Grand Theft Auto IV Image
Metascore
98

Universal acclaim - based on 86 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3784 Ratings

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  • Summary: [Metacritic's 2008 Xbox 360 Game of the Year; Also known as "GTA IV"] What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Belic, fresh off the boat from Europe. It's the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City,[Metacritic's 2008 Xbox 360 Game of the Year; Also known as "GTA IV"] What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Belic, fresh off the boat from Europe. It's the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportunity. As they slip into debt and are dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves and sociopaths, they discover that the reality is very different from the dream in a city that worships money and status, and is heaven for those who have them an a living nightmare for those who don't. [Rockstar Games] Expand
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Grand Theft Auto IV Official Trailer 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 86
  3. Negative: 0 out of 86
  1. It's got a world you believe in, a cast you care about and a script stuffed with brilliant moments... Utterly stunning in every resepct. [May 2008, p.79]
  2. Grand Theft Auto IV is undoubtedly one of the strongest games of this generation. The amount of content is simply mind-blowing.
  3. 100
    I could go on for another couple thousand words about the amazing experience that is GTA IV, but what's most important for you to know is that this game is an absolute masterpiece.
  4. We all knew GTA 4 would be a great game and sell millions of copies, but I didn't expect it to shame pretty much every other game I've played this generation.
  5. With one of the most compelling stories ever told by a video game, an extremely likeable main character, an insane amount of online modes, and virtually no flaws to be detected, GTA IV is even more than it was expected to be by fans.
  6. The cut scenes are where the game really shines for me. There is this...this intensity in the character’s expression. Characters are actually emoting and expressing. They bring out emotions in us.
  7. netjak
    80
    The on-foot controls are an improvement but still have a long way to go before I would consider them even remotely good, and I can’t help but miss the huge world of San Andreas. That all being said, GTA IV offers up probably the most cohesive and mature story in the series to date.

See all 86 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. JonP.
    May 11, 2008
    10
    As close to perfect as a game can come.
  2. Mar 25, 2020
    10
    The GTA IV is the best game of the previous generation. For 2008 it still looks amazing, yes on Xbox 360 the game looks a lot worse than the 5The GTA IV is the best game of the previous generation. For 2008 it still looks amazing, yes on Xbox 360 the game looks a lot worse than the 5 part. But yet in 2008 there was only the beginning of that generation. The plot certainly stands out vividly relative to the previous parts due to the change of reference towards a realistic narrative. I still liked the description of the Russian diapora and Russian life. Of course, there are many disadvantages, such as no checks in missions. Overall it is the best GTA in the series, the 5 part became more pop and bright. Expand
  3. Dec 21, 2010
    10
    Wow. I really loved this game. It in every way blew me away. A captivating, epic, and deep storyline keeps you into it the entire way through.Wow. I really loved this game. It in every way blew me away. A captivating, epic, and deep storyline keeps you into it the entire way through. Me trying to find at least one thing to complain about. Nothing. This game really deserves GOTY. And I really have to say Niko Bellic is the only character in the GTA series that you can truly connect with. Understanding his difficult life and mis-adventures you can really feel his emotions. And for a free-roaming game they really knocked me out. The free roaming really is amazing. Its awesome how they can have such a nice, luminous city and still have amazing and almost flawless graphics. As for the multi-player, I didn't really play it that much but i love the fact that you can roam around Liberty City causing as much mayhem as you want. The ranked matches are good too, with death-match (etc...) it was pretty cool to see that in a GTA game. Surely I can truly say that you have not experienced free-roam/sandbox games until you have played GTA IV. Expand
  4. Feb 17, 2019
    9
    Gameplay/Mechanics: 8.5
    Sound/Music: 10
    Graphics/Art: 10
    Story/Atmosphere: 9.5
    OVERALL: 9.5/10
  5. May 17, 2012
    8
    What a great game, funny story, amazing graphics, interesting world to explore, lots of cool side quests like racing.

    The only negatives are
    What a great game, funny story, amazing graphics, interesting world to explore, lots of cool side quests like racing.

    The only negatives are the awkwardness of aiming, and somewhere near the end the storyline missions get harder and boring. But by that point I had already played for 50 or so hours, so clearly the rest of the game was fun.
    Expand
  6. TimBremner
    Nov 11, 2008
    7
    This is by no means a bad game, its not a great one though either. Aside from what has already been pointed out about the uselessness ofThis is by no means a bad game, its not a great one though either. Aside from what has already been pointed out about the uselessness of money, poor multiplayer and repetitive everything! This game was really killed (my vocabulary is very limited, I know) by the lack of enjoyment after finishing the campaign and also the developers choice to go down a more realistic path..... Bad move Rockstar. Expand
  7. JimM.
    Apr 29, 2008
    0
    It's an alright game but putting it over OoT is an outrage.

See all 1013 User Reviews

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