Grand Theft Auto IV… Probably the last GTA of an era when you bought a game, put the DVD in your console, and played. Probably the last GTA without a never-ending online mode designed to milk money from players. And definitely the last GTA where, without the internet detailing every square inch of the map, rumours and secrets spread between friends added to the excitement of exploring a new Rockstar creation.
GTA IV was grittier than any other entry in the series – much more grounded. The map was denser, too – when you stepped into Liberty City, you really felt like you were walking around New York, discovering little bits and pieces on each corner. These were back in the days when you could simply wander the streets listening to pedestrians’ conversations, too. They wouldn’t inexplicably turn hostile like the bystanders in GTA V.
The police in GTA IV also had one up on their successors in that ther AI just… made sense. Cops patrolled the map – they didn’t just spawn as soon as the player committed a crime – and they would make an effort to try to arrest Nico, rather than almost immediately making crazy attempts to shoot him down or ram him off the road. Like the setting, it made GTA IV feel more realistic and immersive and less… gamey.
With six years having passed since the release of GTA V, Rockstar must be deep into the development of a sequel, and it can’t be long until the public gets a peek. I don’t know how likely it is given the success of the latest game (and its online mode), but I really hope that GTA VI’s atmopshere is more like that of our last trip to Liberty City – less jetpacks and fighter jets, more grimy streets and a smaller, more carefully crafted map.
Stack Stubs 