Grand Theft Auto IV
Title: Grand Theft Auto IV
Platforms: Xbox 360 and PlayStation3
Genre: Action
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Classification: 18 (BBFC)
Finally it's here. The wait is over. Millions of gamers have finally been put out of their misery with the releaseof Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest instalment of the most popular gaming franchise ever. The hype surrounding the game has been intense for months, and it was rumoured that this could be the best video game of all time.
It's no rumour.
Straight from the start there is no doubt that this is the darkest, seediest and most realistic Grand Theft Auto game to date. Playing as a Serb named Niko Bellic, the player is instantly drawn in by missions that start off as simple ordinary jobs but quickly spiral into violent, Mafia-style shenanigans.
Intrigue and suspense constantly flow through the game. Rockstar have a notoriously genius way of delivering fantastic storylines, developing characters and superb all round entertainment that keeps players gripped at all times.
Although there is a strong storyline that runs through, the game is in no way linear and you are free to roam as you wish. If you're feeling bored with menacing local thugs, you could go bowling instead. If you're tired of dealing drugs, you could go and watch an obscure show at the cabaret club. The options are vast and Liberty City really is your oyster.
The map is not the biggest that we have seen in the series but thanks to Hi-Def technology and more powerful gaming consoles, the streets now pack much more detail than before.
Weaponry is of course an absolute must for a GTA game and the immense amount of firepower available will not disappoint any gamer. Whether you want an Uzi to pull off a drive-by shooting or a rocket launcher to blast a helicopter out of the sky, it's all here.
With weaponry comes combat, and the combat is far from being shabby. Anybody familiar with the Gears of War style of cover and shoot combat will already be well accustomed. Just like in Gears of War, you can blind-fire around corners, run from cover-to-cover and so much more.
Despite previous GTA titles being some of the best games ever, the target lock-on system was frustrating and cumbersome at the best of times. That has been resolved now by having the option to either lock-on or manually aim.
Where would the series be without its fantastic selection of vehicles? Cars, boats, helicopters, bikes and more are all included to aid the player in getting around Liberty City and carrying out missions. Each vehicle handles differently and has varying attributes in regards to speed and acceleration.
Small touches are part of what GTA IV is all about. You can now fly through the windscreen of your car or have Niko smash out the side window in order to shoot. It's the small touches like this that make you sit back, catch your breath and mutter to yourself, 'Wow. This really is something else'.
Music has always been a key element of GTA's success and although the music is staggeringly plentiful, I personally think that GTA music hasn't got any better than the 80's tracks used in Vice City.
Multiplayer has always been much of an afterthought, just bolted onto the side of previous GTA games. This is not the case with this latest instalment, and it would be reasonable to say that many people would happily spend more time in the Multiplayer modes.
Multiplayer is easily accessed by using your in game phone to select which variety of multiplayer you would like to participate in. Team Deathmatches are played with 16 players and not the slightest bit of lag. It plays like a dream.
Controversy has always surrounded the GTA series, people screaming that all the unwholesomeness found within corrupts the youth. Hello! This game holds an 18 certificate; kids shouldn't be playing the game in the first place. Colossal drug deals hired guns and prostitution are all rife in Liberty City and are justified reasons for the game having an 18 certification.
Although GTA IV is probably the closest that comes to a perfect game, unfortunately no game is actually perfect. At one point I was happily playing pool when all of a sudden I was playing outside without a table or balls. Consequently I had to quit the pool game which didn't go down to well with my in game date. There was no going back to hers for coffee (ahem) that time.
Long and short of it is that GTA IV does everything. Action, racing, sports, humour, violence, the lot. The exceptional part is that it doesn't do any of these things badly, in fact, it does them with an amazing level of style and grace.
But don't just take my word for it, a game of this splendour needs to be played.
SCORE:
10 / 10
9:00am Friday 2nd May 2008
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