Grand Theft Auto IV: Meet Niko Bellic

by Xav de Matos { Apr 25th 2008 at 10:00PM }

On Tuesday you'll get to know him better but for now we thought we'd make a quick introduction. Meet Niko Bellic, star of the upcoming Rockstar Games game Grand Theft Auto IV. Niko is, how do we put this, a bad man with a heart of gold? He knows what he's doing is wrong but at the same time he knows that it's the only thing he can do to survive. Feeling soulless, Niko wonders what his future will hold. Luckily he has an idea. Things will be different. Niko's about to visit Liberty City and start a brand new life. Wonder how that's going to work out for him.

Yeah. We know, you know who he is. But, we were wondering something ... how hyped are you for GTA IV this Tuesday?

Tags: grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-iv, gtaiv, rockstar

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Chester @ Apr 25th 2008 10:05PM

Oh man, just waiting over the weekend for this is going to be a struggle. Just saw the video review on IGN. Some type of online meet-up in the multiplayer for all the fanboys getting this at midnight, would be SWEEEET!!

Gamertag:SanFranJunglist

Magic Whiskey @ Apr 25th 2008 10:17PM

IGN and IGN UK reviewed this today and gave it 10/10's all across the board! That's incredible. Said to be the best game since Ocarina of Time. (While I didn't ever finish that Zelda title, I can appreciate the quality.)

They also mention the campaign mode's story is Oscar-worthy. ZDAMN.

Can't wait for Monday night!

Darko @ Apr 25th 2008 11:07PM

You never finished OOT?!!! Blaspheme!! I shun you. Thats like having sex and quitting half way through... just plain wrong if you ask me.

ToRo @ Apr 26th 2008 3:11AM

I didn't beat OOT either. Never was a huge fan of Zelda. I'm going to have GTA IV Monday morning. My gamertag is ElToRo15 if you want to check on monday. lol have fun standing online at midnight.

T.J. @ Apr 26th 2008 10:27AM

Dude, I have to work overnight and could care less about this midnight launch...
But your name made me wanna add ya.

Quite the drum and bass head myself right here.

ps3isdead @ Apr 25th 2008 10:20PM

i dont want to meet him because i would kill him

HazyCloud @ Apr 25th 2008 10:25PM

I'm hitting a midnight and also taking 4 days off. Is that a little much?

Chester @ Apr 25th 2008 10:27PM

HA HA! i'm doing the same thing!

SadisticHam @ Apr 25th 2008 10:36PM

The IGN review is terrible no one watch it if you're already in need of this game - It'll make the wait for the game even worse, the mutliplayer looks so bloody awesome.

pkilla @ Apr 26th 2008 12:30PM

I definitely agree with you. Thew video review is soooo good that it is killing me that I have to wait until monday night.

B Tizo @ Apr 25th 2008 10:42PM

You forgot to put those of us who will be working the midnight launch in your poll! You think those getting it at midnight have it hard, just think of us who are selling it all night! AAAAHHHHHH!

NukeAssault @ Apr 25th 2008 10:52PM

really awesome trailer...

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 25th 2008 11:08PM

These responses aren't very fair. I'd be picking it up at midnight if it weren't for the fact that I have finals to study for and take. Since my last exam is Thursday, I preordered on Amazon to have it sent home, and with free 2-day shipping it will be waiting for me when I get home. Then I will spend the weekend playing nonstop, until I have to come back and start working, when I will be playing whenever I get the chance.

Stridery @ Apr 25th 2008 11:53PM

I preordered the special edition from Amazon or I would be in a midnight launch line. I'm making myself wait an extra couple of days just to get a GTAIV license plate.. im so lame....

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 26th 2008 12:10AM

I preordered it before the license plate and gamer pictures became available, so I didn't get the gamer pics, but I hope I do get the plate.

xenocidic @ Apr 26th 2008 9:49AM

I'm cancelling my Amazon pre-order if it doesn't show up on Monday.

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 26th 2008 10:48AM

How can you expect it to show up Monday? It won't even ship until Tuesday.

Tweak13 @ Apr 25th 2008 11:33PM

Agreed... Just had to be released during hell week.... If I fail anything this semester, I'm blaming it on Niko.

ZEBRA NINER @ Apr 25th 2008 11:52PM

I'm stoked, but I have to work the next day. HAVE to work... so no midnight launch, no taking the day off. I will be getting it right after work. So, fourth option? hahaha.

drew @ Apr 26th 2008 12:12AM

wish i could do midnight release but i have school and no ride to the midnight release. i'll just have to wait. aint that a bitch.

blank964 @ Apr 26th 2008 12:33AM

I have finals next week and the week after that so I will have to have some will power for a week and then I'll have all summer to play it.

Rawin @ Apr 26th 2008 12:34AM

I'm curious, and maybe you can help me out with this Dustin... Anyway a lot of games that come out have a "release" date set but for us it's the "shipping" date and they just get here the day after in Minnesota. Is this the case this time around? Or are the events being held Monday into Tuesday (midnight)?

Deck @ Apr 26th 2008 12:52AM

I am for sure excited. Going to be picking it up day one, but still going to go to class and work. Maybe more because I have to than not but... its not the BIGGEST EVAR excitement for me.

Don't get me wrong though, i'm pumped!

quesadia @ Apr 26th 2008 12:57AM

anyone know the music from this trailer? must have please

Xav de Matos @ Apr 26th 2008 1:00AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

dylan @ Apr 26th 2008 4:07AM

Curse you Xav, you are the third Rickroll I have fallen for, and I now pledge my life to pointing out your grammatical errors...

Guy Gregory @ Apr 26th 2008 6:30AM

Kanye West - Flashing Lights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWWbx_F47uE

BluesmanTLU @ Apr 26th 2008 1:26AM

I'm pumped, but I'm a grown-ass man with a day job, so I'm picking up after work.

stinger503 @ Apr 26th 2008 1:44AM

Can't wait, pre ordered the GTA:SE today at Futureshop and will def be waiting in line at midnight.

West @ Apr 26th 2008 2:59AM

They couldn't put this off for two weeks? I've got finals going on the week after this comes out! THIS COULD BE BAD!!

Arnob @ Apr 26th 2008 3:24AM

wow just saying, those are amazingly even results

kfresh97 @ Apr 26th 2008 7:43AM

*has two weeks of annual leave set aside to play this game*

Pretty sure THAT is excessive.

We -definitely- need to have an X3F gathering at some point. I just hope the rumours about online being region specific aren't true :( Either way, prepare to be sucker-baseball-batted people ^_^

Adam @ Apr 26th 2008 8:02AM

I'm not buying it till my exams are over, won't have time for revision if I do.

Neuromancer @ Apr 26th 2008 8:44AM

I'm going to be on my honeymoon so I'll be playing it in 2 weeks. =|

Mr Ed @ Apr 26th 2008 10:29AM

Do Xbox owners have girlfrients/boyfriends? Wow..

Chester @ Apr 26th 2008 11:10AM

Congrats on the marriage. I just got married in December. Hope she plays games.

Gamertag:SanFranJunglist

Chester @ Apr 26th 2008 11:10AM

Congrats on the marriage. I just got married in December. Hope she plays games.

Gamertag:SanFranJunglist

xTehAdz @ Apr 26th 2008 9:17AM

Got my copy today. Hurray for breaking street dates.

Maichy @ Apr 26th 2008 9:18AM

Music is Aphex Twin - Z Twig :)

digitarius @ Apr 26th 2008 10:15AM

Why do they release stuff like this on Tuesdays? I want to play it, but not badly enough to actually use up my sick or personal days at work. So I'm going to pick up my Preorder Tuesday and NOT be able to dive into it for an immediate twelve hour marathon like I would if it came out say, Friday night or saturday.

Mr Ed @ Apr 26th 2008 10:15AM

You forgot to mention the bit where they point out the 360 version is inferior to the PS3 version, as it suffers dratically more pop-up problems, more framerate glitches, and shoddy textures hidden by poor lighting. The also mention the load times on the 360 version are around 30 seconds, vastly more that the PS3 version.

Looks like 360 is getting the gimped version. However IGN were not brave enough to mark it down, like they did for the PS3 version of Orange Box, for the very same issues. Cowards...

Muffin_man @ Apr 26th 2008 10:25AM

Oh well, at least we will get the exclusive content. . .

Mr Ed @ Apr 26th 2008 10:27AM

Yep, you do indeed get some exclusive content. How much, and how it compares to the PS3 exclusive content is up for grabs.

Me personally, the platform with the better core game is more important, that DLC that is coming in 6 months time. I will likely be playing something else by then..

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 26th 2008 10:54AM

He said the textures are the same and the colors are better, and that there are sometimes a few pop-ups (which there are on the PS3 version too), never said anything about framerate, and he didn't say how long the load times on the PS3 are (which are probably 15-20 seconds). Why don't you stop lying and go troll somewhere else.

Chester Thompson @ Apr 26th 2008 11:14AM

did i make a wrong turn somewhere and land on the ps3 fanboy page? Or does someone else have nothing better to do then hate on the 360?

Mr Ed @ Apr 26th 2008 11:34AM

@BrokenMonkey Water the bad news down, it migth make it easier to swallow. Read the article dude..

Infact, I will make it easy for you, and quote the relevent bits:

Quote:"Past GTA titles have had mild-to-serious framerate issues and technical glitches, because the games were trying to do far more than the PlayStation 2 could handle. While GTA IV is pushing the PS3 and 360 to the limit, it also runs amazingly well. Sure, there are framerate hitches here and there and (particularly on 360) there is some texture pop-in, "

Quote:"For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3. The textures and framerate are comparable, but the PS3 has far less pop-in. The 360 has richer colors, but the PS3 has better anti-aliasing making it look a little cleaner. Because GTA IV can preload onto the PS3 hard drive, the in-game loads are faster. Don't worry Xbox owners, the load times are rarely more than 30 seconds and don't occur very often. The slight visual edge goes to PS3"

Framerate problems, particularly on the 360, much worse popin on the 360, load times much worse on the 360, no AA on the 360, and from other sources, much darker visuals to hide the higher compression needed to fit it on DVD.

Sorry, you are an idiot, if you see this as slightly different... It's as different as Orange Box was on PS3/360, both great games, but less so on PS3. That however was a 5 year old game, this is band spanking new, and it's gimped on 360, end of..