Can someone explain the goal of GTA4?

[mikeg]

I have looked high and low and ready boards and reviews and no one really seems to touch on what your goal is.  They mention a story mode but all I can tell from it is that you go from one hit to another randomly helping this thug and that thug, but for what?  What is Niko working towards?  Does he take over, rid the city of these thugs eventually, start a syndicate, what? 


I really want to know what 'story' there really is and if it actually progresses and follows a real storyline or is the 'story' nothing more than an excuse to do random mayhem?

Can someone point me to the explanation I am looking for?

[leo8877]

I have looked high and low and ready boards and reviews and no one really seems to touch on what your goal is.  They mention a story mode but all I can tell from it is that you go from one hit to another randomly helping this thug and that thug, but for what?  What is Niko working towards?  Does he take over, rid the city of these thugs eventually, start a syndicate, what? 


I really want to know what 'story' there really is and if it actually progresses and follows a real storyline or is the 'story' nothing more than an excuse to do random mayhem?

Can someone point me to the explanation I am looking for?

Niko is looking for someone from his past and he runs into a lot of different characters than most. GTA4 has story to spare.  You have to kill people to get it though.

Random mayhem is just an option of playing a sandbox game like this.  It's not required.

[The Grue]

Leo gave a good answer, but I do have to say something to you.  How long were you living in that cave?

[mikeg]

Quite awhile actually.  I have read tons of stuff and never heard or read one word that Niko was actually looking for someone.  I have even played the game for about 3 hours.  Nothing.  Just driving people around and randomly taking phone calls.  Never got a hint that there was an actual goal in mind. 


This helps alot.  I kept hearing about 'a story' and came to the conclusion that the story that everyone was referring to was nothing more than meet this thug, help him with a little problem, make a few bucks (that are ultimately worthless), and then do that over and over til you did them all.  If that is all there was I would not give the game 5 seconds. 

But if there is an actual story with something actually compelling driving it, then I'm in.  Thanks.

[The Grue]

Well, I was more referring to the fact that pretty much every game since GTA3 in the series has been pretty thick on story.  The ones before it might have had story as well, but it has been a long time since I played them and GTA3 was much more memorable.

[mikeg]

Never played any of the others.  So, no frame of reference.  This one interests me because of the main character.  He is interesting. 

[leo8877]

Never played any of the others.  So, no frame of reference.  This one interests me because of the main character.  He is interesting. 

Yeah Niko is a great character.  The nameless guy from 3 just didn't do it for me.  I actually liked Niko and tailored my playstyle as I thought Niko would behave.

[The Grue]

Never played any of the others.  So, no frame of reference.  This one interests me because of the main character.  He is interesting. 

Yeah Niko is a great character.  The nameless guy from 3 just didn't do it for me.  I actually liked Niko and tailored my playstyle as I thought Niko would behave.

I can agree with you here.  Niko has been the most likable of all the GTA leads.

[Kevin Grey]

The story for the most part is well executed until the end where it sort of goes off the rails.  But a big reason why I enjoyed GTA4 more than the others in the franchise is that the elements were so well integrated that it reminded me a lot more of Mafia than GTA.  

[CeeKay]

Never played any of the others.  So, no frame of reference.  This one interests me because of the main character.  He is interesting. 

Yeah Niko is a great character.  The nameless guy from 3 just didn't do it for me.  I actually liked Niko and tailored my playstyle as I thought Niko would behave.

I can agree with you here.  Niko has been the most likable of all the GTA leads.

but he can be pretty stupid too.  take the mission where you have to kidnap someone while pretending to take their car out for a test drive.  first, instead of trying to play things up like 'hey, you're into me, I know someplace nice to go' he goes 'I'm kidnapping you' and then proceeds to let the target try and force him to wreck the car several times before taking care of the problem.

One thing I wish the game had done differently was to not have the cutscenes non-interactive, but open like they were in Fable 2.  that way you could choose to walk in and just go guns blazing or you could see what the other people have to say and go from there.  there were a few missions that could have been solved by a simple drive-by, but the objective did not appear until after you had to watch a cutscene.

[Gratch]

If nothing else, this topic provided absolutely the most WTF?! ad I've seen yet on GT:

[The Grue]

If nothing else, this topic provided absolutely the most WTF?! ad I've seen yet on GT:

Those ads aren't based on what is on the page, but instead based on your browsing history.

[leo8877]

If nothing else, this topic provided absolutely the most WTF?! ad I've seen yet on GT:

Those ads aren't based on what is on the page, but instead based on your browsing history.

ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!

[CeeKay]

If nothing else, this topic provided absolutely the most WTF?! ad I've seen yet on GT:

Those ads aren't based on what is on the page, but instead based on your browsing history.

ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!

OH SNAP!

[Caine]

damn, that's cold. 

[msteelers]

Quite awhile actually.  I have read tons of stuff and never heard or read one word that Niko was actually looking for someone.  I have even played the game for about 3 hours.  Nothing.  Just driving people around and randomly taking phone calls.  Never got a hint that there was an actual goal in mind. 

I remember the story being touched on almost right away. In fact, it's mentioned in the cutscene right after you get to the apartment after coming off the boat if I'm not mistaken.

[IkeVandergraaf]

What is the story behind Moby Dick?  I have gotten as far as "Call me Ishmael."  So far it seems to be about a guy named Ishmael, but not much else.

[Brendan]

What is the story behind Moby Dick?  I have gotten as far as "Call me Ishmael."  So far it seems to be about a guy named Ishmael, but not much else.

Spoiler tag, plz.

[Kevin Grey]

Quite awhile actually.  I have read tons of stuff and never heard or read one word that Niko was actually looking for someone.  I have even played the game for about 3 hours.  Nothing.  Just driving people around and randomly taking phone calls.  Never got a hint that there was an actual goal in mind. 

I remember the story being touched on almost right away. In fact, it's mentioned in the cutscene right after you get to the apartment after coming off the boat if I'm not mistaken.

It's really vague at the beginning and doesn't come to the forefront until the end of the first act.  

It was actually amusing reading reviews/initial impressions because most stated how much of a change of pace since Niko is a guy just looking to start a new life and isn't on a revenge mission.  Well......

[Gratch]

Those ads aren't based on what is on the page, but instead based on your browsing history.

I was trying to form a comeback, but realized I just couldn't compete with that.  Bravo, man.