5 reasons why GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony is among the best titles in the series

The GTA series has several titles that have become iconic over the years. GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony is one such game that has tons of memorable moments alongside a great storyline that comes packed with action and also gets emotional from time to time. Adding to this title's appeal is its protagonist and his friend, both of whom are charming. Moreover, its plot makes a lot of sense, considering how the events unfold.

However, these are not the only reasons why Grand Theft Auto 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony is one of the best titles in this series. It does many other things correctly that allow it to flourish. This article will highlight some reasons that make this game so memorable.

Note: The article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion. The fourth entry contains spoilers.

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5 things that make GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony such a good game

1) The addition of new weapons

While Grand Theft Auto 4 has a great variety of weapons, most of them are not over the top or overpowered. This was a great initiative since Rockstar Games wanted to keep the game grounded in reality.

However, The Ballad of Gay Tony took that aspect out and allowed players to use outrageous and powerful weapons like the explosive shotgun to take out enemies. These types of firearms have been a major part of Grand Theft Auto titles, and their inclusion inevitably allowed the game to become popular.

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2) The missions of the game

Unlike GTA 4, the missions in The Ballad of Gay Tony are way more fun, generally lighthearted, and involve over-the-top action. Luis mainly gets them from local celebrities and rich people who visit Tony's nightclub.

He meets cool (and sometimes annoying) people in this title who are rich and want some heat off their backs. This allows Luis to get rich himself and afford a luxurious lifestyle.

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3) The gameplay

Some people might have found GTA 4's gameplay slow and tedious for their taste. This is somewhat true because Niko takes a long time to obtain good weapons or vehicles in the game. However, Rockstar switched things up a little in this regard, making The Ballad of Gay Tony a better experience. In this game, you can better weapons more easily as well as faster.

The franchise also took some cues from GTA San Andreas and brings back a lot of fun stuff that the player base loves. This mainly includes the ability to employ a parachute and use goofy tactics to win gunfights. All these factors solidify The Ballad of Gay Tony as a great game.

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4) The finale of the game

Most Grand Theft Auto games have amazing final missions with epic showdowns between one or more protagonists and the antagonist(s). While GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony follows a similar mechanic, it takes things up a notch.

During the final mission, Luis is followed by the Russians before Yusuf Amir takes them out with his helicopter, allowing him to escape. Finally, he reaches the airport and boards Bulgarin's plane. After a gunfight, he shoots the antagonist, who blows the aircraft with a grenade. Luis finally parachutes out of the burning wreckage, lands safely, and heads out to meet Tony.

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5) The overall vibes of the game

It is quite refreshing for players to move on to The Ballad of Gay Tony after completing GTA 4. The latter has a grim and dark theme filled with despair and hardships that Niko has to endure. While this fits with the plot of GTA 4, the experience can get a little slow and depressing.

On the other hand, The Ballad of Gay Tony is colorful and vibrant. The city is sparkling with colors, and this game has hilarious characters that make the whole experience more lively. That, combined with the intense atmosphere in nightclubs, makes this title stand out.

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With GTA 6's trailer almost here, it is great to see that the community still remembers and talks about the older titles.