The Grand Theft Auto series has lately become more about controversy than gameplay - especially in the eyes of those less familiar with video games. In 2005, "Hot Coffee" opened up a can of worms that made the game itself appear secondary; in the eyes of Congress and many uninformed parents, GTA became purely a hardcore sex and murder simulator. As for the games themselves, they've always been over-the-top and, although fun, they often devolved into free mode diversions where the story could be completely avoided. The good news is, GTA IV takes these preconceived notions about the series and throws them out the window. With a new focus on more realistic gameplay, the most compelling story ever featured in the franchise, and a great multiplayer experience, Grand Theft Auto IV is not only the best GTA game to date, but quite possibly the best free-roaming action title ever released.

Unlike previous installments, the game's story creates a strong emotional connection between the player and the characters in the game. The game's protagonist, Niko Bellic, is not a happy-go-lucky comedian looking for an easy laugh. A recent immigrant just off the boat from Eastern Europe, Niko has seen war, death and pain, but he is a man that believes in the American dream. When the game begins, Niko meets his cousin Roman, who has told him about the mansions, cars and women he'll get in America. However, it's not long before Niko quickly realizes that Roman owns nothing but debt. The rest of the story follows Niko as he tries to help his cousin, help his friends and - most importantly - help himself. Niko and Roman love each other like brothers, and although they continually put each other in harm's way, there is a genuinely human sentiment here that has never before been touched on in this series.

This is easily the darkest game in the GTA series.

This relationship is an important part of the story, since much of the game's progression involves Roman or Niko getting themselves or each other into and out of trouble. What's more, of these ninety or so missions, although a few are bound to be boring or frustrating, more than three quarters of them are truly great. Missions are fun and varied, with a cast of characters that truly stand out from one another. Each drug dealer has a deeper past behind them, each crooked cop has more to say. In each past Grand Theft Auto, although there may have been some interesting moments, storytelling was rarely paramount. However, with GTA IV, Rockstar has changed that. Players can be twenty hours into the game before they even think about single player exploration. And since each mission shows off the city well - from simple driving missions to various side missions - players can experience Liberty City in its entirety without freeform exploration. Though some areas are aesthetically similar, players never perform tasks in the same places twice and most missions have their own unique flavor.

Some of these missions are received through "friends" - men and women that will give you work or spend time with you at a few of the city's hangouts. Classic missions such as stealing a car or delivering a package still exist, but players can also take out Niko's multi-purpose cell phone and obtain different side tasks. After someone has become friendly (or in the case of some women once you start dating) you can also call them for a drink, to go bowling, to play darts, or to go to a comedy or strip club. There are a number of places to go, and each have their own merits. The comedy club features funny performances by real life comedians Katt Williams and Ricky Gervais of the original Office. Additionally, the time Niko spends with friends can unlock new features, such as the ability to buy guns from the trunk of a friend's car for instance.

And there are other diversions new to GTA IV too. Each safe house has a television with hours of original footage that players can watch. The shows are usually spoofs of real shows, such as I'm Rich, a look at the lives of people so rich they do countless dumb things. The television also features stand up routines from Williams and Gervais, as well as topical shows like Republican Space Rangers, which takes jabs at red-state, conservative thinking. On top of the fully-featured television, players can visit the Internet in game, complete with junk mail, celebrity news websites and a host of other things. There is even a dating site where Niko can meet and date women (or, in one mission, a man). In essence, what makes GTA IV work is that the world doesn't feel as though it was created the moment Niko dropped in. No, this Liberty City has been around for many, many years.

Outside of a few technical glitches, Liberty City is truly a sight to be seen.

As with every evolution of the series, there have been a few subtle improvements made to the formula. One such inclusion is a fully featured GPS, which even tells players when to turn left or right. The GPS also factors in the police who are chasing you. Police are slightly different in this game, with tanks and other "unrealistic" features removed. At three stars, players are followed by helicopters, for instance, that are difficult to lose. Even the highest level only sends Swat and sharp shooters, which is slightly less intense than in past games. New to GTA IV, the GPS shows players were the police are, allowing you to plot a path to safety. This is both good and bad, because players will sometimes have a cop just magically appear on the radar, which makes the system seem a little too powerful.