Take-Two Interactive Grand Theft Auto IV review

Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV) is available only for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at the moment, so you'll need a games console to play it. The game is the same on both consoles, though.

As with previous versions, GTA IV is a free-roaming crime-spree action extravaganza. You play as Niko Bellic, a new arrival from Eastern Europe, and must work your way through the Liberty City underworld, doing jobs for all manner of shady characters. Many of these employers surpass the usual stereotypes, thanks to some very sharp scripting.

Your employers are a varied bunch, but most of their wants and desires can be fulfilled by shooting, driving and sometimes shooting while driving. Thankfully, all three activities are well executed, and significant improvements have been made over previous games. Cars handle well, and the new physics system lends a meaty crunch to those inevitable pile-ups. The ability to duck and cover and to aim freely add a tactical element that was absent in its predecessors' basic firefights.

The biggest improvement is the way the game uses your character's mobile phone to manage missions. You can talk while you drive, which allows you to receive mission information while in transit. All your important contacts are stored on your phone, which is handy when you need a job, a helping hand or you just want someone to hang out with. Socialising unlocks extra capabilities, such as free taxi rides or some much-needed firepower. It's not a chore, either, thanks to a range of activities, including pool, bowling and even stand-up comedy (with a cameo appearance by Ricky Gervais).

Liberty City - a satirical version of New York City - provides plenty of unscripted comedy moments. Its inhabitants are an unpredictable and violent lot, who often surprise and entertain. Impromptu firefights break out, car crashes cause drivers to fly through their windscreens and car jack victims will fight as often as flee. Yes, GTA IV is a very violent game, but it's also very funny and intended only for adults - it comes with an 18 rating.

The graphics are capable but not technically stunning and lack sharpness. Despite this, Liberty City is atmospherically rendered, with the cycle of day and night bringing out different aspects of the city's various neighbourhoods. There are no identikit buildings, and each area has its own distinct character. The soundtrack, provided through the city's radio stations, is huge and varied.

GTA IV's strength is not in the depth or complexity of its gameplay, but rather the breadth of its content, and the simple pleasure of creating chaos in your own way. The main storyline is still surprisingly rigid, and the earlier sections drag a little, but after the first couple of hours it gets into gear, and then entertains all the way to the end.