TheGrand Theft Autofranchise is a touchstone in gaming history and culture. Much like franchises such asDark Souls, many developers have attempted torecreate theGrand Theft Automagic, but few have approached the iconic, boundary-pushing status of Rockstar’s open-world crime series. Indeed, there’s something to love in just about everyGTAgame, but not everyGTAgame is treated equally by its creator.
For instance,Grand Theft Auto 5has been re-released numerous times, even when it’s not especially necessary: the current-gen re-release ofGTA 5drew particular ire from audiences, as it offers only minor improvements over the PS4 and Xbox One versions, which are already playable on current-gen systems.GTA 3,GTA: Vice City, andGTA: San Andreaswere all remade in the extremely messyGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, and were also released on the App Store and Google Play Store. With so much attention paid to these otherGrand Theft Autogames, it’s becoming increasingly strange thatGrand Theft Auto 4, an entry that many consider to be the best in the series, has been so neglected.
It’s Time for a Grand Theft Auto 4 Remaster
Grand Theft Auto 4 Is More Than Deserving of a Remaster or Re-Release
It’s odd that a game likeGTA: San Andreas, which was already available for download on modern consoles and mobile devices, was remastered whenGTA 4has languished in obscurity. At this time,the only way to playGTA 4is on a PC or Xbox console; PlayStation and Nintendo users are out of luck. Moreover, the PC and Xbox releases are still the 2008 build of the game, plus any original post-launch updates: they lack many modern features and tweaks that have been offered to the likes ofGTA 5.
ButGTA 4arguably deserves a remaster more than its younger, sun-drenched sibling. Of course, whether it is better thanGTA 5is entirely subjective, but its rendition of Liberty City, combat mechanics, and surprisingly hard-hitting narrative are just as worthy of praise today as they were in 2008. Indeed,GTA 4was ahead of its time, and a remaster would allow a new generation of gamers to experience it. And if it were polished with a few extra bells and whistles, that wouldn’t be so bad either.
What a GTA 4 Remaster Could Look Like
In the wake ofGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, many players are likelyapprehensive of yet anotherGTAremasteror remake, and for good reason: the games in theDefinitive Editionbundle often look worse than their original releases. But this isn’t the only way forward forGTA 4, as Rockstar or another developer could make more incremental, but still impactful, changes. For example, upscaling the game to 1440p or 4K and allowing for 60FPS or higher would allow players to experienceGTA 4in an entirely new light, and adding higher-resolution textures, VFX, or even advanced lighting technology like ray-tracing would go a long way to improve the game without completely altering its visual identity.
That’s not to say that remasteringGTA 4with such changes would be easy, but it would certainly be possible—GTA 4mods already allowfor similar enhancements, and the game can reach 60FPS on Xbox Series consoles and PC. Additional features, such as accessibility options or a hard mode, could also helpGTA 4feel like a fresh experience for returning players. Even if it’s left relatively untouched, like theRed Dead Redemptionport from last year, the mere fact that it would be readily available for PlayStation and Switch owners would be enough reason to move forward with a re-release.
Grand Theft Auto 4
WHERE TO PLAY
What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Bellic, fresh off the boat from Europe, it is the hope he can escape his past. For his cousin, Roman, it is the vision that together they can find fortune in Liberty City, gateway to the land of opportunity.As they slip into debt and are dragged into a criminal underworld by a series of shysters, thieves, and sociopaths, they discover that the reality is very different from the dream in a city that worships money and status, and is heaven for those who have them and a living nightmare for those who don’t.
