing to particular shopping points. Checking the email frequently is important, as Niko will often have side-jobs and mission objectives sent to his inbox. There’s so much waiting to be discovered in the in-game Internet and it’s definitely worth checking out and setting aside some time in Niko’s busy schedule.
GTA IV has a ridiculous amount of value. The single-player story mode has over 90 missions which will take you over 30 hours to complete. But that’s not where the value shines through for the story-mode. Unlike in previous GTA games where the repetitive missions and story would become tedious and boring, GTA IV is a balanced single-player experience that never bores. The dialogue, story, missions, combat and locations all have difference, albeit minimally, and each have their own tone and outcome. If anyone was worried about being bored in GTA IV, they need not fear. That’s because it’s as exciting, entertaining, enjoyable and energetic as ever.
As you progress through the game the missions become a lot more intense and challenging, but around half-way is when the action really starts to take off. The game gets better as you get through it and the story unfolds, and even if you are getting a little bored after the first few hours, it’s definitely worth playing through until at least half-way.
From a graphical standpoint, GTA IV performs a lot better then what previous GTA titles did. There are still some minor glitches and frame-rate issues, and the 360 versions seems to suffer from some texture pop-in, but the game as a whole is a graphical marvel. The character design isn’t as mind-blowing as, say, Gears of War, but the lip-synching is perfect and characters as a whole look pretty good. Much like the rest of the game, the graphical pros (short load-times, fantastic lighting, bright colours and an overall gorgeous city) heavily outweigh the cons (minor frame-rate and texture pop-in problems).
PS3 Notes: GTA IV does suffer a lower frame rate in the PS3 version, it's occasionally frustrating but isn't a deal breaker. Light is another issue, the PS3 version seems to work in extremes, especially at night. When it's dark, it's very dark. Finally the over all presentation isn't quite as sharp. None of these destroy the experience but if you want to know the difference, there it is!
While we're talking PS3, lets talk Sixaxis controls. They're in the package is an option you can turn on or off. You can flick the controller to reload while you're on foot, and the rest are vehicle specific. Cars won't be using Sixaxis, but bikes, boats and helicopters will. The boats and bikes worked pretty well, allowing you some smooth movement in steering and stunts that can be a pain with joysticks and buttons. They're not quite as useful with the helicopter however, more likely to send you spinning unless you're dead on with what you're doing. Sixaxis works, and its fun for something different, but again its not a deal breaker element of the game.
In previous GTA titles, the single-player was always the one and only major aspect of the title. With GTA IV, that’s no longer the case because the online multiplayer is one of the most robust and enjoyable online experiences ever. It’s amazing how a simple, third-person, free-roaming, open-city styled multiplayer experience is so addictive. It’s accessed via the cell-phone in single-player and besides the online opponents and team-mates, everything from the single-player city is intact; cops, pedestrians, traffic, weather, you name it. You can alter how heavy certain aspects are and if you want police on or not, but I found that with police on, traffic high and pedestrians high, the experience was a lot more chaotic and intense. It was amazing!
The entire city is open to play in or the game host can choose which area of the city to restrict the match to. The most enjoyment comes through starting up your own party. Instead of there being a typical lobby with each party members gamer tag, the “lobby”, if you can call it that, is actually in a part of the city. There, the party host can choose whatever game mode and options they want from the cell-phone. Meanwhile, the city is open to the other members (including the host) to get messy and go hardcore on each other. Free Mode is the most worth checking out as it’s as close to the single-player experience you can get with up to 15 friends. It’s an all-out, no rules exploration of the city where you and your friends can do as you please.
Other game modes include the basic Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, which are great fun but are better experienced in friend parties. Mafiya Work sees you set out to complete a job for a mob boss before your opponents and can get pretty suspenseful and interesting. Car Jack City has you running off to collect various types of cars to earn more money than anyone else and Turf War is very basic “capture and protect” gameplay. There’s also a decent racing mode that should keep the speed freaks occupied online. The Cops ‘n’ Crooks mode is just as addictive as the Deathmatch modes and has one team of crooks trying to reach a point before they are bombarded by the other law enforcing team.
GTA IV online is no where near as addictive as COD4 or Halo 3, but it offers a fantastic second option for a game with a masterful single-player mode. If the main story didn’t justify your purchase then it, coupled with the online multiplayer, will.
Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game of the past decade and probably one of the best games ever made. It has not only evolved the classic and popular GTA style, but also redefined and created an all new single-player and multiplayer experience. It will exceed your expectations, surprise and entertain you and please you in every which way, because it’s original and deep. The gameplay is a revolutionary aspect that will become a standard in the industry, the story is reminiscent of an Oscar-calibre feature film and the presentation and graphics are top notch. There are some minor problems, but none of them are worth going into much detail because they are so heavily dwarfed by the countless number of positives this game has on offer.
Gameplay
9.9/10
The Euphoria Motion Engine makes gameplay almost perfect. The aiming and covering system have been integrated fantastically. GTA IV will be the most fun you’ve had in the past 10 years.
Graphics
9.8/10
The city looks amazing, especially at night. The character design is good and the lip-syncing and character actions are superb. The game pushes both the 360 and PS3 to its limits and, while there are a few minor problems, GTA IV is one of the most impressive looking titles this generation.
Sound
10/10
The only 100% perfected aspect of the game. The dialogue is humours, entertaining and aggressive and the voice-actors do a perfect job of getting the story across successfully. The radio stations are just as funny and great to listen to as always and the music soundtrack is filled with classic tunes, as well as a few unique songs with reference to Liberty City.
Value
10/10
30+ hours to complete the missions, another 20+ hours to get 100% and then countless hours online. Need I say more?
Overall
9.9/10
GTA IV is a masterpiece of the highest calibre. It’s the greatest game this generation and one of the best of all time.
Submitted by Gaetano
30/04/2008
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