GTA IV: What The ‘Perfect Game’ Is Missing

I’m going to say from the outset – to avoid me being hung up by my toe nails by angry readers – that I am a huge GTA IV fan. I’d go so far as to say that the entire Grand Theft Auto series is amazing. It’s the ultimate sandbox game where you can do what you want, when you want. However there’s always something that could be improved on. So let’s take a look at what RockStar forgot to include – maybe for a reason – in their latest Grand Theft Auto venture, Grand Theft Auto IV.

Transport

The vehicles are great in GTA IV. They all handle and look differently, making travelling across the mammoth map enjoyable. But what type of vehicles have RockStar taken out of the game that we all expected to be within it?

Planes: How could RockStar leave out the planes? Found in GTA: San Andreas, the planes were great for travelling across the map at vast speed, airport to airport. There is an airport in GTA IV, but unfortunately they don’t allow you to use them.

The BMX: Whoever thought of this idea during the San Andreas production is a legend. It was great fun in GTA: SA allowing you to travel across the map on a push bike. Alternatively you could use the BMX to enter skate parks and show off your skills on the ramps and half pipes. Why RockStar didn’t include this is beyond me.

Another different type of transport that would have been a cool addition to GTA IV would have been the jet-ski. Never found in any of the previous GTA games, the jet-ski would have been great for racing around on the water, adding an alternative to the simple boats.

Side Missions

The side missions in Vice City were enjoyable. From selling drugs ice cream to chauffeuring people around in a taxi, for example, was humorous fun. GTA IV has plenty of entertaining side missions but it doesn’t have any of this type. RockStar should have included side missions that come with certain vehicles like the ice cream van or police vehicles.

Property

Possibly the biggest mistake from RockStar to date! Property gives you something to actually spend your money on. Nightclubs, houses and penthouse suites were just a few of the property’s you could purchase with your hard earned cash in previous GTA games. I don’t know why they never included the idea here. You get all that money in the game, yet the most you can spend it on is expensive clothes costing $2000 max, guns and $1 burgers/ hot dogs.

Misc.

Car Customisation – A simple auto-garage that let’s you customise your car anytime you like, similar to the one found in GTA: SA, would of been a nice touch. The main reason for including an auto-garage would be that you would actually have something else to spend your money on rather than just saving it all up. Pimp my Ride anyone?

Swimming Underwater – Small feature but it would have been nice to be able to swim with the fishes – literally.

Parachutes – Again, extremely fun in GTA: SA, but i can understand why RockStar never included it here as there isn’t exactly a mountain to jump of off.

Portable Radio – The ability to tune into the local radio stations while you were on foot. This would have been a cool feature especially if it wasn’t available at the start and you had to purchase an MP3 player or something later on in the campaign.

So quite a few things there, but these are just my opinions on what RockStar should or could have included. The game itself is still great and RockStar have definately done a great job.

Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

*A Note from the Editor: All the views in our Editorials, including this one, are simply those of one mans, and are written to open up discussion within our community and the gaming world. Please refrain from killing any staff members if you disagree, but feel free to state your views.*

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