Liberty City is one of the most iconic settings in Grand Theft Auto, as it is the sandbox in which Grand Theft Auto 3 catapulted the franchise into global popularity. Rockstar Games returned to the scummy city in Grand Theft Auto 4, a title that garnered a mixed reaction from fans at launch. Though its themes and gameplay may not have resonated with the entire fan base then, Grand Theft Auto 4 would go on to become a landmark title, thanks in part to its use of the RAGE engine.
As one of the first titles to use RAGE, the now 15-year-old GTA 4 showcased just what can be done with the powerful engine. Ragdoll physics made causing mayhem even more fun while adding much-needed realism to the gameplay. It isn’t the last gamers have seen of RAGE, though GTA 4 will always be the title that first revealed its potential.
The Creation of RAGE
Grand Theft Auto 3 was developed using Renderware, which is an engine first released in 1993. It was developed by Criterion Software, and it was used to develop games for PC as well as consoles such as the PlayStation, Dreamcast, and GameCube. The engine was powerful and easy to use, which made it ideal for GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas as well. Rockstar wasn’t satisfied with using a third-party engine, and the anxiety got worse when Electronic Arts purchased Criterion Games. Efforts to create an in-house game engine began through the newly formed RAGE Technology Group division of Rockstar San Diego. The work culminated in the creation of RAGE - Rockstar Advanced Game Engine.
The first game to use RAGE was Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. The game came out of the blue, as it was nothing like prior titles from the studio. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe it as a tech demo, and it did help developers get familiar with the new engine. Nevertheless, Table Tennis was well-received by critics and gamers alike thanks to its realistic physics and accessibility. Rockstar certainly wasn’t going to stop with a table tennis game. The next RAGE project would be much bigger.
Grand Theft Auto 4 and RAGE
In March 2007, the trailer for Grand Theft Auto 4 debuted. The rush of gamers crashed Rockstar’s website as everyone raced to get a glimpse of the next stage of the legendary franchise. As gamers learned, Grand Theft Auto 4 stars Niko Bellic, an Eastern European travels to the USA in search of the American Dream. Thanks to his cousin, Roman, he has exceptionally idyllic views of America, though he is smacked hard by reality not long after walking the streets.
RAGE brought forward the HD era of GTA, and Liberty City is rendered more realistically than ever. Beautiful would be the wrong word to describe the sickly city, but it is captivating to explore. Tall skyscrapers cast shadows over drunk loiterers, dealers on phones, and yellow taxis stuck in traffic. The ragdoll physics also makes gameplay feel much more realistic. If Niko falls from a great height, players momentarily lose control of him as he tumbles about like a sack of sand. The same happens to NPCs when they are punched or knocked by a vehicle.
Though GTA 4 is a landmark entry in the series, it did receive considerably less positive reception than its predecessors. For some critics, the main problem was that the game was a little too realistic, including the driving and depressing storyline, and it took away from the fun that gamers had come to expect from the franchise. In many ways, it feels like GTA 5 was a response to the criticisms thrown at GTA 4, as the game is far more vibrant and it is willing to sacrifice realism for the sake of fun.
This should not give the impression that the game was a failure for Rockstar. Upon release, it broke records and became the fastest-selling game of all time in the United Kingdom, and it held the record for the highest-grossing video game in 24 hours. Many of the records were broken only when GTA 5 rolled around. As usual, GTA 4's success was surrounded by heaps of controversy. This time around, the game drew rage for featuring the ability to drive drunk, while New York City officials took offense to the depictions of police being murdered.
The Legacy of RAGE and GTA 4
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Gamers certainly haven’t seen the last of RAGE. After GTA 4, the engine was used in various other Rockstar games including Midnight Club: Los Angeles, as well as Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 where the ragdoll physics are on show yet again. Grand Theft Auto 6 has been confirmed to be in development. According to reports, developers will be using a vastly improved version of the engine.
Over the years, GTA 4 has come to be better appreciated. This is in part thanks to GTA 4's DLC which added heaps of new content. The Ballad of Gay Tony stars Luis Lopez who does missions for Tony the nightclub owner, while The Lost and Damned focuses on Johnny as he tries to stop his biker gang from falling apart. The future of this title, however, remains uncertain. It has been referenced in subsequent games, such as in GTA 5 where Johnny makes an appearance. However, the game hasn’t been lucky enough to receive a remaster like the GTA Trilogy and GTA 5 have.
Though it hasn’t been confirmed by Rockstar, leaks suggest that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be set in Vice City. For gamers who want to experience Liberty City, GTA 4 remains the most recent version of it. Unfortunately, it can be hard to acquire for some, as it hasn’t received a PS4 port. Nevertheless, fifteen years later, GTA 4 remains an enthralling title and a technical masterpiece.
Grand Theft Auto 4 is available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.