Overall Rating
Price
Features

Grand Theft Auto IV Review

•       Gaming Platform: Sony Playstation 3
•       Genre: Action Adventure
•       Manufacturer: Rockstar North
•       ESRB Rating: Mature

Developed by Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto IV is an action–adventure sandbox style video game, it was released in April 2008, and it has been a rage since its release. It is the sixth installment of the Grand Theft Auto series. Set in the redesigned rendition of Liberty City, based on modern day New York City. It follows the story of Niko Bellic, a migrant from Eastern Europe and a war veteran, who crosses the Atlantic in the quest of the Great American Dream, but quickly gets entangled in the world of mob, crime and corruption. Like the previous installment of this series, GTA IV is composed of element from third-person shooters and driving games, it features open world gaming.

Features
The key features of the Grand Auto Theft IV are listed below:

• Improved combat system: The game now includes a target locking system; also, the players can use cover, this helps in eliminating the target with greater accuracy and ease. Also, the gamers can engage in hand-to-hand combat.
• Cell phones: Gamers can now use mobile phones; they can also receive missions via SMS, take picture and make calls.
• Free time: The gamers can use the in-between mission time to visit clubs, bowling alleys and pubs
• Take a break from the storyline: GTA IV has an assortment of side missions, which allow the users to steal cop cars, snuff out targets and negotiating deals.
• Control your fate: All through the game, there are moments where a gamer has to make a choice, these choices eventually decide the fate of the gamer, they affect money and relationships.

Story

What does the Great American Dream mean today?

For Niko Bellic, a war veteran, fresh off from a boat from Europe, it is the hope to escape his troubled past, but for his cousin Roman, it is the vision to make it big in Liberty City, the gateway to the land of freedom and opportunity. As they slip into debt, they are slowly dragged into the world of crime. Grand Theft Auto IV is follows Nikolai “Niko” Bellic, who is persuaded by his cousin Roman, to come to Liberty City. Although, Niko wishes for a clean life, Roman fabricates a rags to riches story, to pique Niko’s interest, which eventually is a part of Roman’s plan to use Niko’s renowned skills as a tough guy. Roman wishes to use Niko as a weapon against the list of enemies pining for Roman’s debt-ridden blood.

Roman is the only person Niko knows in the city, he begrudgingly accepts the role of Roman’s protector despite the deception. As time goes by, Niko’s experience on the other side of law proves out to be much more rewarding, but when there is blood in the water, the sharks come, soon he is fighting for his own survival and then for supremacy on the crime-infested streets of the Liberty City.

Game Play

Traditionally, GTA games have been focusing heavily on mission-based gaming; a gamer is required to successfully complete a task in order to progress through the game. But in GTA IV, this format has changed to a great extent. The players will experience a completely new and exhilarating emphasis centered on the integration of on and off mission game play, this results in an increased sense of realism but also, much unrestricted and interesting game play.

In the multi-player gaming mode, gamers can create and customize their own in-game avatar. The multi-player mode allows a gamer to take his creation out to play online in co-operative, competitive and free form modes.

ESRB Rating

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has deemed this game only suitable for gamers above the age of 18; owing to prominent drugs usage, filthy language, gangster violence and gore in this game.

Price

The most surprising aspect of the Grand Theft Auto IV is its light price tag, there are very few things in this world, that are “perfect”, this game is one of them and coughing out US dollars 18.75 for this game is a brilliant bargain. This game has an astronomical value for money.

Awards

Grand Theft Auto IV has received more than 40 action game of the year awards, the most prominent ones are listed below:

• “Best Game of the Year 2008” by Spike TV, MTV Game Awards, IGN AU and Time
• “Action Game of the Year 2008” by Giant Bomb, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Console Monster, Thunderbolt, Gamevision, Los Angeles Times, Atomic Gamer, Games Master, Eurogamer, Play.tm and Action Trip.
• “Best Action Adventure Game of the Year 2008” by Games Trailer, Spike TV, Gamevision, Extreme Gamer, What If Gaming and Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA).
• This game has been ranked as the second best PS3 game ever by GamesRanking.

Problem issues

Grand Theft Auto IV is painstakingly developed to perfection by Rockstar North, looking for problems in this game is like finding “respite in hell”, the game play is amazing, the storyline is engaging and the visual experience is breathtaking. From the initiation to the culmination, this game spells perfection.

Verdict

Grand Theft Auto III was truly a revolutionary title, it inspired a completely new generation of 3D action games. Grand Theft Auto IV is a giant leap ahead. This game defines a new bench mark for games. This game works harmoniously throughout. There is no major weak aspect in this game, the city, the physics, the story, the visuals, the AI; all of them together season this game to perfection. Truly, Rockstar North has proved that they are the uncrowned rulers of the open world gaming genre; this game has broken the entire negative stigma from the past installments of this game. The execution of this game is epic; the manufactures have outdone themselves by producing this gem. The new cover and aiming mechanics, although not perfect, perform the job brilliantly of completely changing the manner in which the combat works. Mission progression is paced exceptionally well and side things like maintaining relationships directly impact the game.

Liberty City is the most immersive and realistic location for a game like this, the amount of detail with which the city is chiseled is astounding. Not only are the characters realistic, but even the pedestrians are created with great detail. Although the side mechanics, core game play and the mechanics are all brilliant, it is the presentation and the taut storyline that elevates Grand Theft Auto IV to astronomical heights. Grand Theft Auto IV is one of the best games ever; a gamer has to play it for sure.

Rating: 5/5