Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto franchise grows stronger each year. Today, the most common topics of conversation tend to revolve around the continued success of GTA 5, the popularity of GTA Online, or rumors about an upcoming GTA 6. GTA 5 has, at times, been the best-selling game of all time. First launching on eighth generation consoles, GTA 5 has enjoyed continual prominence in the mainstream, and is usually the title many refer to when GTA is mentioned.
Older players may have bouts of nostalgia about Vice City, or San Andreas, yet only GTA 4 actually has a higher Metacritic score than GTA 5. This isn't entirely driven by nostalgia; there are several substantive reasons for GTA 4 to be considered marginally higher ranked than its successor. It was a commercially underrated title that passed under the radar between San Andreas and GTA 5, so perhaps the time has come to talk about remastering GTA 4.
GTA 4's Niko Bellic Is a Relatable Protagonist
Niko Bellic is unique among his counterparts. GTA protagonists generally stem from a life of crime, and some even relish in their illicit activities. By contrast, Niko Bellic is a veteran of the Yugoslav Wars who was forced into a life of crime because there were no other jobs for ex-soldiers. Once in America, he expected to make an honest living, but was again compelled to earn money through crime in order to pay off his cousin Roman's debts. It becomes clear throughout the game that Bellic doesn't use force to get his way because he enjoys it, but only because he happens to be good at it. He would much rather go bowling with Roman.
However, Niko's struggles aren't only limited to his personal quest for vengeance or his cousin's financial woes. The life of Niko Bellic is a compelling immigrant's story. Achieving the "American Dream" is a common theme in the GTA franchise, and makes Niko Bellic's story in GTA 4 all the more inspiring. As Niko tries to adjust to living in the United States, he learns that money runs everything, so he tries to acquire as much as possible, almost to a comical extent. He meets a diverse cast of characters, from the Jamaican Little Jacob to the Italian Jimmy Pegorino. Watching Niko Bellic's own accent and vocabulary evolve as the story progresses makes him one of the most relatable video game protagonists.
GTA 4's Story is Full of Difficult Choices
Story choice in GTA 4 ties into Niko Bellic's own moral compass, as he would rather spare someone than kill them whenever possible like Trevor, for example. Players could go the Trevor route and kill their enemy at every given opportunity, and the fact that the choice is there makes GTA 4 an immersive game where one feels the weight of their decisions.
Unlike in GTA 5, the player is sometimes forced to make a difficult decision where neither option is enticing. This is prevalent in "The Holland Play" mission where Niko has to either kill Playboy X or Dwayne Forge. There is no third option to make peace like in the final GTA 5 mission, where Franklin can reconcile with both Trevor and Michael. GTA 4's own ending sees Niko's girlfriend or cousin die, and there is no option to save both of them.
The GTA 4 World Feels More Human
In almost every regard, GTA 5 feels more arcade-y than its predecessor. This can be felt with guns in GTA 4, as bullets don't always hit the target exactly where the player aimed. Guns in GTA 5 are overpowered as in Call of Duty, and one shot from any rifle will send enemies tumbling like a rag doll. Moreover, Liberty City pioneered lively environments before Los Santos did the same in GTA 5. Pedestrians and police also interact with Niko in a more human way, although the constant phone calls from friends in GTA 4 tend to quickly become annoying.
Beyond reducing phone calls, there are other improvements a remaster could bring. The car physics in GTA 4 were more realistic than GTA 5, but that brought its own set of issues. More realistic driving mechanics made cars, especially high-speed sports cars, more difficult to drive, as they would slip all over the place. A potential remaster should also update GTA 4 graphics to modern standards. At the end of the day, GTA 4 established a lot of the foundations for the next game, and remastering it would help GTA 4 earn its rightful place as one of Rockstar's highest achievements alongside San Andreas and GTA 5.
Grand Theft Auto 4 is available now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.