Upon release, the game received critical acclaim, with praise particularly directed at the narrative and open-world design. It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles in April 2008, and for Microsoft Windows in December. The budget climbed to over US$100 million, making it one of the most expensive video games to develop. The developers considered the world to be the most important element of the game though not the largest map in the series, they considered it comparable in scope due to its verticality and level of detail. As part of their research for the open world, the development team conducted extensive field research in New York, capturing over 100,000 photographs and several hours of video. Unlike previous entries, Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach to the story. The game introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for the series.

Two expansion packs were later released for the game, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the main Grand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists.ĭevelopment of Grand Theft Auto IV began soon after the release of San Andreas and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. An online multiplayer mode is also included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting. Throughout the single-player mode, players control Niko Bellic. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle. The open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, consisting of three main islands, and the neighbouring state of Alderney, based on New Jersey. Set within the fictional Liberty City, based on New York City, the single-player story follows Eastern European war veteran Niko Bellic and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from high-profile criminals. It is the sixth main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and the eleventh instalment overall. Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games.

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