When it first came out, Grand Theft Auto IV's ultra-realistic portrayal of New York City was completely new territory for video games. Its unforgiving portrayal of city life and believable portrayals of everyday people signaled a new era of console gamers could be transported into a lifelike virtual world.
GTA IV is remembered by many for its attempt to innovate the open-world crime genre. Though it didn't achieve everything it set out to do, it at least reminds us that even the biggest and most popular games can challenge players in new and different ways. This is something that today's developers should keep in mind as they create new games.
GTA IV's technological advance sallow for a night-and-day difference in mechanics compared to its predecessors. The gritty gun battles and believable criminal hi jinx replace cartoonish violence present in GTA III and Vice City. A set piece in the game, a bank robbery sequence, steals the show with its flashy jets and helicopter chases. GTA IV addresses many issues fans had with San Andreas, such as lack of RPG systems, diverse map, and optional activities. Instead, series-defining characteristics were held back due to technical limitations. It's true that some issues limited the potential of GTA IV; however, the good aspects of the game vastly overshadow the negatives.
This is the story of Nike Bell, a criminal from Eastern Europe who comes to America chasing the dream of wealth and status. However, Nike finds that the path to the top is anything but easy. He spends most of his time bailing out his idiotic cousin, Roman, whose gambling addiction constantly gets him into trouble. Nike quickly realizes that nearly everything Roman told him about America was a lie, and that the American Dream is much harder to attain than he thought. Though Nike does eventually find work in the criminal underworld, he never quite earns enough to truly live the high life. This all changes when Nike kill's Vlad, a loan shark connected to the Russian mob. Vlad's friends kidnap Nike and Roman in retaliation, burning down Roman's taxi company. Nike finally tracks down Marko Brevet, the man who betrayed his military unit back in Eastern Europe. The player then chooses whether to kill or spare Marko. Nike's decisions throughout the game come to a head here, with serious repercussions no matter what choice is made. This entry in the franchise is an immigrant story focused on the dark reality of the American Dream. Nike Bell arrives full of hope, but quickly discovers that the journey to wealth and success is anything but easy. Player choice plays a key role in Nike's story, with drastic changes in the course of the plot based on the decisions made. In the end, it's a bitter tale regardless of the choices made.
No matter which door you choose, someone you love dies in a drive-by shooting--either your cousin Roman or your girlfriend, Kate. GTA IV ends with you getting revenge on the perpetrator and living a relative comfortable life. All the same, the final line from the "Revenges Tragedy" branch says it all: "So this is what the dream feels like. This is the victory we longed for."
You must be logged in to post a comment.