Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV is a sandbox-style action-adventure video game developed in the United Kingdom by Rockstar North,^[14] and released for thePlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles in Europe, North America and Oceania, on 29 April 2008,^[15] and in Japan on 30 October 2008.^[16] AWindows version of the game was released in North America on 2 December 2008 and in Europe on 3 December.^[5][6][4] It was made available on Steamon 4 January 2009.^[17] It is the sixth 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto series.

Two episodic packs have since been released for the Xbox 360, the first entitled The Lost and Damned, released on 17 February 2009. The second is entitled The Ballad of Gay Tony, released on 29 October 2009.^[18][19] Both episodes were released for PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows on 13 April 2010^[20] in North America and on 16 April^[20] 2010 in Europe.^[21]

The game is set in a redesigned rendition of Liberty City, a fictional city based heavily on modern day New York City. It follows Niko Bellic, a war veteran from an unspecified country in Eastern Europe. He comes to the United States in search of the American Dream,^[22] but quickly becomes entangled in a world of gangs, crime, and corruption. Like other games in the series, GTA IV is composed of elements from driving games and third-person shooters, and features "open-world" gameplay that gives players more control over their playing experience. It is the first console game in the series to feature an online multiplayer mode.

As the first game of the critically acclaimed series to appear on seventh generation consoles, Grand Theft Auto IV was widely anticipated. A major commercial and critical success, it broke industry records with sales of around 3.7 million units on its first day of release and grossing more than $500 million in revenue in the first week, selling an estimated 6 million units worldwide.^[23][24] As of 9 June 2010, the game had sold over 17 million copies.^[25]It is the all-time highest-scoring game on three professional critic review-aggregating websites: TopTenReviews,^[26] GameRatio^[27] and GameTab. It is also the highest rated current-generation game on Metacritic^[28] and MobyGames.^[29]

Gameplay

Quite like its predecessors, the core gameplay of GTA IV consists of giving the player a large, open world environment in which to move around freely. On foot, the player character can walk, run, jump, climb over obstacles and swim, as well as use weapons and perform basic hand-to-hand combat. Players can steal and drive a variety of vehicles, including automobiles, boats, helicopters, and motorcycles. Grand Theft Auto IV takes advantage of Natural Motion's Euphoria engine, which combines artificial intelligence, bio-mechanics and physics to make NPC behaviour and movement adaptive and more realistic.

The open, non-linear environment allows players to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. Although storyline missions are necessary to progress through the game and unlock certain content and parts of the city, they are not required, as players can complete them at their own leisure. When not attempting a storyline mission, players can free-roam, giving them the ability to do activities. Side missions such as locating and destroying criminals in the police car database or participating in street races can keep the player occupied for hours.

It is possible to have many active missions running at one time, as some missions run over the course of several days and require the player to wait for further instructions or events. The player can also attempt a variety of optional side missions. Grand Theft Auto IV also contains morality choices at many points throughout the game, which alter the storyline appropriately depending on the player's choice. Which of the game's two different endings occurs is determined by one of these choices.

Combat and police response

Gunfights in GTA IV are conducted using a third-person system.^[30] The game's cover system allows the player to deftly move between cover, to fire blindly, aim freely, and target a specific enemy. Individual body parts can also be targeted.^[31] Additionally, Niko can perform "cinematic executions", only possible with a pistol to certain characters and situations. Niko's health is shown by a green semicircle on the left side of the mini-map, while a blue semicircle on the right represents armour. When locked on a target, their health and (if applicable) armour level appears in the target circle. There are more hand-to-hand combat moves than in past games in the series, namely punching, kicking, "alternative" punching, dodging and blocking, disarming an opponent, and counter-attacking.

If Niko is injured, he can recover health by eating, drinking soda, sleeping, using medical kits, using his mobile phone to call for paramedics, using the health and money cheat, calling one of his girlfriends for medical advice, etc. Health is generally reduced by physical injuries, such as being hit by vehicles when walking, being thrown through the windscreen of a vehicle when crashing, gunfire, falling from a building, getting punched or kicked, and stab wounds. Body armour is gradually damaged by gunshots and explosions.^[32] If Niko's health level reaches zero, the action stops, and he re-appears at the nearest hospital having lost 10% of his total wealth (up to $10,000). Niko retains his weapons after re-spawning at a hospital.

The Wanted Level system has changed from previous GTA games. Although their star levels are retained (which increase with the number or severity of criminal acts by the player, with corresponding increases in law enforcement interference), the law enforcement agencies which may pursue the player have changed, with the focus on making them more realistic. In previous GTA titles, as wanted level rose the player was pursued by increasingly well-armed and violent agencies, culminating with the Army at the highest wanted level. In GTA IV, the police are assisted by NOOSE (National Office of Security Enforcement - a parody of SWAT and DHS^[33]) officers at a three-star wanted level, who in turn are again assisted randomly by either NOOSE's Tactical Response Unit (a parody of the NYPD ESU) or FIB (Federal Investigation Bureau - a parody of the FBI) at a five-star wanted level and beyond. Like previous GTA games, a police helicopter pursues the player at a three-star wanted level, but this is replaced by a helicopter gunship at the five-star wanted level, though it utilises sharp-shooters rather than its mounted gatling guns.

When the police are in pursuit of Niko, a circular search area appears on the map in which the police will be looking for him. The area grows with increased wanted level, and re-centres itself on Niko's location if he is spotted by the police. If the player escapes from the search area without being seen by law enforcement units the search is soon aborted. Wanted levels can also be lost either by driving into a "Pay 'N' Spray" (unless seen entering by police), or entering a safehouse and going to sleep. The player has the option of attempting to escape arrest before being handcuffed, at the cost of increasing the wanted level by one star.^[31][34][35]

Vehicles

Common to the rest of the series, vehicles are the predominant means of travel in GTA IV. Every vehicle in the game uses the in-game minimap as a GPS device. "Way-points" can be placed on the map, plotting the fastest legal route between Niko and the destination on the minimap. The player can also hail a taxi or cab, which allows travel between destinations without having to drive. The journey can also be skipped, so the player arrives at their destination instantly. However if the player decides to skip the journey it will cost them more money. During car chases, the player can focus the camera on the target vehicle by holding the cinematic camera button, and also free-aim and fire out of the vehicle using one-handed firearms. The player may also drop grenades or Molotov cocktails.^[36] The player cannot pilot fixed-wing aircraft, which was possible in previous games of the series, but can still pilot helicopters. The game also lacks parachutes, though they were later reintroduced in The Ballad of Gay Tony.

Communication

Whereas previous games in the series frequently used public telephones to relay missions to the player, in GTA IV a "Whiz"-brand mobile phone is used. It has several uses, including viewing text messages and appointments, arranging to meet friends for activities, and also for choosing to retry failed missions. The player can also take photos for certain missions, and call 911 to summon the emergency services.^[37] The police will arrest felons, and paramedics are able to restore Niko's health. The phone also allows access to the game's multiplayer mode. The player can also call other characters to talk to them, or ask for a service that they can provide, such as transportation or a reduction in wanted level. Also, cheat codes may be entered by dialing certain numbers on the mobile phone.

The game also features several different in-game databases that Niko can make use of. An in-game version of the Internet can be used by accessing the Internet café chain, "TW@", located throughout the city or by accessing a computer in a safehouse. There are over 100 fictitious websites that can be accessed within the game, and Niko can also send and receive email (including junk mail) and set up prospective dates. Although the Internet café was seen in Grand Theft Auto III, internet browsing was not possible.^[38] In a police vehicle, Niko can use an in-car computer to access Liberty City's criminal database, discover information about various criminals in Liberty City and even track them down for a reward.^[39] The game also features in-game television programming, with several viewable channels featuring programmes and advertisements. The television shows cover a wide variety of genres, including a history channel, reality shows, card games, and cartoons.

Multiplayer

Grand Theft Auto IV includes online multiplayer, with 15 modes of play available.^[40] It supports up to 16 players (32 players in the PC version^[41]) and allows players to explore the entire city.^[42] Hosts of the games can control many variables, such as police presence, traffic, and weapons. The console editions of the game do not feature any split screen or LAN multiplayer modes,^[43] but the PC version does have LAN support. All versions of the game include voice chat.

The online games are split into ranked and unranked matches. The reward for the ranked gameplay is cash, which determines players' ranks.^[44] Players use a customisable character in the majority of play modes, and cash earned during play gradually makes more customisation options available.^{[citation needed]}

Several different game modes are available. Team based gameplay modes include^[45] Team Deathmatch, where 2–8 teams compete to accumulate the most kills in a traditional deathmatch; Team Mafiya Work, in which 2–8 teams compete to complete contract work for the "mafiya", such as escorting/killing targets or stealing cars; Team Car Jack City where 2–8 teams compete to steal cars and earn money for keeping them undamaged; Cops n' Crooks, featuring a team of cops who must compete against a team of crooks (which features the "All for One" variation – requiring the cops to kill the crooks' "Boss" before he is escorted to the extraction point – and the "One for All" variation – requiring the cops to kill all of the crooks before they reach the extraction point); and Turf War, involving two teams who compete to take control of designated areas of the map and control them for as long as possible.

The game also includes a variety of racing and cooperative modes, which include Race, in which players race through checkpoints in a traditional automobile race; a GTA race variation, where players race through checkpoints in an automobile race, with the ability to combat their opponents; Hangman's N.O.O.S.E., a co-op mode that requires players to collect a person from the airport and safely escort him to the extraction point before the cops kill him; Deal Breaker, a co-op mission that requires players to assault a construction site captured by enemies, then chase a group of enemies before they escape; and Bomb da Base II, a co-op mission that requires players to clear out a ship, then destroy it with explosives, referencing the mission title Bomb Da Base: act II from Grand Theft Auto III which featured a similar objective of destroying a ship with explosives. The game also features a Free Mode, in which players have the entire map open to explore, with no end goal or mission to complete.

Certain features from the single player mode are disabled in the multiplayer modes, such as the bowling, darts, and pool mini-games. The cheats, clubs and Internet café and some forms of transport (i.e. subway trains and taxi ride) are also disabled.

Synopsis

Plot

Grand Theft Auto IV follows the story of Niko Bellic, a veteran of an unnamed war in Eastern Europe, who is haunted by the betrayal of his army unit by one of its members which led to the death of all but 3 members. After the war Niko put his skills to use as a smuggler, while trying to track down the traitor. Ten years later, after a smuggling run that goes bad, Niko leaves Eastern Europe^[46] to escape the anger of his employer, Ray Bulgarin. Eventually, under persuasion from his cousin Roman, Niko comes to Liberty City, where he hopes to pursue the American Dream as well as Florian Cravic, the man he believes to be the traitor. After his arrival, however, Niko quickly learns that Roman's tales of riches and luxury were lies concealing his struggles with gambling debts and loansharks.

Niko defends Roman from his loansharks several times, eventually killing three Albanian loansharks and later running errands for Vlad Glebov, Roman's Russian loanshark. Niko also begins dating Michelle, a friend of Roman's girlfriend Mallorie Bardas. While working for Roman's taxi company, Niko also befriends Jamaican drug and arms dealer "Little" Jacob Hughes and steroid junkie chop shop owner Bruce "Brucie" Kibbutz. Later on Niko kills Vlad because he had an affair with Mallorie. After Vlad's murder, Niko and Roman are kidnapped by members of the Liberty City Bratva, on order of Mikhail Faustin and his associate, Dimitri Rascalov. However Faustin is not angry with Niko for killing Vlad, and instead hires him. Niko completes several jobs for Faustin, quickly learning that Faustin is a psychopath without any concern for consequences. Faustin soon orders Niko to kill the son of Kenny Petrović, the most powerful man in the Liberty City Bratva. Dimitri tries to negotiate an agreement, but Petrović demands revenge and Dimitri is forced to have Niko assassinate Faustin. However, when Niko meets with Dimitri to collect on the assassination, Dimitri sells Niko out to his angry former employer Ray Bulgarin. Niko manages to fight his way through the ambush with the help of Little Jacob but Dimitri and Bulgarin escape.

Immediately afterwards Niko and Roman are forced to escape to Bohan when their Hove Beach apartment and taxi company are destroyed in arson attacks by Dimitri's men. At this time Roman reveals his plans to propose to Mallorie. To make ends meet while living in Bohan, Niko takes jobs for former gangbanger Manny Escuela who wants to become a famous TV vigilante; prominent drug dealer Elizabeta Torres; Irish mobster Patrick "Packie" McReary; and Trey "Playboy X" Stewart, a successful drug dealer from Algonquin. Niko also becomes an errand boy for both Mafia Capo Ray Boccino and crooked Deputy Police Commissioner Francis McReary, who turns out to be Packie McReary's brother.

However, things go poorly in Bohan: one of the drug deals that Niko is working for Elizabeta turns out to be a sting and another is busted. Niko's girlfriend Michelle then reveals that she works for a government agency and that she was responsible for both the sting and the bust. Niko and Little Jacob are allowed to escape arrest, but are entrapped into working for Michelle's agency, known only by its cover: United Liberty Paper. Niko kills several known or suspected terrorists for the agency in exchange for the promise of assistance in finding the man who betrayed Niko's unit.

The Liberty City Police Department begin to close in on Elizabeta. She becomes paranoid and begins to take large amounts of cocaine from her own supply. Then Elizabeta kills Manny Escuela and his camera-man, Jay Hamilton, when they attempt a citizens arrest for their video. Elizabeta then has Niko sell their bodies to an organ-harvesting doctor. Soon afterwards Elizabeta is arrested and later sentenced to 30 years. While Niko is working for Boccino and Playboy in Algonquin, Roman is kidnapped by Dimitri Rascalov's men because he owes them money. Niko arrives at the warehouse where Roman is being kept and, in a rage, kills all the kidnappers. Roman decides Bohan is no longer safe, and decides to move to Algonquin.

Soon after, Roman buys a penthouse in Algonquin with money he has won gambling and a new cab company with the insurance money from his destroyed cab company. Meanwhile Niko assists Ray Boccino in a conflict diamond deal with Jewish Mafia Capo and diamond dealer Isaac Roth, which goes badly and leads to the diamonds being stolen by Luis Lopez and the money being stolen byJohnny Klebitz. In retaliation Boccino sends Niko to kill Roth and Johnny's friend Jim Fitzgerald. After killing Roth, Niko becomes angered with Boccino and refuses to work for him directly anymore.

In exchange for Niko's help, Boccino locates Florian Cravic, the man that Niko has been searching for. But when Niko confronts Cravic he discovers that Florian has changed his name to Bernie Crane and become an effeminate homosexual. Niko immediately determines that Bernie is not the person responsible for his unit's betrayal, leaving him one remaining suspect: Darko Brevic. Soon after Niko discovers that Dimitri Rascalov is blackmailing Bernie's boyfriend, deputy mayor Bryce Dawkins, and kills all of the blackmailers except Dimitri.

Niko also works for both Playboy X and Playboy's old mentor Dwayne Forge, who has just been released from prison. Niko becomes friends with Forge, saying that he sees some of himself in Forge. But after Niko kills Playboy's business partners who own the Triangle Club as a favour for Forge, the relationship between Playboy and Forge becomes so poisonous that each asks Niko to kill the other, leaving Niko a choice between the two. If Niko kills Playboy he does not get paid but receives Playboy's loft and believes he made the right choice in sticking by his friend. If Niko kills Forge he is paid $25,000 but Playboy despises him as a cold-blooded hired gun and breaks off all contact with Niko.

While in Algonquin Niko also develops a strong connection with the McReary family, including Packie's older brothers Gerald and Derrick, and their sister Kate, whom he begins dating. Together Niko, Packie, and Derrick, along with "Saint" Michael Keane, heist the Bank of Liberty in Algonquin. However, the robbery doesn't go smoothly; Michael is killed by a gun-toting bank customer and the others are forced to shoot their way out past the police and escape into the subway tunnels. After the robbery Niko works with Gerry McReary to destroy the relationship between the Ancelotti Crime Family and their Albanian muscle-men.

Meanwhile Derrick spends most of his share on drugs and alcohol, and sends Niko on several jobs to eliminate former partners he believes are informing on him. Soon Francis McReary becomes concerned that Derrick's drug habits and behaviour could ruin his plans to become the new police commissioner, and tells Niko to kill Derrick. Soon after Derrick calls Niko, paranoid that Francis plans to have him killed, asking Niko to kill Francis first. This gives Niko a choice between the two. If Niko kills Francis McReary there are no positive effects except a thank you call from Derrick, whereas if Niko kills Derrick he becomes able call Francis and blackmail him into reducing Niko's wanted level. In either case Niko is invited to the McReary funeral and informed that Gerry has been arrested. After the ceremony and again en route to the cemetery in the Hearse, Niko helps defend the mourners from attacks by the Albanians that Gerry and Niko angered.

After his incarceration, Gerry contacts Niko and asks him to help in the kidnapping of Grace, the daughter of the Don of the Ancelloti Family, in exchange for a ransom of the conflict diamonds stolen by Luis Lopez during Ray Boccino's deal with the Jewish Mafia. However after exchanging Grace to Gay Tony for the diamonds, Niko and Packie are surprised by Ray Bulgarin, who claims the diamonds are his. In the ensuing gunfight the diamonds are thrown into a passing dumptruck and lost.

Niko also does work for the Pegorinno family in Alderney, mainly with Associate Phil Bell, stealing "cursed" heroin, and later for Don Jimmy Pegorino who is trying to gain a seat on the Commission by weakening the other families. This leads to a war between the Pegorinos and the Pavano and Ancellotti Crime Families. Eventually, after working for Pegorino several times, Niko is sent to kill Ray Boccino because Pegorino is convinced Boccino is an informant.

Niko also takes several assignments from the dying mobster Jon Gravelli, whom he meets through his contact with the shadowy government agency United Liberty Paper.

Toward the end of the story, Niko's United Liberty Paper contact locates Darko Brevic in Bucharest and arranges to have him brought to Liberty City as a final reward. Niko and Roman confront Darko, who has become a drug-addicted wreck, and they both learn that Darko betrayed the group for $1,000 dollars to support his drug habit. The player is then left with the option of either executing Darko or sparing his life. If Niko chooses to execute Darko, Roman will ask him if he feels better, and Niko will say that he feels empty. If Niko chooses to spare Darko and let the drug addict run off, he is at first angry but feels better later on. Neither choice has any lasting effect on the storyline, and having dealt with his past Niko is summoned by Pegorino, who demands of him one final favour: to help with an extremely lucrative deal on the "cursed" heroin in collusion with Dimitri Rascalov.^[45]

Finale

The story features two possible endings depending on the choice made by the player at this point in the game: to strike a Deal with Dimitri or exact Revenge on him. In both endings Niko sees Pegorino as an enemy for allying so closely with Dimitri, and both antagonists are killed. The major difference in each ending is that either Roman Bellic in Deal or Kate McReary in Revenge dies (they each advise Niko towards a different decision, and ironically, the one Niko takes advice from is the one to die).

If the player chooses to go through with the Deal, Niko meets Phil Bell at the docks to take the money from the buyers once Dimitri delivers the heroin to another location. However Dimitri does not deliver the heroin and Niko and Phil are forced to fight to escape, but retrieve the drug money regardless. Niko then receives a congratulatory call from Pegorino who has now allied himself with Dimitri. Kate McReary, however, who was against making the deal, is disappointed with Niko and refuses to attend Roman and Mallorie's wedding. At the wedding an assassin sent by Dimitri tries to kill Niko, but kills Roman with a stray bullet as Niko disarms him. Niko then savagely murders the assassin. A devastated and vengeful Niko teams up with Little Jacob and together they follow some of Pegorino's men to the abandoned casino in Alderney where Dimitri and Pegorino are hiding. Inside the casino, Dimitri betrays and kills Pegorino out of greed, before escaping to Happiness Island in a chopper. Niko chases in a boat until he is picked up by Little Jacob in a chopper. After a helicopter dogfight resulting in both Niko and Dimitri crashing into Happiness Island, Niko and Dimitri have a shoot-out under the shadow of the Statue of Happiness in which Niko mortally wounds Dimitri. As Dimitri is dying, Niko criticizes Dimitri's traitorous nature. The story ends with a parting shot of the Statue of Happiness, with Niko concerned for the well-being of his soul. After the end credits, Mallorie reveals to Niko in a phone call that she is pregnant with Roman's child, who Niko promises "will never have to worry about anything". Kate also calls Niko and expresses her condolences for Niko's loss. ^[45]

If the player chooses to exact Revenge, Niko ambushes Dimitri on the cargo ship Platypus while he is supervising the shipment of heroin. Niko begins an assault on the ship, climaxing in a gunfight within the cargo hold of the ship. After killing all of Dimitri's men and running Dimitri out of ammunition, Niko shoots Dimitri in both legs forcing him to the floor and finishes him with a headshot. In the aftermath, Roman and Mallorie's wedding takes place and Jimmy Pegorino, furious after Niko's betrayal, commits a drive-by shooting outside the church killing Niko's love interest, Kate McReary. However, now that Pegorino has lost his ally Dimitri and angered both Niko (and thereby his many friends) and the five mafia families, the entire underworld of Liberty City wants him dead and he goes into hiding. Niko, Roman and Little Jacob locate and follow some of Pegorino's men, who lead them to the abandoned casino in Alderney. Niko attempts to kill Pegorino, but he escapes via boat to Happiness Island. Niko, Roman, and Jacob pursue in a helicopter until both the helicopter and the boat crash on Happiness Island. Niko chases and corners Pegorino in the shadow of the Statue of Happiness. In a short gunfight Niko fatally wounds Pegorino. As Pegorino is dying Niko taunts him by telling him the Commission he worked so hard to join thought he was a "fat fucking joke". When Niko's back is turned, Pegorino raises his gun once more, but Niko snaps back and fires a single round into Pegorino's forehead leaving him dead at the foot of the Statue of Happiness before lamenting on the supposed "American Dream" to Roman and Jacob. After the end credits, Roman reveals to Niko in a phone call that he and Mallorie are expecting a child and if it is a girl, they will name her Kate.

Setting

Grand Theft Auto IV takes place in a redesigned version of Liberty City consisting of four boroughs, based on four of the boroughs of New York City. Brokeris the equivalent of Brooklyn; Queens is Dukes; Bronx is Bohan and Manhattan is Algonquin. Adjacent to the city is the independent state of Alderney, based on Northern New Jersey and named after a Channel Island. The developers omitted a Staten Island-esque area, believing that gameplay based in such an area would not be fun.^[48] There are two minor islands present: Charge Island (based loosely on Randall's Island), and Colony Island (based onRoosevelt Island). Initially, the city's bridges are locked down due to a terrorist threat, and the player is pursued and killed by police if attempting to cross, but eventually the blockades are lifted and the player is able to cross the Broker, Algonquin and Northwood Heights bridges and explore the rest of the city. The "Francis International Airport" is based on several New York City-area airports, most notably LaGuardia and JFK.

Characters

Main article: List of characters in Grand Theft Auto IV The characters that appear in Grand Theft Auto IV are diverse and relative to the respective boroughs of Liberty City they are based in; belonging to various gangs and ethnic groups. The player controls Niko Bellic, a veteran of the Yugoslav Wars.^[46] According to Dan Houser, virtually none of the characters from the previous games would return, as "most of the characters we liked were dead,"^[48] further evidenced by in-game graffiti bidding farewell to these characters.^[45]

Unlike previous games in the series, the voice actors of Grand Theft Auto IV do not include notable and high-profile celebrities, instead opting for lesser known actors such as Michael Hollick, Jason Zumwalt, Timothy Adams and Coolie Ranx. However, several high-profile DJs host the various radio stations within the game such as Iggy Pop, Juliette Lewis, Karl Lagerfeld, DJ Premier, Roy Ayers, Fez Whatley and Lazlow Jones. Saturday Night Live actors Bill Hader and Jason Sudeikis appear on the liberal and conservative radio talk shows respectively, with Fred Armisen playing several guests on Lazlow's "Integrity 2.0". Katt Williams and Ricky Gervais also have their likenesses and comedy depicted in an in-game comedy club.^[45] Numerous other comedians, including Jim Norton, Patrice Oneal, Rick Shapiro, and Robert Kelly, appeared on the radio and/or as characters in-game. Tony-nominee Alison Fraser can also be heard.