History Heartwarming / GrandTheftAutoIV

--->'''Roman:''' "Niko, my cousin!" *hugs*

--->'''Niko:''' '''''[[DeclarationOfProtection YOU WILL NOT HARM MY COUSIN!]]'''''

** [[spoiler: The "Deal" ending has a bit of a lighter side too, as Niko makes it clear he'll look out for Mallorie and the baby, and Kate calls and says she'll still be there for Niko. Sadly, it doesn't change anything in-game,]]

* The mission where [[spoiler: Nico rescues Roman from kidnappers]] doubles as a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome. Niko completely LOSES it during the mission and his normally stoic demeanor is completely dropped for a combination of rage and panic. The visible sense of relief he has at the end makes it all the more worth it.

[[caption-width-right:250:Welcome to America.]]

* Befriending [[ScaryBlackMan Dwayne Forge.]] His past rivals Niko's in having to be a criminal purely for survival, (hence why Niko invokes NotSoDifferent,) his time in jail's made him a StrangerInAFamiliarLand with his friends and girl having ditched him despite [[UngratefulBastard all he's done for them, namely Cherise,]] leaving him borderline-suicidal and the game makes you feel like an ''utter'' [[YouBastard bastard]] if [[spoiler: you kill him in "The Holland Play" where gameplay-wise it's embarrassingly easy and only pays out money you could make in a matter of missions anyway, while storyline-wise Dwayne's hatred of you is ''palpable'' as is Playboy X [[NeverMyFault blaming you despite it being on his orders,]] so StoryBranchFavoritism is in full effect,]] but do the opposite and his gratitude is just as palpable both in gameplay in sending ''actually helpful'' Mooks to back you up in fights and giving you the 2nd-best safehouse in the game that includes the [[ShoutOut Claude outfit]] as well as narratively in him opening up to you and that your faith in him was well worth it. GoodFeelsGood, indeed.

** More needs to be said about Marnie (the drug-addled prostitute). In her second mission you take her to the train station and give her some money for her journey home. Afterwards you get an email from her, telling you just how much you've changed her life. In a game where nearly everyone you meet you kill and end up in a little better situation then you left, it's one of the few genuinely bright spots.

* "Niko, my cousin!" *hugs* Even though he's drunk at the time, Roman's joy at having cousin Niko in [[CrapsackWorld Liberty City]] is a pretty good moment to make you smile.

* The mission where [[spoiler: Nico rescues Roman from kidnappers]] doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Niko completely LOSES it during the mission and his normally stoic demeanor is completely dropped for a combination of rage and panic. The visible sense of relief he has at the end makes it all the more worth it.

* Befriending [[ScaryBlackMan Dwayne Forge.]] His past rivals Niko's in having to be a criminal purely for survival, (hence why Niko invokes NotSoDifferent,) his time in jail's made him a StrangerInAFamiliarLand with his friends and girl having ditched him despite [[UngratefulBastard all he's done for them, namely Cherise,]] leaving him borderline-suicidal and the game makes you feel like an ''utter'' [[YouBastard bastard]] if [[spoiler: you kill him in "The Holland Play" where gameplay-wise it's embarrassingly easy and only pays out money you could make in a matter of missions anyway, while storyline-wise Dwayne's hatred of you is ''palpable'' as is Playboy X [[NeverMyFault blaming you despite it being on his orders,]] so StoryBranchFavoritism is in full effect,]] but do the opposite and his gratitude is just as palpable both in gameplay in sending ''actually helpful'' Mooks to back you up in fights and giving you the 2nd-best safehouse in the game that includes the [[ShoutOut Claude outfit]] as well as narratively in him opening up to you and that your faith in him was well worth it. GoodFeelsGood, indeed.

** Roman is just [[TheWoobie The Woobie.]] Since Niko's arrival, he'd been stabbed, kidnapped, shot, tied up, beaten, [[spoiler: had his apartment and taxi company (that also contained the ring he was going to propose to Mallorie with) burnt down]] and [[ArsonMurderandJaywalking had his computer broken]] but never, ever lost faith in his cousin.

* The mission where [[spoiler: Nico rescues Roman from kidnappers]] doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Niko completely LOSES it during the mission and his normally stoic demeanor is completely dropped for a combination of rage and panic. The visible sense of relief he has at the end makes it all the more worth it.

* The mission where [[spoiler: Nico rescues Roman from kidnappers]] doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Nico completely LOSES it during the mission and his normally stoic demeanor is completely dropped for a combination of rage and panic. The visible sense of relief he has at the end makes it all the more worth it.

* Bernie Crane's whole character is heartwarming when you think about it: he's seen all the horrors that Niko has, yet he managed to move on and live a very happy life. He managed to start over and move on from the past, something Niko could never do, sadly. That Niko accepts his old friend's lifestyle without judgment fairly quickly is touching, as well.

* Bernie Crane's whole character is heartwarming when you think about it: he's seen all the horrors that Niko has, yet he managed to move on and live a very happy life. He managed to start over and move on from the past, something Niko could never do, sadly.

* Bernie Crane's whole character is heartwarming when you think about it: he's seen all the horrors that Niko has, yet he managed to move on and live a very happy life. He managed to start over and move on from the past, something Niko could never do, sadly.

* Out of all the [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] that accompany the [[ScrappyMechanic much-maligned Friendship Activities]], one really stands out as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for his [[EvenEvilHasStandards integrity and firmness in his beliefs]], and they conclude with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at [[HitmanWithAHeart humanizing Niko]].

* Out of all the [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] that accompany the [[ScrappyMechanic much-maligned Friendship Activities]], one really stands out as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for being [[EvenEvilHasStandards so firm in his beliefs]], and they end with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at [[HitmanWithAHeart humanizing Niko]].

* Out of all the [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] that accompany the [[ScrappyMechanic much-maligned Friendship Activities]], one really stands out as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for being [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules so firm in his beliefs]], and they end with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at humanizing Niko.

. Out of all the [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] that accompany the [[ScrappyMechanic much-maligned Friendship Activities]], one really stands out as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for being [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules so firm in his beliefs]], and they end with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at humanizing Niko.

* Despite all the hate for [[ScrappyMechanic Friendship Activities]], they are very refreshing for one reason: [[NarrativeFiligree snippets of dialogue]] between Niko and the chosen friend, which flesh them out as more [[CharacterDevelopment nuanced characters]]. Often, these conversations are either [[SnarkToSnarkCombat snark-fests]] [[DarkAndTroubledPast grim recollections]] or [[Funny/GrandTheftAutoIV just plain funny]]. However, one conversation really strikes as the most heartwarming of them all: After several friendship activities (and subsequent conversations) wherein they criticize each other's lifestyles, [[TheGamblingAddict Roman]] and [[ProfessionalKiller Niko]] finally tell each other of how much they respect the other. Niko admits that he admires Roman for being so [[WideEyedIdealist optimistic]] even in the darkest of circumstances, while Roman praises Niko for being [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules so firm in his beliefs]], and they end with both of them wishing they could be like the other. It's one of the few moments in the game that unquestionably succeed at humanizing Niko.

* Despite [[spoiler: Kate getting killed in the "Revenge" ending, one of the phone calls that Niko receives during the end credits is from Roman, who says that Mallorie, his wife, is pregnant, and if it's a girl, they'll name her Kate. Happily contrasted with the "Deal" ending, where not only does Roman die, leaving Mallorie a child without a father to raise, but Kate breaks up with Niko for being a greedy jerkass.]]

** More needs to be said about Marnie (the drug-addled prostitute). In her second mission you take her to the train station and give her some money for her journey home. Afterwards you get an email from her, telling you just how much you've changed her life. In a game where nearly everyone you meet you kill and end up in a little better situation then you left, it's one of the few genuinely bright spots.

* The stranger quests, showing a lighter side to Niko (sometimes) involving rescuing a failing rapper being harassed by thugs, giving money to a drug-addled prostitute and taking her home, helping a recently divorced woman, stopping Anna Faustin's (Mikhail's daughter from way back at the beginning) new boyfriend from turning her into a whore, helping [[spoiler: Ivan and Cherise, if you let them live]], paying off some debts with newly reformed ex-drunkard Mel and getting old friend Hossan's money back from an employer.