Finally completed GTA IV

After many gruelling hours and days, I've finally managed to complete Grand Theft Auto IV. And believe me, I tried my very best to do so. The final mission alone took me more than 2 hours, constantly replaying over and over after each failure. I think I may have replayed that particular mission almost 14-15 times. But despite several frustrating aspects of the game, I'm quite pleased by it overall. I've taken some time to digest the game experience, and there are some things I feel compelled to comment on.

Story-telling was one major aspect of the game, and it had been promoted as a cornerstone of the GTA IV experience from the very start. In this respect, I feel that the story has been very well-told, has excellent pace, and contains a level of depth that one would not have suspected. Arguments have been made previously that GTA IV is no Godfather, and I wouldn't argue otherwise. But as a piece of creative work, it is internally consistent, contains well-developed characters with believable stories and motives which are continually reinforced by their actions.

Some aspects of the dialogue could have been better crafted however. When characters are overly verbose, and share endless exposition without much prompting, it comes across as cheesy, and over-rehearsed. It was far more effective when the dialogue was kept simple, and it was more believable and natural.
Visually, the game is extremely captivating and immersive, and it really conveys the feel of a big city. You only need to drive along the Algonquin Bridge at sunset to understand what I mean; it really does take the breath away.

The main flaw is that for a game that espouses freedom in a sandbox environment, it was extremely restrictive. And this is due to two main reasons: 1) As the player, I do not have a sense of agency, and 2) the things that I am allowed to do are inconsequential and frivalous. There are so many things to exploe or do, and it makes the things that cannot be done even more obvious; And the thing that cannot be done is have an impact on the narrative.

My character can explore the city, take on additional missions (such as assasinations and street races), improve relations with friends, even go on dates. But aside from providing small benefits in game, these actions means nothing to the narrative, and more often than not, it is a annoying distraction.

And I know that the game's designers had a specific story they wanted to tell, which I happily accepted for most part. But there was an instance which nearly broke the game experience for me. Near the end of the game, my character was told to choose between killing the man who had betrayed him and his friends on numerous occasions, or to work for him with promises of money and power, which my character desperately needed. I sat there, with the controller in my hand, for a good 10-15 mins because I couldn't decide. Do I do the deal with the devil so that I may support my family financially, or do I take revenge and live a wretched life hiding from new enemies? Justice or life? The game offered me a tough choice, and I had a tough time making it. But the problem was that the end game after this moment was already set up in a very specific manner, and the choice I made had no impact on it at all. It was a false choice, and my personal moral dilemma accounted for nothing.There are a few other annoying things about in the game. The chase missions aren't fun, and can be quite frustrating. Reactions by in-game characters aren't consistent: My dates, for example, will comment on the clothes I wear and the car I drive, but won't react when I car-jack someone in front of them, or park a helicopter on their street to pick them up. Make me wonder if it were possible to pick up hookers in a helicopter now. The police is still annoying as hell, as all coppers are. And trying on clothes is a chore.

I still enjoyed the game immensely, but the lack of agency remains a flaw for me. The designers have tried to push the narrative boundaries of the videogame medium, and to tell a big story in a big city. For most part, I belive that they have suceeded. While maybe not as nuanced and subtle as The Godfather, GTA IV is a stepping stone in using the videogames medium as a showcase for story-telling. The challenge remains between showcasing a pre-defined narrative, and the amount of agency a player has to affect that narrative.