GTAIV... A Pretty Good Game...
I only gave it a 9.5 because there are some glitches. I've had a couple of freezes already, they were minor, and the game came right back after a few seconds... but it's annoying none-the-less.
Liberty City comes alive. Every detail has been precisely created to mimic the mini-world of NYC. From the sounds of the horns in the street and the slight squealing of breaks... it reminds me exactly of NYC.
And detail is what this game brings to the table to enhance the gameplay. Even when you brake abruptly or turn sharply, if you have a backseat passenger (Michelle in the beginning for a reference) the characters bob with the force, just like in the real world. The cars react to the weather, the asphalt glisens in the headlights... it's just truly amazing to see how far games have come.
Niko is a likable character, even though I'm sure we're going to do some despicable things with him as a character in LC. But as a screenwriter I know, even if your "bad guy" is the main character, you have to make him likable in order for anyone to root for them. He's funny, he's smart, and he's fun to listen to.
Definitely a game you must have for your collection of PS3 games. The money is well worth it as well as was the wait.
Now if they could only get the online thing fixed so I can test that out... maybe I could have inched it up to a perfect 10.