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Grand Theft Auto IV, my fellow game players, is BIG. Really BIG. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind bogglingly BIG it is. And so on… I’d also say that if you held your breath for about 30 seconds while in the comfortable space of Liberty City, you might also have just enough time to survive and appreciate how much Rockstar Games has crammed into every inch of this experience just for your gaming pleasure. While I’m out of relevant Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy references, I’d like to point out how much these these two properties have in common in terms of the thought and humor deeply rooted in both. After the seemingly short span of ten years time, GTA has properly grown into a safely confident, sarcastic, broad social commentary, and demonstrates a level of maturity that exists for anyone who will appreciate the level of depth provided.

I believe that like any good property, Grand Theft Auto is able to succeed because of how many levels it works on. The gamer that wants to drop a few cheat codes and act like a homicidal deity: here’s your game. The gamer that loves to drive around and listen to the radio while enjoying the sights: here is your game. The player who loves to appreciate the character driven narrative and experience in amazement all that the missions up for offer: here’s your game. GTA caters to a large crowd without ever having to narrow the focus of the experience by staying 'on brand'. Rockstar have had to build up their brand — and people came. It’s a sign of good craftsmanship by any standards. So many games try for this or that demographic, while GTA just pulls so many in on grounds of merit alone.

The game’s foundation isn’t unlike the other GTAs, with the main character being brought in to a new environment in the hope of a more successful life. This time around you’ll get the chance to hang with Niko Bellic, an immigrant from the “Old country” beckoned by his cousin Roman to the American life to try and get away from his worries. The appropriate steps of guidance are taken as you and Niko become familiar with the new life, as your inevitable quest for domination of Liberty City unfolds.

An easily identifiable strength of the story this time around with GTA IV is the proper respect to cinematics that has been given. The way Niko walks, the way he talks, acts even, all seems carefully weighted to flesh out the way Niko is portrayed, and how much thought has gone into the game. Rarely do I see the level of character cultivation that Niko Bellic has been given, to truly drive home the fact he is a real person, with real experience. This fact is so prevalent that more often then not, what Niko isn’t saying is far more expressive than the lines of dialogue themselves — true communication in the form of accurate body language.

Though the story seems familiar, the dynamics I’ve mentioned seem to give the overarching narrative that special kick of realism, considering how character driven the game is. Most videogames I play, I notice good interactions with characters, but rarely the sense of gravity found in any one cinematic in GTA IV. Niko reacts in a true-to-life fashion when speaking to other characters. His conversation partners' back-stories may not be explained, but rather felt by their presence. The smooth flow and depth of the game makes many of the other GTAs — even the fully realized 3D ones, like GTA 3 and Vice City Stories — have an arcade-like feel. This is another distinguished quality: IV truly thrives in a place where many other games don’t dare to go.

The missions stay true to the lifeblood of the GTA style: starting out with baby steps, then later placing Niko in the middle of all-out gang wars. I was amazed that even after a dozen hours, I still experienced surprise when finding more new things to discover — and the game promised more! The missions are varied and purposeful, even if that purpose has humorous overtones. The game is built using a handful of mission styles, but the different instances of each style of mission are sufficiently distinct from one another. You never feel like you're running through the same kind of escort mission twice, or repeating a particular "kill enemy X to get item Y" task. With factors like realistic voice acting and strong graphical presentation (something GTA has not always been known for), you’ll always find yourself rushing to another contact, making sure the momentum never dies down.

While the staple GTA missions like vigilante, street racing, and taxi driving will always present themselves, the way in which the game presents new options is be subtle — yet dripping with humor. Having the ability to go out with friends, log on to the internet, or just hang out and listen to the radio drives home how much work has been put into simply entertaining the player, whatever they chose to do. I for one have always appreciated the level of commentary that can be packed into any little bit of dialogue, and it won’t take you long to realize that the guys at Rockstar have hilarious takes on everything, from T.V. shows to politics. Building a game as diverse enough to give the player a good time shooting pedestrians or marvelling at the layers portrayed in a non-player character's reaction to your actions will never be short of genius. And yes, Rockstar have pulled this off.

The soundtrack this time around seems to share the same strengths and weakness as previous iterations of the series. The tracks are accurate enough to portray what real radio would provide, and give a rather diverse listening experience for the player. Those who would be in love with an easier to distinguish theme (Vice City's 80’s, or San Andreas's early 90’s Hip-Hop) might be a little more disappointed in the lack of a recognisable motif. The talk radio is as sharp as ever though, and with the Lazlow show Integrity up on the Liberty City airwaves, I more than once found myself listening to the radio when I should have been paying attention to the road.

The main source of contention for the entire Grand Theft Auto franchise has the aiming system for a long, long while, and I’m glad to see that Rockstar have addressed this issue for IV. With both auto- and precision aiming available immediately via the shoulder buttons, you have complete control when gunning down your rivals. I’m always pleased when a developer goes out of their way to not only revamp, but to introduce a level of player comfort to a system that had been long since broken.

While Niko’s phone offers a great mini-hub of things to do, the map and city design should be given special props for creating such a thriving locale. Very rarely can I look at a layout for a video game environment and STILL be lost — it's a testament to the careful nature by which Liberty City was prepared. A GPS system is in place, so while you may lose yourself in terrific sandbox game play, or in relaxation while driving around, you’ll never be late for a mission. The GPS will highlight the best possible route on the mini-map, and provides a great toss up between free roam and careful navigation.

The cars in which to travel the grounds of Liberty City are many and great, and each seems to have their own unique set of qualities. Driving feels powerful, with special attention given to handling and use of the handbrake. The bikes seem very tuned, and the direction in which you focus your weight seems to have direct influence on whether or not Niko is going to fall off and flat on his face. The physics system does a good job of making this is as funny as can be, and the awesome realism of the items and high speed interactions will never leave you bummed out simply because the police car just crushed you into the cement.

While some mini-doses of GTA multiplayer have been found in the Playstation Portable installments of the series, GTA IV goes a goes a step further and provides a rather explosive multiplayer experience, complete with several different variations and easy ways to get in on the action. From Niko’s phone almost straight to the open exploration you love, the multiplayer will provide anyone who could somehow muscle through all of the single player content a different way to play. With a little bit of character customization and the ability to easily play with your friends, you’ll find some seriously funny and rugged ways to enjoy Liberty City together. While a tad imperfect in execution, the multiplayer experience on the disc rounds off the single player experience nicely — and there's always updates and downloadable content to look forward to.

This game feels alive, period. The amount of playing time you will be able to draw from this game is unheard of, and the number of different ways you can walk away satisfied is unprecedented. The minor complaints of habitual friend maintenance (you will meet and have to entertain a lot of people later on in the game), the strange exclusion of statistic management from San Andreas, and the few missed opportunities in multiplayer seem, in the grand scheme of things, very miniscule and nit-picky. Grand Theft Auto IV has proven that you can’t change the rules, and anyone who is able to enjoy this game should immediately. There is no greater quality of a game then realizing that it feels just as organic as everyday life... just with with a few more dozen body bags to deal with.