Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV
From Rockstar Games

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Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #62 in Video Games
* Brand: Rockstar Games
* Model: 15782621
* Released on: 2008-04-29
* ESRB Rating: Mature
* Platform: PLAYSTATION 3
* Dimensions: 2.00 pounds

Features

* Carry on the Grand Theft Auto tradition playing through the single player campaign as Niko Bellic
* Get cars and other modes of transportation anyway you can
* Interact with various colorful characters who give you various missions to engage in
* Engage in multiplayer challenges ranging from cover matches to shoot-outs
* Game Rated 'M' due to Intense Violence, Blood, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Partial Nudity, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
What does the American Dream mean today?

For Niko Bellic, fresh off the boat from Europe, it is the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportunity.

As they slip into debt and are dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves and sociopaths, they discover that the reality is very different from the dream in a city that worships money and status, and is heaven for those who have them and a living nightmare for those who don’t.

Beginning with the 1997 release of the original Grand Theft Auto, the GTA series has been one of the most prolific, controversial and down right entertaining franchises in video games history. This pedigree of success guarantees that the highly anticipated eleventh game in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV, will garner at least as much attention if not more.

The Plot
Grand Theft Auto IV is a brand new adventure in the GTA universe following the experiences of Nikolai "Niko" Bellic, a new immigrant from an undisclosed eastern European country whose troubled pa st and the persuasion of his cousin Roman have brought him to the fictional Liberty City.

Unfortunately, Niko’s search for the American Dream and a much needed fresh start, hits an immediate snag when the rags to riches story Roman spun to pique Niko's interest is exposed as not only a complete fabrication, but a ploy to enlist Niko’s well-known skills as a tough guy against the ample list of enemies clamoring for Roman’s debt-ridden blood.

Because Roman is the only person Niko knows in Liberty City he begrudgingly accepts his role as Roman’s protector despite the deception. But as time goes on Niko comes into his own, and his experience on the wrong side of the tracks proves more valuable than he could have ever imagined as he fights for survival and later supremacy on the crime ridden streets of Liberty City.

Game Environments
Based on several of the boroughs of New York City and parts of New Jersey, Liberty City, familiar to players of previous games in the series, has been entirely redesigned for GTA IV.

Players can expect visible detail down to the weeds growing in the cracks in the sidewalk, cars and buildings of visibly different ages and a much greater level if verticality in the buildings and bridges that they are able to explore as Niko moves through the city streets.

In addition, pedestrians in GTA IV are much more realistic. No longer simply moving cardboard cutouts, these NPCs are intelligent, modern, human representations that laugh, cry, eat, drink, use cell phones and ATMs, and talking amongst themselves regardless of Niko’s interaction with them.

Gameplay
Historically GTA games have focused heavily on mission-based play, requiring successful completion of fixed tasks in order for players to progress through the game, but this has changed to a great extent in GTA IV.

Players will experience an entirely new and exciting emphasis centered on the blending of on-mission and off-mission play, resulting not only in an increased sense of realism, but more interesting and unrestricted gameplay.

Features
Aside from the car jacking and a detailed city environment here are the new features for GTA IV:

* Improved combat system - Now you can use cover and also a target lock system, which allows you to take out targets with greater ease and accuracy. Plus, you can engage in some hand-to-hand combat if you can't get your hands on a piece quick enough.
* Cell phone - Not just for basic phone calls anymore. Use your in-game cell phone to receive missions via SMS, snap photos, and ZiT (tag) songs that can be downloaded exclusively on Amazon.com/mp3.
* Free time - In between missions you can take advantage of "me" time. There are gentleman's clubs, comedy clubs, bowling alleys, and bars, which all house unique activities.
* Take a break from the storyline - A variety of side missions allow you to help run a car service, "borrow" cop cars, assassinate targets, help solve problems for those on the street, or take to the air with stunt jumps that are scattered all over the city.
* Control your own fate - Throughout the game choice moments will arrive causing you to make a decision that will affect relationships and money.

Multiplayer
Give Niko a rest and create your own multiplayer "hero." GTA has added multiplayer modes allowing you to take your creation out to play online in competitive, co-op, and free form modes. Competitive mode has you fighting against the cops, jacking cars, or racing to finish odd jobs.

Co-op challenges you and your friends with various tasks including Hangman's NOOSE where you are responsible for escorting a wanted kingpin to a safe extraction point. Freeform lets you and 15 others lose on Liberty City.

Use this mode to hit up the bar and play virtual darts versus each other or head out to the streets and set up your own drag races. If you can dream it, you can do it in Freeform mode.

ZiT: We'll Spot The Song For You
When playing Grand Theft Auto IV, if you hear a song that you are interested in buying as an MP3, all you have to do is dial ZiT-555-0100 on your in-game mobile phone and a text message will be sent to you with the name of the artist and the title of the track.

The next time you log in at the Rockstar Games Social Club, you will find 30-second previews of all the songs you have ZiT'ed while playing the game. You can add them to your basket there and click to purchase at Amazon MP3, or you can find them all at www.amazon.com/gtamusic.

Customer Reviews

Good game just like real like in today's world
I must agree with the critics the game is real good and does incorporate all the crimes in today's world:- Drugs, prostitution, human trafficking,(selling body parts and body organs) burglarly, murder, kidnapping, gambling you name it and the list goes on and on and on.

The story line was like a good italian mafia movie and the characters were strong and comical the ending had a nice twist love the "both" endings.For true gamers and game collectors this is a must have you wont waste your time!!

Still great, but GTA III had something more...
I love the Grand Theft Auto Series, I wasn't that happy with Vice City compared to GTA III. IV really brought something back, but it still isn't the same. It almost seems like it is hard to see around the 'world' the perspective is off just a little.

But I do have to say, this is one of my favorite PlayStation games of all time, along with Battlefront, The Force Unleashed, Little Big Planet, and Assassin's Creed.
Definitely get this game!

Incredible, but not quite San Andreas
Let me begin by stating that I absolutely loved this game from the first mission to the last. I felt that it absolutely revolutionized the sandbox/rpg genre. The graphics were superb, and the plot was virtually flawless.

Gameplay was crisp and fluid, leaving me so absorbed that I found it difficult to believe that I was playing a video game. The characters were remarkably unique, each with incredibly deep pasts and personalities.

However, as much as I enjoyed the game, I did encounter several significant flaws. The most notable of these flaws is the lack of originality in the missions. The first 30-40 missions were a blast, however they soon become very repetitive.

Almost every task seemed to involve driving to a certain location, pursuing and killing the target(s), and evading the police afterwards. Obviously, not every mission followed this pattern, but I can honestly say that many did.

Another significant flaw was a complete lack of customization options. GTA San Andreas featured an abundance of customization options, such as car modification, physique and appearance modification, and the ability to purchase homes.

Surprisingly, GTA IV, for the most part, lacked these fantastic options. The ability to change clothes remains, as well as other assorted features, however many customization options were scrapped.

Overall, I feel that GTA IV was a worthy addition to Rockstar's venerable franchise, and was revolutionary in its own right. However, it certainly was not perfect, as some seem to believe, and significant improvements can be made to the next installment.

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