Immersive Underworld Makes Gta Iva Great
“Grand Theft Auto IV” digs even deeper into the gritty realism that has defined the “GTA” video game series for years. New features include a more advanced combat interface, improved opponent artificial intelligence, and ways of getting around town that don’t involve carjacking — though stealing cars is still an option, of course.
With the long-anticipated arrival of the next installment in the “Grand Theft Auto” (GTA) series, Liberty City does little to disappoint. Car chases, assassinations and shady drug dealers still litter the landscape of Liberty City, yet this game adds an in-depth view from the perspective of the main character. The player’s own choices and actions are more evident in “Grand Theft Auto IV” than in previous titles. This break from traditional “GTA” games not only allows the main character to evolve more freely but also allows the interactions and cut scenes to change throughout the game.
“GTA IV” stars Niko Bellic, a Serbian immigrant who has come to America to escape his war-torn past. We follow Niko as he rises from a lowly cab driver, learning new ways in America, to a major player in the criminal underworld. How he rises and whom he topples on his way to success is not defined within a rigid framework like most action-adventure games, and Niko’s reluctance to backstab and murder some of those who cross either him or his associates is illustrated by his actions. He often rejects the demands of his friends if they are too outlandish or if he morally disagrees.
During the opening cut scene of “GTA IV,” I was immediately impressed with the graphics and fluidity of motion in each character. The first hour of the game looked like a movie and stayed that way throughout the game. In other games, when a cut scene is inserted, the graphics are always of a higher quality. However, Rockstar Games apparently decided that seamless transitions between movies and gameplay were a better idea.
After the opening cut scene ended, Niko got in his car and browsed the infamous “GTA” radio and all stations offered. There’s a remarkable amount of musical variety: John Coltrane, Black Sabbath, The Who, Busta Rhymes, Kanye West and even Stephen and Bob Marley are all featured in the latest “GTA” installment. The sound quality was also impressive. In the game, sitting in a cab or driving a car while listening to radio mimics real life.
The small intricacies of “Grand Theft Auto IV” are what make the game realistic, and the music is no exception. “GTA IV” stands out among other “GTA” titles and other games in the same genre like “Crackdown” or “True Crime: Streets of L.A.” It has the variety of gameplay and freedom of decision that “Crackdown” lacks, as well as the complexity in mission structure that “True Crime” so desperately needs.
Tags: action adventure games, artificial intelligence, assassinations, Auto, car chases, carjacking, cars, chase, criminal underworld, fluidity, Grand Theft Auto, grand theft auto iv, gritty realism, gta, liberty city, lows, niko, reluctance, rigid framework, rockstar games, seamless transitions, stealing cars, video game, video game series
