Grand Theft Auto IV

What price the American dream? More than any Grand Theft Auto game before, GTAIV delivers a truly engaging story that speaks to the new reality of life in the underworld post-9/11. While others have been chasing the freeform style of its predecessors, Rockstar has evolved the concept into a high density experience. Now you must maintain friendships to strengthen alliances as you move through the story, with a new mobile phone and GPS interface acting as the hub for your more immediate game life.

Not everything is silky smooth. The AI of cars out on the road is as bad as it ever in GTAIII. Now you can catch taxis too - who drive as badly as the other AI, so you will pay extra to skip ahead and avoid getting literally stuck in traffic (OK, maybe that is like reality). Add camera troubles when you are stuck in tight spaces, and the perfection found elsewhere loses enough sheen to drop away from a perfect six.

For all its notoriety, GTAIV is a game that shows why we deserve an MA15+ rating option. The themes are certainly adult but the artistry, both scene and story, are a spectacular achievement that offer a mature, immersive underworld experience. Underbelly wishes it was this good.

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