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2008's GRAND THEFT AUTO IV marked a momentous shift for Rockstar Games. But with the added realism, sim game elements, and grittier, more 'HBO Drama' style, did GTA as a series lose the very things that made it so vital on the PS2?

In this video essay, Jorin argues GTA 4, for all its technical achievements, was actually a disappointment. Along the way we cover everything from game design to writing, taking an in-depth look at how GTA4 turned out, what went right, what went wrong, and ultimately why the tragic saga of Niko Bellic fell short.

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"The Grand Theft Auto series has always been about allowing players to do whatever they please inside of an open world, along with the option to go through the game's missions to move the story forward and allow the player to exercise the many different facets and weapons of the game, such as robbing banks, assassinating NPCs, blowing up cars, escorting criminals and dealing drugs. Grand Theft Auto IV offers all of that and more in a revamped style, that looks more lifelike than previous titles.

As mentioned earlier, GTA IV has all that the previous games had in regards to gameplay, but GTA IV’s greatest appeal is in the depth and emotional impact left by the story. The game follows Niko Bellic's arrival to the United States, following the (laughably false) claims of wealth and luxury promised in letters from his cousin, Roman. As he begins to deal with the culture shock of living in a very capitalist Liberty City, Niko also attempts to make good on his secret vendetta—to find a “ special someone” who betrayed him (and others) during the war. As he continues his hunt, Niko encounters, works with, and occasionally befriends a wide variety of unsavory characters from all walks of life, offering his services to them as a gun for hire.

The game was built on RAGE, an engine that Rockstar developed, first used in Rockstar's Table Tennis, circa 2006. There was a special edition of GTA IV, containing a duffel bag, soundtrack sampler, art book, and a copy of the game, all packaged in a locked metal case made to look like a safety-deposit box. There were many conflicts in the game that surfaced and many unanswered questions, such as what will Niko encounter later in life?"

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