Grand Theft Auto IV Review

Written by: Darren Cartledge Posted: 7th May 2008

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Grand Theft Auto makes its highly anticipated return.

Grand Theft Auto IV Details:

	Action
	PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360
	Rockstar North
	Rockstar

18+

Out Now

N/A

Grand Theft Auto IV is probably the most anticipated game so far for the current generation of console. Everyone has been expecting big things from Rockstar’s latest crime filled action game and for all those bedroom bad guys out there, the game gives you lots to get your grubby hands on.

The story follows the fortunes of an east European immigrant, Niko Bellic who has come to Liberty City in search of a new life and to escape some trouble he got into in his home country, when the game starts he is meet by his cousin Roman who runs a taxi firm but has got involved with loan sharks and as you would expect, it’s not long before Niko finds himself on the wrong side of the law.

The game follows in pretty much the same mould as the previous Grand Theft Auto games but does have some notable difference between Vice City and San Andreas. The games story progresses through the missions as in the previous games, with missions themselves being handled in pretty much the same way. You talk to different characters and then set out to complete a number of objectives for them. As with in previous games, some missions follow the games main story and others side stories which inter twine with each other at times. Unlike in previous games, some missions in GTA IV require you to make decisions which the consequences can either come back to reward or haunt you as the game progresses. This is a nice addition that gives you a greater feeling of control in what’s happening in the game.

There are a few omissions in this latest instalment, the games property ladder system has gone, as have kill frenzies, also some of the character development opportunities that were featured in San Andreas aren’t available in this game, there’s no beefing up at the gym or getting tattooed. While this may disappoint some, for me this was a welcome change as I preferred to concentrate on mission play rather then character development and collecting various properties.

Despite the omissions the game still retains the classic GTA feel, missions usually consist of killing characters, stealing cars and generally being bad as in previous titles. Fighting enemies during missions is pretty standard GTA stuff and shouldn’t prove too challenging. They aren’t the most formidable or cleverest enemies we’ve ever come up against but then if they were they wouldn’t have chosen a life of crime would they?

In GTA IV having friends is important and the game features a friendship system that allows you to play a few mini games and unlock new venues to attend in Liberty City. Attending these venues allows you to cement your friendships with characters. Venues include strip and cabaret clubs, whilst you can go out for a game of pool, darts, or bowling to develop your friendships.

Keeping in touch with other characters in the game is handled by using your mobile phone which holds all the contact details for characters you’ve met. You can arrange to go out and also receive missions via your phone. You have access to e-mail by visiting an Internet café and from time to time you will receive jobs here and other information.

As you would expect from any Grand Theft Auto game, getting around is important and Rockstar have given us plenty of options to achieve this. Firstly you can do the classic car jacking and take any of the wide range of vehicles available around the city. Motorbikes, trucks, cars, boats and helicopters are all available for the taking. You can also break into and hot wire cars parked on the side of the road and in cars parks. If you don’t feel like committing a crime in order to get around you can always catch the train or even hail cabs or call for a taxi from your cousins taxi firm, these options enable you to quickly travel from one place to another skipping the travel time of the journey, meaning that there’s not as much going over the same ground as in previous games, although if you like driving around a big city then you can do exactly that.

Sooner or later, your one man crime spree is going to attract the attention of the police and once it does you will have to be quick to get away from them. Police are pretty determined and will even hold onto a car as you drive off at speed resulting in you dragging them along the road. However, you always know how close you are to escaping as the game now includes a circle on the radar that shows police coverage. If you escape the circle and lay low then you lose your wanted level. The more stars you in your wanted level the bigger the circle of police coverage and obviously the harder it is to escape.

One of the biggest and most talked about additions to the Grand Theft Auto series in GTA IV is online multiplayer support. For the most part this has been done very well with an array of different game types available to play it really adds a lot to the games lasting appeal.

The game offers some pretty standard multiplayer modes such as deathmatch, team deathmatch and races around the city. However, the game does offer some interesting and unique game types. In Mafiya work players have to take on contracts from a crime boss competing against other players, while in the car jack city option players steal the crime lord’s desired car of choice again whilst competing against other players for the reward. There’s also team based options of these two game types to play.

Other multiplayer options include cops and crooks in which one team takes on the role of the police and the other the crooks, the crooks have to try and escape and the cops have to stop them. There’s also Turf War which is a variation of domination and Bomb da Base in which players have to take out the rivals with bombs. In the deal breaker mode you work as part of a team to rip off rival drug dealers and take the money and stash for your crew. Finally there’s Hangman’s noose in which players have to protect a crime lord from the police and stop him being captured as well as free mode in which you can do pretty much what you want. Some of the online games work better then others and you’ll soon have your favourites. I personally preferred to play the games deathmatch options and races as they seem to suit the games style well.

The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game are pretty much the same, however there are a couple of differences, the Xbox 360 multiplayer option allows for ranked matches and it is generally easier to connect to the games via Live then PSN. Both platforms seem to experience lag, which can be very annoying in the deathmatch games as some one can be in front of you and before you know it they’re behind you. Away from the multiplayer mode the only differences between the two versions are that the PS3 features support for sixaxis control and the Xbox 360 includes unlockable achievements both of which are unique to their respective platforms.

Visually the game is very impressive and has a much more realistic approach then in previous versions. Rockstar have done an excellent job of creating Liberty City, the place is massive and filled with litter strewn alleyways and graffiti covered buildings that wouldn’t look out of place in any gritty city.

Character models are excellent and animation is very authentic, when you die Niko falls to the ground in a very realistic way in slow motion instead of the old “wasted” way as in previous games. Non-playable characters are much more varied and the vehicles all feature a very impressive damage system as well generally looking good, well apart from the heaps on wheels that is.

With all that’s going on, on screen at any one time you could forgive a little bit of slowdown here and there however, this isn’t experienced on either platform as frame rates remain high throughout.

The two console versions look pretty much identical, although I would have to say the Xbox 360 version just nicks the prize for the best looking, as it seems to have a smoother look then that of the PS3, but other then that there’s no discernable difference between the two platforms.

Sound has always been one of the strongest parts of the Grand Theft Auto series and the sound design in GTA IV is no different, the game features a soundtrack that includes many popular bands and artists as well as some very good voice acting. Sound effects are also very good, and the city features a lot of authentic background noise as the citizens go about their daily business, such as chatting on mobile phones and standing around talking.

So GTA IV is finally here and the game should match most people’s expectations despite not being quite as revolutionary as some would have expected. The game mixes classic Grand Theft Auto gameplay with an excellent and realistic look.

The game does feature quite a lot of new additions but has also lost some of what we have seen in previous versions. The games multiplayer options add a lot to the lasting appeal of the title and this thrown in with the extensive single player story mode means you will be on the wrong side of the LCPD for a long time to come, overall an excellent addition to an excellent franchise.