GTA IV is the story of Niko Bellic and his search for answers, money, and vigilante justice. GTA has always mixed genres, but GTA IV exemplifies the sandbox game type by being equal parts racer, third-person shooter, dating simulator, and playground - there's even an option to turn off the story so that the plot and characters won't bother you while you're rampaging through Algonquin and trying desperately to avoid the NOOSE (Liberty City's SWAT equivalent).

The story is worth following (a first for the series) so I won't spoil it here. Suffice it to say you'll despise Niko one moment for being so cold and vengeful and you'll feel sorry for him the next. The guy's been through a lot, and it's hard to say that anybody else would feel differently in his position. Rockstar has created a sympathetic antihero, and that's something to be applauded.

Gameplay is a mixed bag. Some things have been improved dramatically while others feel like a step backward from Saint's Row (and if you really think R* didn't study Saint's Row like Volition studied GTA you're mistaken). The gunplay is much improved over prior installments. Additions to your repertoire like blind fire, precision aiming, and the ability to take cover make Niko Bellic more useful in combat than Claude, Tommy, or CJ ever dreamed of being. Niko can also climb fences and jump over low obstacles. Small additions like this really make you realize just how limited our old sandboxes were, and the new Liberty City is better for it. A knee high wall shouldn't stop me from chasing a drug dealer.

Driving is, after you get accustomed to the new scheme, also improved over previous entries. Gone are the days of "every turn is an e-brake turn." Now you need to understand how each vehicle acts. Weight, wheel base, and weather all matter, and when you try to turn after slamming on the emergency brake don't be surprised when you turn 360 degrees and get hit by the cop that was chasing you. Those that do well in Forza 2 races will feel right at home with GTA IV's driving controls.

Where GTA IV fails is in the details. They've included a restart option but no mission checkpoints. While it is nice that I don't have to drive back to the mission start it is annoying that I do have to drive across the island from the mission spawn to start the mission proper. And when a mission is obviously segmented between chase and combat why should the player be forced to replay the chase when he fails the combat? Making it to the combat section proves that he did just fine in the chase portion. GTA IV also screwed the pooch on cell phone implementation. Why can't I enter a car while on the phone? Why can't I shoot a single hand weapon while on the phone? Why can't I run while on the phone? I'm not holding it with my feet! And most importantly, why is the phone so small? Even the large text option is difficult to read (for reference I play on a 51" HDTV). Surely somebody noticed this in play testing.

Multiplayer is also something of a mixed bag. Team deathmatch and Turf War (think territories from Halo) just doesn't feel right. Liberty City is huge, and it just isn't fun to spawn halfway across the city with no car, make your way over to the action, and be gunned down to do it again. Standard race, GTA race, and the cooperative variants are great, however. Racing through Liberty City, particularly in the GTA race variant where anything goes (including vehicle changes, weapons fire, and sabotaging the track with a huge player-made pile-up) never ceases to be entertaining. Hangman's Noose, Bomb da Base II, Team Mafiya, and Cops & Crooks are where GTA IV's multiplayer shines because you won't find these modes in Halo 3 or CoD 4. It's interesting to meet up with three friends, hijack a NOOSE armored van, and escort a Mafiya boss across town while the LCPD is hot on your trail. GTA IV also features free mode where my favorite variant - Helicopter vs. Boat - can be played.

GTA IV takes place in a grittier, more realistic Liberty City. Rampage tokens are gone. The flame thrower is missing in action. There's no katana in the shopping mall, and everything is just a little less fun because of it. GTA used to be cartoony and over-the-top. Now it feels just like all the other over-the-shoulder shooters out there. Where is my parachute? Where are the rampage tokens? And where is the National Guard waiting to give up their tanks? More realistic doesn't necessarily mean more fun. GTA IV lacks some of the whimsy of previous titles, and it feels a little hollow because of it.

Jun 9, 2008 | 0 comments
Justin Last