Stealing cars, slapping hoes and causing full-scale city riots are habits that are not encouraged in the real world. However, for those that simply need to participate in these activities, Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto IV, available for both PS3 and Xbox 360, encourages these habits and many more.

The ninth installment in the series takes place in Liberty City, a familiar place to loyal fans of the series. The story follows Niko Bellic, a veteran of the Serbian Wars, who has come to America to follow the American dream. The only problem is that he finds the American dream easier said than done and he resorts to crime and violence. The storyline and protagonist really get the player involved and interested in the plot, rather than just committing random crimes.

Like the previous games in the series, the object of the game is to complete a series of missions that others enlist the main character to complete. Also, optional missions exist to further enhance the gameplay, which do not need to be completed to beat the game. But as always, the most fun can be had by simply exploring the city and committing any crime that comes to mind.

Another addition to the game is its multiplayer mode. It consists of Team Deathmatch, Team Mafiya Work, Team Car Jack City, Cops n’ Crooks and Turf War. Team Deathmatch is the most basic option, where the player tries to defeat the other team for money. The way to win is to steal money from dead opponents. In Team Mafiya Work, the goal is to complete contracts assigned by a racketeering organization. This could mean escorting someone or grand theft auto. Team Car Jack City requires the team to steal cars around the city and deliver them to a specific location. The amount of points received depends on the condition of the vehicle. Cops n’ Crooks is where one team must protect a mob boss while the other, the police team, tries to kill him.

Lastly, Turf War is like king of the hill, where a team must stand in a certain area for a given amount of time in order to claim it.

The multiplayer option enhances the newest chapter of Grand Theft Auto and expands the ways in which a gamer can play the game, easily making it the best in the series.