Well it’s finally arrived. After months of anxious anticipation and excitement, Rockstar have finally made the jump to next generation with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. The question is though, will it live up to the legacy that the franchise has crafted since 1997 or will we just be left remembering the good times from San Andreas.

You play as Nico Bellic. A man with a ruthless past who hopes life in Liberty City will provide him with a new start. You arrange to meet up with your cousin Roman who has been sending letters to Niko explaining how he is living the ’American Dream’ and it is this which Niko wants a piece of. Upon arrival though, it turns out that Roman hasn’t been completely honest and in fact runs a small cab company and owes money all over the place. Without explaining further and creating any spoilers, the game ultimately plays out as a rags to riches storyline.

The storyline is gripping, perfectly told and is one of the most driving factors of the game. Over time you begin to physically sympathise with Niko. His emotions and personality are prominent throughout the game and it is this which creates such a brilliant experience. You soon begin to care about what happens to him as you are often given multiple choices on what path to take and who to kill.

Liberty City itself can only be described as a gaming wonder, and truly showcases that Rockstar may have created the best sandbox game ever. The city is incredible and really does feel like a city should. The streets are alive with motors, each one going about their unique daily business. For instance, there are of course your typical cars which are the most common but you will also see things like taxi’s hurrying to get passengers to their destination as soon as possible and police powering past as they try to catch the city’s criminals. Yes, in this city, it’s not just you who commits the crimes. Once or twice I’ve drove past houses as police park outside, running into the house and then returning with a hand cuffed criminal.

Something which the previous games struggled on were the controls. Fortunately these have been massively improved in this release. Its the usual Y to Hi-jack a car, A to run etc, but its the lock on system which has really changed. It feels much more smooth and you tend to lock onto the people who you actually need to. There’s also a free lock mode which is activated by half pressing LT. This can take a little getting used to and isn’t exactly the best place for your finger to be for a long period of time.

Each pedestrian also has a life of their own and with around 700+ character models, I’ve yet to remember seeing the same person twice. As you walk around you will often see people with shopping bags and cups of coffee, although careful not to bump into the coffee holders as they sometimes spill their drink and then they get a little pissed, often swearing at you as you walk past. They also react to weather, quickening there pace, pulling out umbrellas or using their suitcases as shelter, hurrying to their destination as the heavens open.

The graphics are stunning. The enormous amount of different textures, the attention to detail in even the smallest of things really does make you wonder how they fit it all onto only 6GB. I would not say the visuals are perfect though and is something which may take a little while for you to get used to. Up close everything is crisp and perfect although take a further look at things and the quality changes. It’s not blured as such, more like a filtered effect, distorting and washing away the detail in the distance. By distance here I mean the end of a road, not looking across over miles of land. As said, it’s something which you get used to but puts the game almost on the edge of cartoonish/realistic. Believe me though, take a trip to a high building during sunrise or sunset and prepare to be amazed. The light bounces off the buildings and streets, enhancing certain detail across the city. It really is something which has to be seen to be believed.

Unlike previous GTA games the whole idea of leveling your character and going to the gym etc has been removed. There’s also a lot less character customisation and apart from changing your clothes there’s not a lot else to it. Personally though, I couldn’t care less. I’m much happier spending my time running round doing missions than having to waste time down the gym, tapping buttons repeatedly until I’m nice and thin again.

You’ll spend 80% of your time doing missions, something of which rarely becomes boring. Their are a huge host of people to work for, each with their own personality and style. They will often call you on your mobile when they have work for you or inform you about things to do with the storyline.  Each mission is different. There’s not hundreds of simple "kill him" or "pick her up" tasks and even when there is, there are often unexpected twists in between to keep your interest.

With the huge amount of content and things to do in this game I’ve really barely touched the surface. There are hundreds of smaller things like the mock in game Internet which is utterly hilarious and the stand up comedies which you can watch on your home TV.

Overall Grand Theft Auto IV is without a doubt an incredible game. It really is something which has to be played to be believed and if you have yet to pick this game up, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. The city life especially and the game itself can only be described as a technical wonder and I urge all 3NF readers to purchase this fantastic game.