Grand Theft Auto IV Review Round-Up (PS3/Xbox 360)

After a crushing delay last fall, Grand Theft Auto IV is finally here. Can Rockstar's gangster opus live up to the expectations of gamers everywhere? The only way to find out is to check out this selection of five reviews and the overall verdict of what the reviewers are saying.

Boomtown: "I'm not taking too much of a risk when I say that Grand Theft Auto is the best game you'll play in 2008. GTA is a joyous celebration of excess, success, madness and Newtonian physics that will leave you wanting to tell your friends stories about what happened to you today in Liberty City in excited tones." (9/10)

GameSpot: "Stepping off a boat in the shoes of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic as he arrives in Liberty City at the start of Grand Theft Auto IV, you can tell immediately that Rockstar North's latest offering is something quite special. Yes, this is another GTA game in which you'll likely spend the bulk of your time stealing cars and gunning down cops and criminals, but it's also much more than that. GTAIV is a game with a compelling and nonlinear storyline, a game with a great protagonist who you can't help but like, and a game that boasts a plethora of online multiplayer features in addition to its lengthy story mode. It's not without some flaws, but GTAIV is undoubtedly the best Grand Theft Auto yet." (10/10)

Gamespy: "To be totally honest, it would be very easy to write another 2000-odd words on this game, as we haven't even delved into the hours of television you can watch, the amazingly detailed virtual Internet, the strip clubs that you can visit, the ultra-realistic vehicle physics, and so on. Suffice it to say that Grand Theft Auto IV is a game that could keep anyone busy for a long, long time. Although its got plenty of excellent features, it's ultimately the storytelling that makes it an instant classic, a game unlike any we've played before. As is the case with many great books and movies, you'll want to know what happens to the characters after the game ends, and one can't help hoping that all of their American Dreams comes true." (5/5)

IGN: "Grand Theft Auto III was a revolutionary title, one that inspired a whole new generation of 3D action games. Grand Theft Auto IV is just as big a leap forward, though perhaps in subtler ways, and sets a new benchmark for open-world games. Everything in GTA IV works in harmony. The story would be nothing without the city; the city gains realism from the physics engine; the physics compliment the improved AI; the AI would make no sense without the new cover system. And on and on. There is no one major weak aspect." (10/10)

X-Play: "You’re reading a Grand Theft Auto IV review? Really? This is arguably the most review-proof game released in the last four years. Don’t worry about it, it’s great. It’s beautiful, it’s next-gen, it’s incredible. Five stars, get out there and buy it." (5/5)

The Verdict
Buy It: All of the reviews seem to be quite clear: Grand Theft Auto IV is not just the greatest GTA game ever, but it is one of the greatest games ever, period. If you are a fan of the GTA series, you owe it to yourself to play this game. And if you're a fan of games in general, the game is currently ranked as the best reviewed game of all time on Game Rankings, so it's probably worth a look by everybody.

Provided you're over 17 of course.
What "Buy It" (and the rest of our ratings) Means

The Vitals
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Genre: Open World Sandbox Action
ESRB Rating: Mature