User Review : Grand Theft Auto IV

Best game of this generation? Probably.

GTA IV. We have waited and waited and we have finally ben given out next gen GTA and boy is it quite a game. You start off fresh off the boat in Liberty City (beased heavily off new york city) with Niko Bellic, an Eastern eupopean immigrant with a strange past and a goofy cousin. Without revealing spoilers I will say the story is much deeper then previous GTAs but still has the humor we have come to know and love. There are several points in the game where you can make a moral choice of whether to kill someone or not. It wont change the plot much but it will change dialogue. Overall the story is engaging and deep and you come to believe the charactrers emotions as they struggle through the hard life that is liberty City in an efort to get to the top.

Next comes the enviorment. Rockstar has managed to recreate new york city (as well as part of New Jersy) to a very accurate degree. The detail of the game is what will impress you. Pedestrians talk to each other, show more emotion,and do more realistic actions rather then just walking around aimlessly. Then then the traffic is much more dense but not too dense to where you get stuck in traffic. It really makes you believe your in a real city because of the detail and the graphics. Whether your going by car, boat, or helicopter the city will look stunning, especially at night when the buildings light up. There will be plenty do in Liberty City as you unlock more and more of the islands. It wont disappoint in the least.

One part that drives the story is the cell phone. It can be used to call friends for a night out or even to call the police or paramedics. If you make friends with people they will give you benefits such as free rides or discounted guns plus going out drinking and driving can be really entertaining.

Next comes the gameplay. Everything has gotten a major overhaul in terms of combat. You can take cover wherever you like (like in GRAW 2), you can free aim with guns and lock on if you wish. Shooting body parts will result in different reactions. You shoot in the leg they fall over, you shoot in the head they die instantly and if you RPG them they go flying. All of this is thanks to the new physics engine. It makes everything looks much more life like. You will see what I mean when you run someone over then they go flopping on the ground.

Next comes the driving part. The cars feel much more realistic in their handling. It may take some getting used to to make a 90 degree turn but like a real car you will have to slow down in order to make that turn. Cars will damage very realistically. Every part of the car can crumble or fold and if it take too much damage it will stall on you and you will have to find a new car. However if your car is riddled with too may shotgun holes it will explode and it will be awesome. But if your trying to kill someone in a car its best to go for the driver himself.

Finally comes the multiplayer. This is accessed through your ever useful cell phone. You can invite your friends for a death match, free roaming chaos, racing and any of the other 15 modes there are. You rank up by collecting money (100 dollars a kill) and as you rank up your customized character get more clothing options. Surprisingly the whole city is open for up to 16 players and runs very smoothly which is a huge technical feat for a game of this size. So your free to shoot up your friends in Liberty City and have a great time.

Overall if I explained everything GTA IV offered it would probably take up a whole book. There is much more to the game then what was explained in the short review and its definitely a must buy for PS3 or 360. The only reason you shouldnt have this game is if your parents are not letting you get it but if that isnt stopping you then go buy this game now and have a blast!