10. Graphics
Im going to get this one out of the way early; its probably the most obvious pick of the bunch. GTA IV was the series first foray onto the current gen platforms, and until GTA V drops (whenever that is) it stands alone. So it stands to reason that GTA IV clearly boasts the finest graphics in the entire series to date. Upon starting GTA IV all those years ago, I remember being immediately stunned into awed silence at just how bloody pretty it looked, how realistic compared to the others, while still fully maintaining that familiar GTA feel. In terms of graphics, every other GTA game wears kid gloves by comparison. Now Im not arguing that its the best game because it has the best graphics. That would be shallow and naïve. However, for me, its certainly one of the initial deciding factors.