History VideoGame / GrandTheftAutoIV

* AnAesop: Crime doesn't pay. The world of crime is an incredibly dangerous place which causes immense suffering and destruction to both the criminals themselves and the people around them. By the end of the main story the vast majority of Niko's employers and criminal associates are either dead, in prison or ended up with their lives permanently ruined. Niko himself suffers the consequences of his work as no matter the choice that he makes at the end he ends up losing a loved one.

''Grand Theft Auto IV'' is the third NumberedSequel and ninth overall entry of the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series, the first one to appear on a [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation]] console, and [[ContinuityReboot the start of a new continuity]]. It was also, thanks to a famous slip-up by Sony over renewing their previous contract with Rockstar for exclusive publishing rights, the first entry to get a simultaneous MultiPlatform release, as well as the first to have downloadable content. The game certainly takes advantage of the new hardware to the fullest - character models are much more realistically detailed and animated, as is just about everything else.

Before the game's release, Rockstar signed a $50 million deal with Microsoft to produce two [[DownloadableContent downloadable]] {{expansion pack}}s exclusively for the Platform/{{Xbox 360}} in 2009. Of course, this was a major flashpoint in the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars. The first of the two was released in March, while the second one was released at the end of October. [=PS3=] and PC owners could rejoice as these previously exclusive expansions came out for their formats in April 2010. If you have tropes for the ''Episodes from Liberty City'' (as their compilation release is called), put them on their respective pages, linked here:

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Niko chastises Darko for selling him and their fallen comrades out over $1,000 worth of heroin. And Darko returns the favor to Niko, saying he has killed many people for money.

* WarIsHell: One of the {{Central Theme}}s of the game. Niko, Florian, [[spoiler:Darko]], and possibly Roman were heavily strung by the war, it changes them in different ways. Niko actually goes into details about his experiences in the war, and depending who he talks to, he's not very happy to talk about it. Florian [[spoiler:who became Bernie Crane]] suffered the same experience, but he ultimately chose to turn his life around, and became a lifestyle coach. [[spoiler:Darko]] is as heavily affected by war as Niko, and turned to drugs to cope, but he ultimately sold out his comrades which left Niko and Florian as {{Sole Survivor}}s in order to get $1000 for hi drug addiction. Roman has small details about the war, but Niko does reminesces about the time they found an intact bottle of vodka in a ruined bar. However where Roman thought his mother had thought to have been killed by a housefire, Niko found out she was actually raped and murdered. However, Roman chose to move to America to start over. In other words, war really changes people and their lifestyle, but it can bring positive or negative consequences.

** Mikahil Faustin is certainly abusive towards his wife Ilyena and is implied to be as well towards their daughter Anna, though he claims that "he spoiled her rotten". While he is certainly an unstable and maniacal individual who orders Niko to kills Anna's boyfriend, it turns out said boyfriend was a pimp trying to turn her into a whore so he might have a point. He still calls her daughter an "out-of-control bitch" because his wife "messed up raising her" and that he doesn't care about her happiness.

* MortonsFork: The deal with [[spoiler:Dimitri]]. Take the deal, and [[spoiler:Kate leaves you ''and'' Roman gets killed]]. Instead opt to kill [[spoiler: Dimitri, and Kate gets killed in a drive-by.]] You're screwed either way and true to the game's DarkerAndEdgier tone, that's the way it ''has'' to be.

Before the game's release, Rockstar signed a $50 million deal with Microsoft to produce two [[DownloadableContent downloadable]] {{expansion pack}}s exclusively for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} in 2009. Of course, this was a major flashpoint in the UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars. The first of the two was released in March, while the second one was released at the end of October. [=PS3=] and PC owners could rejoice as these previously exclusive expansions came out for their formats in April 2010. If you have tropes for the ''Episodes from Liberty City'' (as their compilation release is called), put them on their respective pages, linked here:

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Niko. As a child, Niko aspired to become an astronaut. But an abusive father, combined with being drafted as a ChildSoldier during the Yugoslav Wars (and feeling regretful for the atrocities he either witnessed or committed), and witnessing a personal betrayal that saw several of his childhood friends (and fellow platoon mates) gunned down all drove him into becoming cynical. As Niko established, fighting in The Yugoslav Wars will erode a person's humanity.