Grand Theft Auto IV is an
open world action-adventure video game developed by
Rockstar North and published by
Rockstar Games. It was released on 29 April 2008 for the
PlayStation 3 and
Xbox 360 consoles, and on 2 December 2008 on
Microsoft Windows. It is the eleventh title in the
Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since 2004's
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Set within the fictional
Liberty City (based on
New York City), the
single-player story follows a war veteran,
Niko Bellic
and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from loan
sharks and mob bosses. The open world design lets players freely roam
Liberty City, consisting of three main islands.
The game is played from a
third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. Throughout the single player mode, players play as Niko Bellic. An
online multiplayer
mode is included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in
both co-operative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the
single-player setting.
[d] Two
expansion packs were later released as
downloadable content 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.
Development began in 2004, soon after the release of
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
As part of their research for the open world, the developers conducted
field research around New York throughout development and captured
footage for the design team. Development duties were shared between many
of Rockstar's studios worldwide.
Following its announcement in May 2006,
Grand Theft Auto IV was widely anticipated.
[5]
Upon release, the game received universal critical acclaim, with praise
particularly directed at the game's narrative and open world design.
The game also
generated controversy, with criticism directed at the game's depiction of violence and ability to
drive under the influence of alcohol.
Grand Theft Auto IV
broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling
entertainment product in history at the time, earning US $310 million in
its first day and US $500 million in its first week. Considered one of
the most significant titles of the
seventh generation of video games, and by many critics as one of the
greatest video games of all time, it won year-end accolades, including
Game of the Year awards from several
gaming publications. Its successor,
Grand Theft Auto V, was released in September 2013.
source: www.wikip[edia.org