'Grand Theft Auto IV' is alive, addictive
If there was a Russian "Scarface," his name would be Niko Bellic. And Liberty City would be Niko's playground — and what a massive playground it is.
Niko is straight off the boat from Eastern Europe, and he has one goal — to live the American Dream and make it big in Liberty City. Niko thinks it will be easy because he believes his cousin, Roman, is a hot-shot rich guy who has already made it — but he soon finds Roman is no better off than him.
Niko is the best character "GTA" has yet to offer. He is more like Michael from the "Godfather" than "Scarface" — a smart guy who realizes that he can have it all, but at a cost. There are times when Niko struggles with being little more than a killing machine which adds to the depth of his character.
But before you get caught up in the emotion of the game, there is still the part where you steal cars, run from the police and murder people. Sometimes, Niko must make moral choices — often to kill or not to kill. And those moral choices have ramifications.
This is what makes "GTA IV" feel so alive. It seems that even if you weren't there something would still happen as other characters go through their simulated life. One moment you might be getting your car washed and watch a cop chase a criminal down the street. These people go on with their lives without worrying about you — unless you steal their car or run them down as you crash through an intersection.
Liberty City may not be the largest city, compared to some other games, but it's amazingly functional. You may end up on a roof chasing someone or just buying clothes, playing pool or bowling.
A great feature in this version of "GTA" is the mobile phone. Niko can call, receive voicemail or be texted. There is even a phonebook entry for calling a car from Roman's place. Everyone you meet ends up in your quick-dial phonebook. And Niko doesn't have to be standing still to make a call. He can be driving 100 mph through the city and asking someone out on a date. You will also use your phone to call some of the characters who fall into your lap, such as the Jamaican drug/gun dealer Little Jacob.
It's not necessary to befriend everyone, but even an enemy can come in handy when they are in need of your services. Sometimes it seems like a brilliant way to create minigames. You might take one of the characters out you can actually bowl and play pool. But it's about bonding even when it doesn't seem completely necessary. It's hard to know what helps and what may not. You can even go drinking—and when drunk you have a hard time driving your car and may find it really tough to run from the police. Drinking is also an interesting way to get some of the characters to tell the truth.
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