Score
Gameplay:	9
Graphics:	10
Sound:	10
FunFactor:	10
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	9.6

Grand Theft Auto IV Review
May 25, 2008 by Jereme Puik

 

With every big budget title, there are usually high expectations for it to meet and that it must give players something that will knock their socks off. With Rockstar, the Grand Theft Auto series rides itself down a very twisting road. Going back to the original Grand Theft Auto, almost nobody knew that the series could achieve the interest and news breaking stories seen from the mainstream media and gaming press. Grand Theft Auto IV has been in development for around 4 years and it should be no surprise that for most gaming publications both online and in print have given the title perfect scores across the board. Grand Theft Auto IV’s scope is unparalleled, but within those dimensions are found a less than thrilling adventure.

Welcome to LibertyCity 

You are Niko Bellic arriving on the docks after dark in Liberty City in the greatest country in the world, America. Niko is the protagonist and is probably the most fleshed out character that’s been seen from the series. When he arrives, Niko is looking to live the American dream and unfortunately the dream turns to fantasy when he meets his cousin, Roman, and finds out that what he was told was all lies. This is where you begin and from here you will discover all the secrets of Liberty City. 

The biggest part of the game is the escort missions that many players will find themselves rolling their eyes at every time Niko gets a job. Most of them range from driving friends around for an hour or two and having a little chat, or taking them to some kind of activity for an in-game hour. The game gives the player control of Niko in a third-person perspective. 

As Niko makes his way through the city, players might notice something pretty humbling about it. Liberty City is alive and the hustle and bustle of everyday life makes you appreciate the work Rockstar put into this title. The game differentiates between day and night and there are unexpected weather changes. This plays heavily on the experience and you might find yourself climbing a skyscraper just to enjoy the view of the city itself. The open world aspect of the game makes the title feel even grander. 

One of the biggest features in Grand Theft Auto IV’s gameplay is the mobile phone. The phone serves as an in-game menu. This makes everything that much easier when playing. Here, after bringing up the phone players can bring up the phonebook and make a call to Roman or anyone Niko meets during his time in Liberty City. The phone can also be used to climb into the multiplayer part of the game and the fun doesn’t stop there. After arranging an activity, it can easily be cancelled by calling the same person again. If you’re randomly causing havoc in the city (as you should), Niko might just receive a call from one of his friends and the fun unfortunately has to end there if you want to keep going with the story. The script is very well done and makes you care about the characters you are interacting with and killing. 

One interesting thing about Grand Theft Auto IV is that when you’re causing havoc around the streets driving whichever vehicle you decided to carjack, if the cops are chasing, all you really have to do is escape their field of vision and you’re in the clear. Apparently, it was decided that cop cars don’t have the horsepower to catch up to your car and ram the living hell out of you. Another weird idea is that if you’re being chased by the cops, all you have to do to get rid of them is reach a story objective and they automatically reset themselves. It’s like having an in-game reset button… only it actually seriously helps you. 

There are plenty of things to do around Liberty City and besides causing havoc you can dress Niko up in various virtual clothes to your hearts desire or even go to the bar and get Niko almost ridiculously drunk. There are even “drunk controls” that make you feel like you’re drunk as you stumble your way trying to avoid getting run over by the cars in the street or falling off a three story building because you decided it was fun to become a suicidal drunk. 

Grand Theft Auto IV is not without its flaws, of course. One new addition to the gameplay that we haven’t seen much of before is a cover system and updated auto-lock on. Although, it doesn’t really feel updated so much as it is troublesome. Whenever you’re in a firefight with more then one person, you’ll be lucky if you can successfully finish the fight without the auto-lock on going on the fritz and leaving Niko open to free gunshots. The cover system is different in that it works to the advantage of the environment and also can get frustrating if you can’t find the right grip to hang onto and take cover from. 

Hand-to-hand combat seems a little uninspired and rather boring more then half the time. It becomes frustrating at times if you’re taking on more then one person at once. Without a pistol at your disposal, fights just seem pointless. You can save your game in your apartment or after completing a story/side mission. Firefights can get interesting depending on the weapon you have and make things a lot easier. Again, nothing to really say wow about, as everything is pretty much your standard gives and goes here. 

There are several camera issues that render the driving sections of the game almost unplayable due to the fact that you can’t seem to keep that camera straight for more than a second. Trying to keep that camera level with the car is making you do more work than you should have to for this kind of game. Depending on the type of vehicle you choose, you’ll find that the controls are very loose, and you’ll be flying all over the street if you’re going at high speeds. Once you hit that bump, you may find yourself at the next intersection before you even blink. 

The multiplayer is where the title shines and gives you the most replay value out of the game. After you connect and you sit in your lobby discussing with other gamer’s about the upcoming game, there are many options awaiting you. You have many options for customizable games and options for your standard games like Deathmatch. There are 15 modes of play with support of 16 players. You can customize your character anyway you like and explore Liberty City with your friends. If you’re hosting the game, you pretty much play as the dungeon master as if you’re playing Dungeons & Dragons. There are ranked and unranked matches and depending on the mode you choose to player, team play is involved as well. One very fun mode, which is heartily recommended, is Cops and Crooks. This mode splits players into teams as they are put on the side of either the Cops or the Crooks. There are good times to be had with this game and with the switch up of sides after every game every game brings crazy fun. One last thing I should mention is that the Xbox 360 version of the game allows for custom soundtracks and if you get bored of listening to the radio stations in the various cars you highjack then you can integrate your own custom soundtrack and listen to your tunes while roaming Liberty City. 

Sound 

Liberty City is about as realistic as you can get. Traffic whizzes by and trains rumble across the tracks, making you feel like you’re right in the middle of the city. Voice acting plays a big role here and all characters are faithfully represented and voiced. You can hear the emotion of the script played out very well in GTA IV.

Graphics 

Beautifully rendered graphics give the game a well-toned shine. You should have no problem showing this title on off on your 40-inch HDTV set. Although at times you may see the 360 trying to catch up loading the textures and human builds, but that is only a small quarrel in itself. Niko and his friends are all-realistic with human emotion and again this gives you the feel that you can connect with the characters. All cut scenes are in game and nothing seems off about the graphics. 

PlasmaFactor 

If you’ve been a fan of the series since the very beginning then you should have no problem adjusting to the new direction Rockstar has taken the series. Grand Theft Auto IV shows what kind of effort should be taken in this grand of a title. As previously mentioned, the game is not without its flaws and it does take some time to get used to everything going on around you. Story and side missions are a mixed bag and can either be fun or very frustrating depending on how you look at it. Multiplayer is where the game shines, and if you’re looking for a good time, you won’t be disappointed with the open world aspect of the gameplay. 

Conclusion 

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is certainly taking one grand step after another. Grand Theft Auto IV is one title that won’t be forgotten in the next few years. Nobody knows what direction Rockstar has in their minds to take the series, but one thing is for certain though: Grand Theft Auto will always garner attention that is unparalleled in the industry and will always be the title that you must play to believe.