Grand Theft Auto IV lives up to the hype

Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV) is finally out. I can put down my TV remote, grab my controller, and step out of the cold harsh reality of real life and submerse myself into a digital reality. Okay, life isn’t that bad, but sometimes it’s fun to escape to an alternate world; one that you would never want to emulate in real life.

I got home and I cracked open my copy of GTA IV with a plan: stick to the main plot, and chisel away at the story line. This plan started out on course, but I was quickly distracted by everything else. Before I get to “everything else” let me fill you in on the beginning of the story.

The game starts with the main character (Nico) getting off the boat from Eastern Europe into Liberty City, (which is modelled on New York), and meeting up with his cousin. Nico’s cousin told him that he was living the good life in America and that Nico should share in the fruits of Uncle Sam’s loins.

Once Nico arrives in Liberty City, he realizes that this was a bit of an exaggeration. His cousin doesn’t live in the mansion he bragged about, but a small roach-infested apartment. He owes money to some loan sharks which nicely leads Nico down the path of felony and carjacking. This is a familiar beginning to a Grand Theft Auto story and Rockstar Games knows enough to leave what works alone.

GTA’s formula goes like this: Small-time crook wants to live a luxurious lifestyle, takes on some shady jobs, moves his way higher in the crime world, and finally lives the lifestyle he dreamt of at the beginning of the game. In this version of GTA, the main character doesn’t want to take over the world, but merely live the American dream. A car-stealing, pedestrian-beating, win by-any-means-necessary version of the American dream.

A new addition to the franchise is a cellphone your character is given. This is the main way Nico interacts with the game’s characters. The phone stores numbers as you encounter people and is your access to the online multiplayer portion of the game.

Now, on to the “everything else”. My first impression of the game when I started playing was, “un-freakin-beleivable!” GTA IV uses a bigger engine than previous GTA games and that shows right off the bat. There is no load time when entering/exiting buildings and the detail is amazing. From running over a mailbox and having papers go flying all over the place, to bumping into a pedestrian and knocking the coffee out of his hands.

The controls feel about the same as earlier GTA games, just tweaked a little. I really think the lighting is an excellent effect, from sun up to sun down. Not only is Nico the main character, but Liberty City is as well. It feels like a living breathing city.

The pedestrians are tougher and surlier than previous GTA games. So if you’re going to jack someone’s car be sure to take off quickly as most will chase and try to fight you. There are also a lot of great radio stations to listen to. My favorite so far is Liberty City Rock, which is DJed by Iggy Pop.

Rockstar has also added some great mini games within the city. You can go bowling, play pool, go on dates, go to strip clubs and watch TV.

One of the funniest activities you can do is get drunk and either hail a cab home and let the cabbie drive, or drive yourself home. If you decide to drive yourself, then be prepared to be chased by cops. This game is violent and there will probably be some “are video games too violent?” disputes. This game is not meant for children; it is for adults. If you let your child watch The Sopranos (hopefully you wouldn’t), then they won’t be surprised by the dialogue and violence.

Now for the online feature; here, you can customize your match by selecting which weapons will be available, how many cars and pedestrians you want around, and what area of town you want the match to take place. I first went to the avatar creation, which dictates who you will be every time you go online. The avatar doesn’t offer a lot of options but it is good enough. Once I had my character created I went into a “death match” which is like taking a wrong turn and walking into a territory battle between the Bloods and Crips, except everyone is trying to kill you. It was fun and I did get killed a lot. I predict the deathmatch option will be the most popular.

Next, I tried the online Mafioso option where you have objectives and you must work as a team to complete a mission. This option would be a lot of fun if you are playing with friends instead of strangers that might not want to do what they are supposed to.

The night was getting late and a friend invited me to a “Free Roam” session online. I joined him and he picked me up in a car. We used a headset to converse with each other (nerd alert) but it’s the only way to communicate online. The free roam my friend set up was just the two of us and the city. When playing the main story you can’t access the whole city as the bridges are closed because of terrorist threats.

This is just one example of the pointed political satire of contemporary United States that permeates the game. The talk-radio stations also supply many current administration jibes.

As you play through, the city will open up, though when you play online the whole city is immediately open so you can wreck havoc wherever you please.

My friend knew where the helicopters were, so we went there, hopped in Magnum P.I-style, and flew around the enormous and beautiful city. After touring from the air, we landed on a roof and looked at the view for a minute before we both jumped off and plunged to our deaths. That was my cue to hit the sack.

Overall, GTA IV is stunning. It’s what video games are supposed to be. There is so much to do and see and I have only hit the tip of the iceberg. Rockstar has pushed the video game industry’s boundaries and has allowed players to push even further inside the game itself.

Although there is a lot of violence in this game there is also a lot of humour in everything you do and a great soundtrack to go along with it. I recommend GTA IV to anyone who is18 or older. It is a sure candidate of game of the year.