GTA IV

Each main instalment of this series has been received fondly by players worldwide and, in its time, was an exemplar among game developers. However, there's one GTA that's rarely spoken of these days, "Grand Theft Auto IV". Despite the fact that GTA 4 is seldom remembered, it would be wrong to think it was a failure. Like other GTA titles, it made a significant impact globally, having sold over 25 million copies by 2013 (the year of the fifth instalment's release), and the numbers have only grown since. When mentioning the various "Grand Theft Auto" versions, most people would recall "Vice City", "San Andreas", the third release, or the prevailing 'GTA V'. So, did the fourth instalment deserve its neglect, or is there a misunderstanding?

The plot of "Grand Theft Auto IV", like all other parts, unfolds in a vast and intricately designed city. This time, Liberty City, the game's prototype, was based on a real city, New York. Despite some obvious game constraints, the city was incredibly well recreated. The developers put in remarkable efforts to achieve high-level immersion and the tale told in this game, though not extraordinary, executed excellently in revealing the city, its whereabouts, and the citizens. The fact that the main office of "Rockstar Games" is located in New York could explain the attention to detail.

The gameplay in general epitomises the distinctive traits of all games in this series - a large open-world and almost complete freedom of action. Moreover, "GTA IV" sets itself apart by having the most sophisticated physics among its peers. Neither "GTA V" nor prior releases can offer players a game interaction level as GTA IV does. Everything from vehicle physics to ballistics in "GTA IV" is top-tier.

It's also worth noting that "GTA IV" was the first in the series to feature a full-fledged official multiplayer mode. Of course, both "San Andreas" and even "Vice City" had multiplayer servers, but these were merely modifications meant for a specific role-play. There was also a local cooperative. However, GTA 4 was the first in the series with a genuine online mode. Despite the online game designed for just 16 people, the gameplay was pretty broad and accommodated several modes. Perhaps this way of playing paved for future multiplayer modes, like in "Red Dead Redemption". Most likely "GTA IV's" multiplayer also laid the groundwork for the incredibly popular modern-day "Grand Theft Auto Online".

Considering all these points, it seems that "GTA IV" certainly didn't deserve to be forgotten. So, where can the issue be? The answer is relatively simple. "GTA IV" launched when many players, having invested hundreds of hours into the third instalment and its spin-offs, either outgrew the game or desensitised. Furthermore, the online modes offered in "GTA IV" were somewhat crude and due to the state of internet advancement during the time, failed to captivate most gamers. Ultimately, I believe that after players finished the fantastic single-player mode, they found it dull lingering in the game.