Grand Theft Auto IV was a brave new direction for the series, with a far grittier narrative and setting than its predecessors. Putting players in the shoes of Eastern European immigrant Niko Bellic, Grand Theft Auto IV might not have contained as much wacky fun as San Andreas, but it was an epic tale of crime, loyalty, and betrayal. A hugely ambitious undertaking, Grand Theft Auto IV's world was almost unprecedented in its depth, realism and density. The gunplay was also a lot less fiddly than previous entries, although fans were split regarding the choice to reign down the arcadey feel of the driving that had been seen in previous entries. The dark horse of the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA IV was a brilliant work of cultural satire, filled to the brim with memorable characters and scenes. While some resented the game for not featuring the same silliness that had traditionally marked the series, Grand Theft Auto IV was a landmark title, and a stand-out of the open-world genre.
