Gameplay:
The Grand Theft Auto series has had amazing success in the past decade, and this latest installment from Rockstar has had a lot to live up to. As in past Grand Theft Auto titles, the game puts you in control of a character living in Liberty City, a very hostile environment. In the case of Grand Theft Auto IV, you play as Niko Bellic, a man who just moved to America from Eastern Europe looking to live the American dream. The game once again takes place in Liberty City, which this time around is a very well-detailed environment full of obstacles, people and cars. The story itself is very intriguing and features a wide range of characters that make the story quite compelling. Also, a lot of interactions in the game take place on Niko’s cell phone. You’re able to keep in contact with friends and enemies on the cell phone as well as engage in side missions over it as well.
Combat is as simple as in previous iterations, but this time around there is a cover system. It’s a very simple cover system which allows for you to duck behind most objects, and also allows you to stand up and shoot from behind the cover or pull up your gun and fire while remaining behind cover at the expense of accuracy. There are also a wide-range of cars to drive in the game as well as motorcycles and boats. Unfortunately, the cover system as well as driving mechanics have some serious quirks which don’t grow on you even with time. In essence, the game has devalued the gameplay itself in trade of a greater physical presentation.
Controls:
Since Grand Theft Auto IV features so many things to do, controls can’t be broken down into one category. The movement itself is great, and Niko controls very realistically when moving. Unfortunately, the cover system has some issues, and most of the time makes you feel like it’s more of a magnet system than a cover system. Lots of times the camera angle makes it really hard to fire at the angle you want to which is frustrating. One of the worst things about the game is the driving controls. Rockstar seems to have gone with a more realistic approach which is respectable, but the driving controls aren’t realistic whatsoever. When turning, all cars in the game oversteer and lose control around turns, Also, the camera angle likes to try to be cinematic which in many cases forces you to use the right analog stick when turning to see what is ahead of you. The driving controls are quite frankly unacceptable, and make many missions in the game enraging.
Graphics:
Grand Theft Auto has had a complete makeover which is great to see for veterans of the series. This game quite simply looks great, and both the character models and city are very detailed. Also, during cutscenes, the facial and body animations are top-notch, and really add to the atmosphere of the story. The presentation is also great and the menus are easier to navigate than ever before.
Sound:
As with the previous 3 games, Grand Theft Auto IV has great audio. The voice acting is quite possibly the best to date, with great voice actors and character defining dialogue. As with previous games, there are also over 10 radio stations to listen to in the car when driving. There is a lot more diversity of music in this game than the previous 2, and everyone should be able to find a station that suits them. Sound effects are also spot on and help mold the game into almost a movie-like experience.
Replay Value:
The story mode along is roughly 25 hours in length, but there are also a lot of extra things to do around the city. There are hidden pigeons scattered around the city ready to be found, super jumps, side missions and the simple entertainment of a sandbox environment. Trophies were also patched in shortly after release which is great for PSN trophy collectors. There is also a multi-player experience which has several game modes, but it doesn’t last long. The only real downfall is that the game does grow repetitive very quickly which makes the replay value irrelevant to those who get bored of the game quickly.
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Rating:
Story: 9.0
Gameplay: 8.5
Graphics: 9.5
Controls: 8.0
Sound: 9.5
Replay Value: 9.0
Overall: 9.0
Own, Rent, Avoid:
Own: Grand Theft Auto IV is a great presentation and a lot of fun to play. With the great story and long game length, it is hard not to recommend Grand Theft Auto IV.
Last Thoughts:
The game could have been a lot better if the controls weren’t they way they were but, with that said, the game is a remarkable feat in sheer quality and quantity.
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Written By
Jonathan Leack
5/17/2009
