The Grand Theft Auto franchise is a touchstone in gaming history and culture. Much like franchises such as Dark Souls, many developers have attempted to recreate the Grand Theft Auto magic, but few have approached the iconic, boundary-pushing status of Rockstar's open-world crime series. Indeed, there's something to love in just about every GTA game, but not every GTA game is treated equally by its creator.
For instance, Grand Theft Auto 5 has been re-released numerous times, even when it's not especially necessary: the current-gen re-release of GTA 5 drew particular ire from audiences, as it offers only minor improvements over the PS4 and Xbox One versions, which are already playable on current-gen systems. GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas were all remade in the extremely messy Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and were also released on the App Store and Google Play Store. With so much attention paid to these other Grand Theft Auto games, it's becoming increasingly strange that Grand Theft Auto 4, an entry that many consider to be the best in the series, has been so neglected.
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It's Time for a Grand Theft Auto 4 Remaster
Grand Theft Auto 4 Is More Than Deserving of a Remaster or Re-Release
It's odd that a game like GTA: San Andreas, which was already available for download on modern consoles and mobile devices, was remastered when GTA 4 has languished in obscurity. At this time, the only way to play GTA 4 is on a PC or Xbox console; PlayStation and Nintendo users are out of luck. Moreover, the PC and Xbox releases are still the 2008 build of the game, plus any original post-launch updates: they lack many modern features and tweaks that have been offered to the likes of GTA 5.
But GTA 4 arguably deserves a remaster more than its younger, sun-drenched sibling. Of course, whether it is better than GTA 5 is entirely subjective, but its rendition of Liberty City, combat mechanics, and surprisingly hard-hitting narrative are just as worthy of praise today as they were in 2008. Indeed, GTA 4 was ahead of its time, and a remaster would allow a new generation of gamers to experience it. And if it were polished with a few extra bells and whistles, that wouldn't be so bad either.
What a GTA 4 Remaster Could Look Like
In the wake of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, many players are likely apprehensive of yet another GTA remaster or remake, and for good reason: the games in the Definitive Edition bundle often look worse than their original releases. But this isn't the only way forward for GTA 4, as Rockstar or another developer could make more incremental, but still impactful, changes. For example, upscaling the game to 1440p or 4K and allowing for 60FPS or higher would allow players to experience GTA 4 in an entirely new light, and adding higher-resolution textures, VFX, or even advanced lighting technology like ray-tracing would go a long way to improve the game without completely altering its visual identity.
That's not to say that remastering GTA 4 with such changes would be easy, but it would certainly be possible—GTA 4 mods already allow for similar enhancements, and the game can reach 60FPS on Xbox Series consoles and PC. Additional features, such as accessibility options or a hard mode, could also help GTA 4 feel like a fresh experience for returning players. Even if it's left relatively untouched, like the Red Dead Redemption port from last year, the mere fact that it would be readily available for PlayStation and Switch owners would be enough reason to move forward with a re-release.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- April 29, 2008
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- rockstar advanced game engine
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
WHERE TO PLAY
What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Bellic, fresh off the boat from Europe, it is the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportunity.
As they slip into debt and are dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves, and sociopaths, they discover that the reality is very different from the dream in a city that worships money and status, and is heaven for those who have them and a living nightmare for those who don't.
