is the long awaited and critically acclaimed action-adventure game released last year on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows. It's the first major iteration of the series since
and in just over a year has sold 11 million copies. A lot was riding on this game and it seems that Rockstar delivered, but I will judge that for myself.
I've played almost all of the Grand Theft Auto games over the last few years, it's amazing how mainstream the series became after GTA III was released. Rockstar has since released the first two games for free for the PC and I reviewed the first hour of
(I also have a full review coming of the game in the next few days). Grand Theft Auto has swept the world by storm, so let's get into the latest monster, Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360.
(minutes are in bold)
00 - Seems like Grand Theft Auto IV is one of those games that knows I'm starting a new game for the first time as the opening cutscene begins. There's some screaming and we get a look at some interesting whipping action going on... Ah, Liberty City, the land of opportunity. Niko and someone else are discussing their futures in the city.
01 - Someone is mixing diamonds into a soup, weird. The title flashes by, wow, this cutscene sure is cruising by fast. A car is unloaded off the ship Niko was on and they step on Liberty City land for the first time.
02 - Niko looks a little unsure what to do until someone drives up and picks him up. Very typical GTA opening. It's his cousin who describes his night with two women, "the land of opportunity." Nice to know the humor has survived to the Xbox 360. His cousin is quite drunk and Niko takes the wheel.
04 - We're heading for the "mansion" and I get control.
05 - A terrorist threat means we can't explore the whole city, also pretty typical GTA. I pause the game to check out the map, man, this land is sprawling. Also looks pretty familiar after playing Chinatown Wars.
06 - Controls seem great, and the city is beautiful, even at night. There's a GPS in the corner and Niko and his cousin talk the whole way there, mostly about women.
07 - We arrive at his cousin's and head inside. The cutscene begins anew and we check out the pad. It's kind of a dump with cockroaches all over. Niko is quite disappointed with the situation.
09 - His cousin Roman did quite a bit of lying about his life to his family back in Russia.
10 - Niko talks about his past in the war, will there be a flashback? Nope, his cousin falls asleep instead. Not quite a happy family from Niko's point of view. Roman leaves.
11 - I get control again inside, I can save in the flat and sleep if I'd like.
12 - I leave Roman's dump and head out into the glorious streets of Liberty City. Pedestrians are angry, taxi drivers are even angrier, and my first mission is minutes away.
14 - There's a diner next door to Roman's that I head into, I can buy a burger in here but that's about it.
16 - What the? Two guys jump me in the bar and start beating down on me, I run out of there and they chase me down the street to Roman's office. I head in and another cutscene kicks off. Niko meets Mallorie, his assistant, and a creepy guy in a green smoking jacket. Roman owes him money.
18 - Niko and Roman leave and hop into his car. We're going to a hardware store, I get to drive.
19 - From the conversation in the car, Roman is going to a card game. Guess it was just a drop-off though, Roman gives me his old cell phone and takes off.
20 - I'm just sitting in the car watching out for loan sharks, Roman calls me and we talk for a moment, he's still playing.
21 - Hey, I'm parked in hte middle of the road and a car actually drove around me! Amazing! The loan sharks show up and I call Roman to warn him, can't I kill them?
23 - I pick up the fuzz after running over some peds but I'm able to drop Roman off at home without losing them. Once I got the cops on me the GPS zoomed out and a circular zone appeared. I think you're supposed to escape that.
25 - I head back inside by Roman. Hmm... the loan sharks are bugging him, Niko breaks one of their arms and kicks them out. Mallorie calls Roman and they argue a bit, I need to go pick her up.
27 - Not too far away, Mallorie and her friend Michelle get in, first I need to drop Michelle off. Mallorie tries to hook us up, Michelle actually seems interested.
29 - Both girls get out and I automatically call Roman, he asks him where to get some new clothes. I think Niko is interested too.
31 - It's some sort of Russian owned shop, I wonder if I have any money. Well, I bought the pants for "free," that doesn't really make any sense, but whatever.
32 - Man, Niko's default walking speed is slow... I give Michelle a call and ask her out on a date. She says yes, wow. I set a waypoint on the map to her place and take off.
34 - Holy crap I hit a tree at high speed and Niko flew out of the car! WOW.
36 - As I arrive to pick up Michelle, Roman's taxi stalls out, Niko yells at the car as he tries to start it. Funny stuff. Roman calls then to tell me he's cornered by those Albanian loan sharks, hey man, I'm on a date here.
37 - The game shows a variety of places you can take girls including a bowling alley and strip club. We get a up close view of some of the entertainment there.
38 - After the montage, Niko knocks on Michelle's door and is invited inside. Niko observes that everything there is new and Michelle replies that she's a neat freak.
39 - I guess we're going to a "fun fair," what exactly is that? Ah, the carnival.
41 - We arrive at the carnival but it's not even open so we decide to go bowling instead.
42 - Wii Bowling this is not, heh. You use the right stick to flick the ball down the lane. I bowl a nasty split my first time. Michelle's turn, she seems like a nice girl so far, lonely though. She picks up the spare.
45 - Well, she thoroughly whips me in the five frame game we play
30 - 66. Maybe next time...
47 - Michelle is just as mysterious as Niko, they won't admit to each what they "really do."
49 - I take her home and the game tells me that the date went well and now we can go on more dates. I guess I should probably save Roman first though.
51 - Interesting... Roman got beat up because I went on the date, maybe you weren't really suppose to protect him? Well, now I have to pick him up at the hospital.
53 - Niko tries to convice Roman that he did not do anything with Michelle, but Roman is oddly proud that his cousin would choose a woman over himself in a time of need. Weird family.
54 - I think I'll spend my last few minutes in Liberty City exploring and causing some havoc.
55 - Ugh, never mind. Roman called and he's in trouble again, Niko promised he wouldn't let him get hurt again, so here I go to save him.
58 - Roman is getting beat up by two thugs and while I have almost no health from getting beat up in the diner, I manage to take them both down with some timely punches. Another Albanian appears and we chase after him in Roman's car.
60 - I chase him across town, up a stairwell, and into an abandoned building, only to get knifed once and killed. Oh well, that's the end of the first hour of Grand Theft Auto IV.
