Remember the times before the PlayStation and the infamous Mortal Kombat that started the ESRB and all the video game haters such as Jack Thompson and Hillary Clinton to start going psycho and hating every gamer. Back when Mario and a little blue hedgehog reined king. Of course you do, but those times are long gone thanks to Rockstar.
In early July 1998 a little game came out for the PC and PS1 known as Grand Theft Auto. As the name states you steal cars and do whatever the hell you want as well. The game was at that time a top-down view of a virtual city where you do whatever you want. A sequel was released in October of 1999 appropriately named Grand Theft Auto 2. This game was also a top-down view of a city. Three more games were released on the PS2 over the years that introduced 3D to the series.
On April 29 the world was introduced to the sixth installment in the series; Grand Theft Auto IV. For those who've played this game you can agree with me when I say this...game...is...REMARKABLE! I got the game on day one of the release and I loved it instantly. The game is set in Liberty City, which is a mock of New York City. The game sets you in the role of Niko Bellic, a immigrant who came to Liberty City to start a new life with his cousin Roman and to find that “special someone”. Any more of the story that I say would be considered a spoiler so that's about it.
The graphics are wonderful. You feel like you are actually in the city driving around and exploring. The controls are great for this game. Not only can you shoot someone while your driving but you can do it while dodging traffic as well. The story is great and can be changed around a lot by changing your decisions in certain areas of the game. The voice acting is great and actually sounds like a conversation rather than a choppy he-says-she-says dialog. There is definitely a replay value due to the story decisions. The multiplayer is a first for the series and makes the game even better. You can get a ton of friends and race around or shoot each other. There is even a Free Mode that lets you do what ever you want. Overall this game is great.
10/10
