IGN UK

Expectations were so high for Grand Theft Auto IV that one of the biggest surprises is that it's managed to meet them. That it's also gone on to confound these is truly a marvel, and the game's Liberty City is nothing less than one of the greatest videogame worlds yet conceived.

1UP

None of these little flaws take away from Liberty City's breathtaking vistas, incredibly varied scenery, and lived-in look (the PS3 version has the slightest visual edge, plus motion-control support -- but then it's missing Achievements and the eventual downloadable episodes exclusive to the 360 game). The city just feels alive.

Eurogamer

Almost everything you do in Liberty City would be good enough to drive its own game, and the best parts would be good enough to outrun the competition, but the reason it works so well is that Rockstar has made a game that requires no patience to play. This, as much as its usual coherency and the best script in the series, is what makes GTA IV the best openworld game yet, and why it will take something miraculous to rob it of game of the year status.

GameSpy

The very nature of the American Dream is the central theme in Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV, a gaming masterpiece that is a picture-perfect snapshot of the underworld of today's big cities. This is not only the finest title of the generation thus far, it is one of the best games of all-time.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

It's got a world you believe in, a cast you care about and a script stuffed with brilliant moments... Utterly stunning in every resepct. [May 2008, p.79]

TeamXbox

It's amazing that a sequel that keeps the core gameplay concepts of its prior incarnations can do so much to change itself into something new. Cabs are awesome, as is the cellphones capabilities. But perhaps the biggest innovation is the notion that you can create a game that's as valid a piece of art as any book or movie. Is this our "Citizen Kane" moment?

Game Informer

I now know how film critics felt after screening "The Godfather." It's been days since Grand Theft Auto IV's credits rolled, yet I can't seem to construct a coherent thought without my mind wandering off into a daydream about the game. I just want to drop everything in my life so I can play it again. Experience it again. Live it again...Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming.

GameDaily

Grand Theft Auto IV lives up to its grand expectations by weaving a Hollywood-ready "American Dream" plotline with a finely-tuned game experience -- taking the tried-and-true GTA formula and plugging it into a living, breathing version of Liberty City.

GamePro

Considering the fact that it's been a target of political and media pundits who keep harping on the infamous "Hot Coffee" incident, it's understandable to think that Rockstar might tone down the adult themes in GTA IV. But thankfully, that didn't happen. This is a mature game, and a devilishly good one at that.

VideoGamer

We all knew GTA 4 would be a great game and sell millions of copies, but I didn't expect it to shame pretty much every other game I've played this generation.

Gamer.nl

GTA IV is the best action game ever. The game has beautiful details, nice situations, extrodinary gameplay, sharp humor and great graphics. There are certainly a few minor negatives about the game, but the positive points are just too much. We have one piece of advice: Buy!

Total Video Games

Smashing down the barriers between videogames and movies, GTA4 is what happens when flawless game design and ridiculously high production values collide.

G4 TV

The important thing is that after many years of frustrating missions, driving back home to save repeatedly, struggling with wonky physics, and dealing with farcical storylines, GTA IV has delivered a polished and almost fully renovated experience with a darker and more mature treatment of the subject matter.

360 Gamer Magazine UK

With so much to see and do that even months of play won’t cover it all and some of the tightest mechanics seen in a modern game, GTA IV is every bit as good as you could ask for it to be. You quite simply will not need another game this year.

GameSpot

A game that you simply have to play. The single-player game, which you can still play long after you complete the story, is the series' best by far, and the multiplayer features are good enough that you'll likely have no problem finding people to play with for many months to come.

Gameplanet

In order to describe every little thing that you see in this game would require volumes. There is a staggering level of detail and for every detail we've mentioned so far, there are at least a dozen we've missed. Still, that's the beauty of Grand Theft Auto IV: the details will always be there for you to discover yourself.

Totally360

It's not merely the fact that Rockstar have taken an already engaging gameworld and rebuilt it from the ground up, it's the fact that they've done that, and shoehorned in realistic weather systems, day to night transitions, realtime lighting, realistic character movement and animation, realistic physics and kinetics, incidental details, solid and well written dialogue, convincing AI and non-player characters and a multiplayer system that puts other games to shame.

PGNx Media

Grand Theft Auto IV is undoubtedly one of the strongest games of this generation. The amount of content is simply mind-blowing.

Yahoo! Games

Although the joy of unfettered choice is already familiar to Grand Theft Auto players, GTA IV's realistic, wide-open world offers unprecedented opportunities for delightful mayhem, and a level of polish, detail and quality that's genuinely groundbreaking. What more could you want from the next generation?

X360 Magazine UK

A fantastic, life-affirming piece of software that has set a new standard for what the medium can achieve, with a magnificent multiplayer mode to boot. If all games were this good, no one would ever leave the house. [Issue#33, p.84]

GamingExcellence

GTA IV is the kind of title every gamer must have in their collection to justify their title as said gamer. It's near perfection in all areas, and in all honesty, I won't be reaching for my copy of GTA III anymore whenever I need my fix.

Edge Magazine

Yes, there's still the freedom to cause havoc, and inevitably you do; the difference is that you’re no longer impelled to toy with GTA IV's world in quite the same sadistic way - you live in it. [June 2008, p.82]

Jolt Online Gaming UK

Grand Theft Auto IV is not a perfect game, but it is fantastic through and through, from start to finish and beyond. It is so massive, vast and impressive that it is almost mind-boggling to imagine how much work must have gone into the game to come up with so much detail.

Gameplayer

But GTA IV will never get old, or start repeating itself. It will always offer anyone who turns it on an experience to savour.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Grand Theft Auto IV is, simply, the latest way to flip the bird. And damn if such a simple gesture doesn't feel good.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

GTA4 is a traditional crime story through and through, with a script that rarely strays from its purpose, a pitch-perfect supporting cast, and an expert combination of in-game storytelling and crafted cut-scenes. [June 2008, p.80]

Level7.nu

Rockstar North has once again managed to elevate the GTA franchise to new levels of excellence. It's the best GTA experience to date, with a fantastic online mode to boot. Sure, this title does have its share of flaws, but when the game as a whole is nothing short of a masterpiece there is no reason as to why this game shouldn’t be a perfect ten.

Kombo

In my opinion, Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game of this generation, thus far, and one of the best games ever made.

IC-Games

The depth of game, the level of characters and the interaction between the populated world of Liberty City is just breathtaking.

Giant Bomb

That psychological side to the game translates into characters talking about how they feel, and about what they're going through. It's extremely well-written and made a serious impact on me. This isn't the carefree killing-and-carjacking romp you might have expected.

Gamervision

The game is fantastic, a true work of art, and should be owned by anyone who considers themselves a fan of video games. Grand Theft Auto does so many things right that calling it a "sandbox" title is doing it a harsh disservice. It does shooting better then many shooters, driving better then many racing games, and has a better, more involved story then half of the most popular RPGs.

GameZone

GTA IV seamlessly integrates open-world exploration and character-driven storytelling, unlike any other game to date. Liberty City is now a living, breathing work of art.

DarkZero

An absolutely essential landmark title for the games industry. In terms of the sheer scope, emotion, ambition, and the stupidly high fun factor it offers, there is no better available in the genre today. In fact, no one else comes anywhere near.

Gaming Age

There is one thing that did stand out at all times: the story, which is undeniably one of the most fun rides you'll ever have in gaming, and one of the most compelling cast of characters to go along with it.

Thunderbolt

GTA IV may not have the best graphics, gunplay, A.I. or driving, but few other games have ever combined so many elements so successfully. It excels in creating a genuinely cinematic atmosphere, with writing on par with anything Hollywood can produce and action sequences that would sit comfortably in any movie.

Gaming Nexus

This is an event game, the kind of thing you simply need to own ... even if you don't consider yourself a Grand Theft Auto fan.

GameShark

With three massive areas and your hundreds of square miles of your own personal urban jungle, this Liberty City, more than any other version, is yours to do with as you please. The possibility for creative anarchy is limited only by the expanse of your imagination.

DarkStation

Grand Theft Auto IV is by far the most complete package I have seen in the last five to ten years.

PTGamers

GTA IV is a game not to be missed, an experience that must be lived by everyone who claims to be a videogame player, and that once again ups the ante for the next chapter.

Console Gameworld

It's a game of the decade contender. 'Nuff said.

AceGamez

It's prettier, more detailed and more fun than ever before; it may have stuck to the same formula, but it's as effortlessly brilliant as ever.

Talk Xbox

Grand Theft Auto IV is a must buy if you like video games.

ZTGameDomain

I could go on for another couple thousand words about the amazing experience that is GTA IV, but what's most important for you to know is that this game is an absolute masterpiece.

Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

Rockstar chose to cut off some of the features from the previous games, offering instead a much richer and cohesive world, with an amazing plot and even better cast. Superb in every aspect, GTA IV is an essential experience that justifies as no other its expensive price. [June 2008]

Kikizo

At first, GTA IV was sort of feeling like a 9/10 game to me. There were a good few moments where I shook my head and jotted down another negative. But as the experience sank in, as the story captivated me, and as the pace quickened, I was very quickly humbled. It would be ridiculous to factor these minor gripes into even one point of a percentage in terms of scoring, because of the magnitude of the game as whole.

BigPond GameArena

Ignore the score. This bears about as much comparison to the typical “10/10” game as black and white TV did to colour. What you want to be able to do is tell your kids fond stories of how you played GTA IV when it first came out.

Cynamite

This game is a masterpiece! We have never seen such a harmonic virtual world before. The story is as good as a movie and the graphics offer tons of incredible moments. GTA IV is more than a game.