This depends on how you define redemption, but even if you wanted to play a morally good character, you couldn't. The point may seem null when you consider that this is Grand Theft Auto and must ask yourself who is really playing it to be good? Crime is where the actions at! But consider how many of you, and your friends, and people you play with online have driven around Los Santos or Liberty City following traffic laws? Stopping at traffic lights, waiting in turn queues, changing lanes properly? How many of you have engaged the services of a prostitute, then let her walk away and keep the money? Or - rather creepily - followed her back to her corner to make sure she gets there ok? This is a point that links with Niko's lack of any real option in the beginning of Grand Theft Auto IV, but the games are set up to be a completely free and sandbox experience but only so long as you play with your toys the way Rockstar has set them up to be played with. It may seem slightly ungrateful, or perhaps we're just asking for a different game where you overcome a life of petty crime to not have to indulge in misdemeanors anymore, but the Grand Theft Auto series is one that offers you unlimited freedom with one hand whilst drawing you a non deviating path with the other. To be fair, Grand Theft Auto is not alone in this, all games suffer from the appearance of choice being undercut by the nature of the medium, but Rockstar's prowess makes us suspect that if anyone were to ever crack the true experience it would be them. After all, as proved in the Matrix, only the appearance of choice is necessary - so long as we cannot see through the charade.
