This is it: the Grand Theft Auto die-hard fans have been waiting for. Rockstar has attempted to pacify us with other crappy Grand Theft Auto games while waiting for this edition, but those games simply pass the time. Prepare to be engaged, disgusted, amazed, and best of all…stimulated…
Welcome back to Liberty City. It’s different than we remember; the graphics are better, we have a new character, and the city is massive. Yet it is not so different; keep your head low or receive a knuckle sandwich, stay away from the cops, and relax with a hooker on your lap. Ah yes, Liberty City is just as dark and dirty as any other GTA environment, but still has so much more to offer.
You are Niko Bellic, yet another European lured by the “land of opportunity”. Fresh off the boat, you meet up with your cousin Roman, and together try to pursue the American Dream (whatever that is). What you find along the way is a lot darker than anything you had imagined. Being poor and possessing a criminal history is no way to make it in this New York clone, as unfortunate Niko is about to find out. But hell, the underdogs don’t stay under for long. As soon as Niko learns that being rich doesn’t lessen vulnerability, Liberty City had best watch out…
Grand Theft Auto IV has received some bad press lately regarding its “relaxed” M rating. So, before I reveal some of the fun you can have in GTA IV, let me preface it by saying, “Kids and delinquents, don’t try what you’re about to read at home”. Indeed, GTA IV is just as raunchy as its predecessors, with better graphics. The violence is more graphic, as is the language and nudity.
If you enjoy anime strippers (or just can’t afford a real one), GTA IV has the next best thing. If you enjoy seeing a man’s face crumple when he gets clocked in the cheekbone, this is like a seafood buffet for a woman with an overactive thyroid. If you like destroying people’s fancy cars with either a baseball bat or even yourself, there’s just another reason to drop your sixty dollars.
Not convinced yet? You must live in a cave. GTA IV’s gameplay is awesome. Although there are many, many missions, getting lost in the depths of Liberty City is just as fun, if not a welcome (or not) time waster.
Among the new additions to the game include a GPS system, so you can figure out where the hell you’re actually supposed to be going. You can use the internet to invite a hawt babe over for some heavy-petting-action. There are several radio stations, each with authentic tracks for your listening pleasure. You can go see a comedy act, get a lap dance, or simply sit at home and watch TV.
The graphics are great. The live action graphics are very close to being as good looking as the cut scenes, which are simply gorgeous. Although Liberty City is only supposed to mimic New York City in a few respects, it looks pretty damn familiar. Weapons, cars, and people all look amazing. The commercials and trailers don’t seem to give this game the credit it deserves.
Obviously the music is awesome; receiving the license to use all of those original songs on the radio is a huge achievement. Also, the orchestrated soundtrack sounds great. Final Fantasy people can hate on me all they want, but it seems as though this soundtrack rivals the best that RPGs have to offer.
GTA IV also offers online multiplayer. You can call up one of your friends using your in-game cell phone and invite them to join you in all of the merry-making. I haven’t experience GTA IV live yet, but I’m sure it is even more fun with a friend than by yourself…
Don’t pay attention to the media. I strongly believe that most gamers wouldn’t go out and blast people for fun just because they played GTA IV. Since everyone who plays this game is supposedly a mature adult, I’m sure all of us “normal” people will appreciate this game for the masterpiece that it is.
Even if you don’t ever intend to get a lap dance or blow up a car in your life, you can still be amazed when you see the groundbreaking graphics and innovating use of song licenses. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll break away from your angelic, normal self for a minute so you can punch that snobby bitch in the face, steal her car, and realize “Damn, that was relief”.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||