When Grand Theft Auto first came out, gamers loved it and it has not looked back since, gaining more recognition and winning fans' adoration as one of the best gaming franchises to hit the scene. With each title released, it is a great leap not only for the franchise, but for video gaming itself. There's no question that GTA is up there when it comes to the Sandbox genre, and those who've played it knows the reason why. GTA4 is the 9th game off of the series and will continue on with where GTA 3 left off. However, the series has given gamers with an entirely new experience with each game, and fans can certainly expect the same with GTA IV.
While every GTA story has been carefully crafted to offer a much different kind of experience, you can always expect it to have the same intense and spectacular nature. But GTA 4 provides a different perspective into the game's storyline. In this game, players will get to immerse in the persona of Niko Bellic, who is a former soldier wanting to escape a troubled past, not knowing that more trouble await him in Liberty City. However, Niko is built for this stuff, and he does not have trouble blending in and easily finds Liberty City a great place to explore. GTA4 digresses from the highly volatile nature of past GTA characters; instead making it more objective-laden, which in turn makes this game a more absorbing play. Characteristic of the previous games off the series are the random acts of violence springing from out of nowhere, but with GTA 4 Niko must accomplish certain tasks and that is the main priority here.
As for the other characters (even random ones) that are in GTA 4, they have improved significance as far as storyline is concerned in this game. For the most part, they will greatly impact the decisions Niko has to make in the game that involve a few characters and it will have repercussions in the game. Forming relationships with other characters in the game is also crucial in helping you progress in this game, and you will definitely have to take a few considerations first before making impulsive moves.
More than the impressive gameplay, Liberty City is the perfect setting for an incredible game like GTA 4 and it just looks impressively stunning. With so much attention given to details, it is only fitting that it was created not only for the eyes but serves their purpose in the game.
But that is just a preview of what GTA IV is really about. Learning from lapses or areas where previous GTA games went lacking, Rockstar has incorporated some new elements into this new game. One feature that probably seen the most improvement in this one is the combat system. Rockstar decided to improve on this in order to infuse more sophistication and excitement into the combat of this game, as well as to be at par with some of today's best shooters. There is still the free-aim feature, but the new lock-on feature will surely improve your accuracy. By setting your aim on an opponent, you are sure to hit right where your aim is. And by a simple press of the corresponding button, you will see your enemies blasting to pieces. This game also sports off a new cover system. You can make your character go behind or take cover from the nearest object by pressing on R1. This will enable your character to effectively cover from your enemies' view and is a great way to deal with an overwhelming number of enemies. In both scenarios, you will be able to lessen the amount of damage you can get, or even avoid the possibility of death. With these new features, the combat system has been definitely revised to a whole new depth and definitely upgrades the level of gaming experience.
If you though that was impressive, wait till you hear about GTA IV's new in-car combat system. Given that you already have all these nifty features at your disposal, you can be rest assured that this new in-car combat system is just as effective as on-foot combat system. Even when driving a vehicle, you can lock-on your nearest opponent. Or if you want to free-aim out the window while driving, you still can. If before, getting to shoot someone while you're driving proved to be quite a task, this time around everything is so much better. All these features are aimed at continuing with the reputation of GTA over the years, and that is providing good, quality in-game combat.
One important thing that needs to be tackled when talking about GTA IV is the mission structure. With the success of previous GTA games, this game utilizes that winning formula to its advantage. Here, you have access to the entire city as you do certain missions for some characters, and each single one promises a different kind of adventure. The missions in GTA IV are not just action-packed, there are more to expect from it especially in terms of novelty and intensity.
Once you arrive in Liberty City, you will now have Roman's phone. Then, you can use that as your control panel and organizer for anything that needs to be done in the game. But more importantly, your phone enables you to receive messages about oncoming missions, it lets you control Niko's life, as well as gain access to multiplayer features, and many other things that enable you to move forward in the game. Having to use the phone as a way to control the game is definitely innovative, and it creates this illusion that everything is happening within the world of the game, which is independent of the player's command.
Also, an exciting new addition to this new GTA game is the online multiplayer feature. This is another way to increase the level of intensity within the game, now that you can have at most sixteen players playing side by side or competing against one another. Sooner or later, GTA IV will earn the title of king of Multiplayer because of its tremendous new features that has continued to innovate and redefine gaming as we know it.