4 of 5: Niche

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.

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