GTA 4 turns 15 today: 5 things the game did right

GTA 4 was released worldwide on April 29, 2008, on the PS3 and Xbox 360. This legendary game turns 15 years old today. Not many mainline Grand Theft Auto titles have been released since then. Only its sequel, Grand Theft Auto V, has been released thus far as a mainline title. Other than that, fans have received GTA 4's DLC episodes, Chinatown Wars, and the Trilogy Definitive Edition.

Many fans will fondly reflect on Niko Bellic's adventures through Liberty City. For some, this is still the best single-player Grand Theft Auto title. At the very least, it's worth looking at some of the best aspects of this iconic video game and why it's worth remembering 15 years later.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective.

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Looking back at GTA 4 on its 15-year anniversary: Five of the game's best qualities

1) Introduction of the HD Universe

A highly acclaimed game (Image via Rockstar Games)

The HD Universe is a separate canon timeline of events from the 3D Universe. It would have been easy just to keep introducing new characters and stories to the same old plots that gamers knew before, but Rockstar Games decided to change things up a bit.

Most old characters and stories had no bearing on GTA 4 or the HD Universe. While there might be cheeky references here or there, this game ultimately brought forth a new era. Its DLC episodes, Chinatown Wars, Grand Theft Auto V, and Online would all expand on the HD Universe.

As the name implies, this generation of gaming would be associated with HD graphics (with the exception of Chinatown Wars, yet it's still canonly a part of the HD Universe, contrary to a common misconception).

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2) Plenty of choices

Roman's fate is up to the player's decision (image via Rockstar Games)

Most Grand Theft Auto games don't give the player many choices regarding the storyline, if any at all. GTA 4 was different in that the players had several decisions they could make. Some were incredibly minor (like dating Michelle or rescuing Roman), while others were significant (like choosing the game's ending).

While some choices were far more one-sided than others regarding potential rewards, this gameplay feature is still pretty cool for anybody playing the game for the first time without a guide. In that sense, the player's decisions felt more engaging and could make one playthrough feel different than the other.

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3) Combat

A good case is to be made that GTA 4's combat is the best in the series. Some aspects of it were even nerfed in Grand Theft Auto 5 (or nonexistent at all). Three of the most noteworthy features tied to combat that were introduced in GTA 4 were:

1. Specific character executions that were optional
2. Completely overhauled melee combat
3. Cover system

The former was mostly tied to missions, while the second could be used anywhere the player wanted to fight with their fists. Most importantly, the cover system has become a staple within the series.

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4) Single-player DLC

Episodes From Liberty City had two additional campaigns for players to do (Image via Rockstar Games)

Single-player DLC is rare in the Grand Theft Auto series. In this case, GTA 4 got two extra games' worth of content with The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. They all ran on the same game engine, but each title had a few minor differences that helped make them feel unique from each other.

The Lost and Damned focused on Johnny Klebitz' biker lifestyle, while The Ballad of Gay Tony had Luis Fernando Lopez help Tony Prince with his Nightclub problems. Some players prefer single-player DLC over multiplayer content.

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5) Ragdoll physics

One of the most memorable parts of GTA 4 when it first came out 15 years ago was its ragdoll physics. Older Grand Theft Auto games did not have this feature, which could make them feel much stiffer by comparison. GTA 4 was much more realistic by comparison.

For example, Niko could be forced out of his car just by driving too fast and hitting an object. Likewise, players can run over pedestrians, and their movements will be based on how they were rammed into. Even falling off high altitudes would involve ragdoll physics.