GTA 4 came out way back in 2008, and it immediately impressed everyone through both its gameplay and graphics. The game was the bee’s knees at its time, even though most GTA fans are more impressed by what GTA 5 has to offer and are more busy waiting for news about the long-awaited GTA 6.
GTA 4 features Niko Bellic in the role of the game’s protagonist, as he’s a war veteran who ran away from the Yugoslavian War in Europe and traversed the ocean with high hopes for a better life. Once Niko arrives in Liberty City (fictional New York) and is eager to start making money with his cousin Roman, the protagonist discovers that life as a free man can be just as difficult as on the battlefield. While Niko is also not all peaches and cream, he can get into trouble very easily.
Each and every GTA fan can agree that the story of GTA 4 is extremely dark and full of dark humor. While violence and killing are usual elements of the Grand Theft Auto series, Rockstar took it to a whole new level in GTA 4. This game easily remains the darkest GTA game ever made and for good reasons. But apart from the ‘dark’ aspect, there’s more to the GTA story. Let’s get into detail a bit:
Emotional impact:
The story of Niko Belllic and the ways he interacts with other characters, such as his cousin Roman and a potential girlfriend, added emotional depth to the game. Furthermore, the choices players made during the storyline had consequences, affecting the game’s multiple possible endings. That was extremely interesting to see back in 2008 when the game came out, as it was a premiere for many gamers to see such an approach.
Narrative depth:
Compared to predecessor games, GTA 4 has brought a more nuanced and character-driven narrative. While, as we said, Niko Bellic, the protagonist, was a complex character who had a troubled past, we also shouldn’t forget that the story delved into themes such as family, immigration, and the pursuit of the so-called American Dream.
Earlier GTA games featured more caricatured characters, and GTA 4 has the merit of departing from them and setting a new standard for storytelling in the insanely popular Grand Theft Auto series.
Realism and serious topics
We also need to admit that GTA 4 shifted towards a more realistic portrayal of the game world and gaming characters. The storyline features serious topics such as betrayal, organized crime, as well as the consequences of violence. Such a departure from the satirical and over-the-top tone that dominated previous games proved the capacity of the series for more mature storytelling.
The introduction of expansions
Besides the main storyline, GTA 4 also introduced story expansions (more commonly known as DLCs nowadays) in the form of “The Ballad of Gay Tony” and “The Lost and Damned.” Such expansions provided players with different perspectives on the events that took place in GTA 4 and further deepened the narrative even more. Such an approach influenced the design of future Rockstar games, such as “Red Dead Redemption 2,” which had multiple interconnected narratives.
GTA 4 is the last game of the Grand Theft Auto series that had a single protagonist. GTA 5 has three: Trevor, Franklin, and Michael. As for the upcoming GTA 6, it will also have three protagonist characters, and one of them is a woman.
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