Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360, 2008)

STORY - 9/10
This entry in the series is a bit different than the others. It's important to know that it takes place in an entirely different universe, and the characters from the previous games no longer exist. Grand Theft Auto IV puts you in the shoes of Niko Bellic. Niko is a European immigrant coming to America to live the American Dream with his cousin, Roman Bellic. Unfortunately for Niko, Roman was exaggerating just a tiny bit when he told Niko about his luxurious life in Liberty City full of expensive cars, women, and a mansion. Roman is barely getting by running a taxi business, and neglected to mention before that he is in serious debt. Now, Niko is here to do some less than pleasant jobs to try to make life just a little bit better for him and his cousin. The characters you'll meet in this game are usually very unique and entertaining. As you do more missions for them, you'll learn a little more about them and become friends with them (or enemies) over time. The story never fails to keep you wanting more.


GAMEPLAY - 9/10
The gameplay in Grand Theft Auto IV has been completely redone. Even the players that have put countless hours into Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas will be somewhat confused at the start.

GRAPHICS - 9/10
It's worth noting that the graphics in this game, under normal circumstances, wouldn't be anything special. However, taking into consideration the size of the city you're in and everything going on around you, it's hard to imagine how this was pulled off. The graphics may not be perfect, but they're definitely not sloppy either. The city is finely detailed all the way through, and it seems to come to life right before your eyes. Explosions are mesmerizing, to say the least. Oddly enough, the most realistic thing I've seen in the game is the water. The first time I saw it, I just stood there admiring it for a few minutes, because it really does look that great. You will not be disappointed in the graphics, for sure.


SOUND - 8/10
As far as the music goes, I can't fairly judge. Everyone has their own tastes, so it wouldn't be right for me to try telling you whether the music is good or not. What I can tell you is that there are enough radio stations to satisfy anyone. There's a station for just about everything. There are enough songs crammed in to keep you busy for quite a while if you had decided to just listen to the music while you played if nothing else. The voice acting is done very well, and the sound effects are just fine, too. It's about what you'd expect, really. Good enough to satisfy, but not quite perfection.


MULTIPLAYER - 7/10
Multiplayer is a mixed bag. The large variety of modes seems great at first, but any game can be screwed up by a few bad players. When I say bad players, I don't mean people that aren't good at the game. I mean people that don't work well with a team. A game can easily be ruined by a few teammates that are too busy running over everyone and wandering around aimlessly. Multiplayer is best enjoyed with your friends. The game can truly shine when everyone is playing as they are supposed to. Find friends to play with, and you'll have a hard time finding a better multiplayer experience. Join a random game, and you're in for a headache. The only other little problems I've noticed are just glitches. They don't seriously hinder anything, but at times can be annoying. Nobody likes a disappearing car.


REPLAYABILITY - 9/10