Grand Theft Auto Iv Review A Game That Steals The Show
While instantly familiar – I was surprised by how little the general gameplay and mission structure differed from the previous game in the series, GTA III: San Andreas – it refines every element of the game and tells an engrossing story.
While lacking the scope of San Andreas (there’s only one city, no countryside, no jetpacks and a smaller number of vehicles and weapons) it’s a much more convincing, involving and modern game world. You now keep in contact with your friends and arrange missions via your mobile phone – and in some cases via emails accessed at internet cafes.
Most importantly, your character – Niko Bellic, a recent 30-something immigrant from eastern Europe – is a wonderful protagonist. This laconic contract killer is clearly struggling to reconcile the person he wants to be with the person he is. The developers have made this cold-blooded street thug a likable guy with realistic motivations.
Niko meets many eccentric and colourful characters during his travels, from sleazy gangsters to jaded cops. At first, everyone you meet is through your cousin Roman.
But soon you’ll become buddies with unique characters like Little Joseph, the West Indian rasta drug lord with an impenetrable accent; Brucie, the bull shark testosterone-injecting fitness junkie with a taste for street racing; and Manny, the MC Hammer-esque rapper who’s obsessed with his street credentials.
Tags: Auto, blockbuster video, colourful characters, contract killer, fitness junkie, game world, gangsters, Grand Theft Auto, grand theft auto iv, gta, images, likable guy, niko, protagonist, rasta, scope, street racing, thug, video game
