GTA 4 Guide: Story, Characters, Missions, Gangs and Cheats
This GTA 4 guide is the hub for Grand Theft Auto IV, the eleventh title in the series and the first game of the HD Universe. Rockstar North developed it and Rockstar Games published it for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 29, 2008, with the PC version following on December 3, 2008. Use this GTA 4 guide to jump to the story, characters, mission walkthroughs, vehicles, gangs, places and cheats.
Key facts
- Developer and publisher: Rockstar North and Rockstar Games
- Launch platforms: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (April 29, 2008), then PC (December 3, 2008)
- Later release: Xbox One backward compatibility with Episodes from Liberty City on February 9, 2017
- Setting: Liberty City, 2008
- Protagonist: Niko Bellic
- Episodes: The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, also set in 2008
Story and setting
Niko Bellic arrives in Liberty City fresh off the boat from Europe, hoping to escape his past. His cousin Roman believes the two of them can find fortune in the gateway to the land of opportunity. Instead they slide into debt and get dragged into a criminal underworld run by shysters, thieves and sociopaths. The game keeps asking what the American Dream means today.
It is also the first HD Universe game that lets you change the plot through choices, and every choice has consequences. The city covers the boroughs of Broker, Dukes, Bohan and Algonquin, plus the State of Alderney next door.
Main characters
Niko Bellic is the playable protagonist, and Roman Bellic is his optimistic older cousin. Their circle includes Little Jacob, Brucie Kibbutz, Packie McReary and Dwayne Forge, and you can date Kate McReary or meet Alexandra Chilton through the in-game internet.
On the other side stand the bosses who give the orders, such as Dimitri Rascalov, the main antagonist, and Jimmy Pegorino of the Alderney Mob. The episodes add Johnny Klebitz and Luis Fernando Lopez.
Missions and walkthroughs
Our walkthroughs follow the story in order, and the full list lives in the GTA 4 missions category. Here are some good entry points.
- The opening in Broker: The Cousins Bellic, It’s Your Call, Three’s a Crowd, First Date and Jamaican Heat
- Opening up new areas: Blow Your Cover unlocks Algonquin and Three Leaf Clover unlocks Alderney
- Mid-game jobs: Luck of the Irish and The Snow Storm
- The finale choice: A Dish Served Cold for revenge or If the Price is Right for the deal
Vehicles, gangs and places
The GTA 4 lexicon sorts everything into sections: vehicles, gangs, places and weapons. Good starting points are the Infernus supercar, the Lost MC and Pegorino Crime Family gangs, the Statue of Happiness landmark and the Combat Sniper, which Luck of the Irish unlocks.
Cheats and tools
Stuck on a mission or short on health and ammo? Check the GTA 4 cheats page for codes you can use in Liberty City.
Other GTA editions
The previous game in the series is covered in the GTA San Andreas guide, and the next one is in the GTA Chinatown Wars guide. For the whole series, open the GTA lexicon.
FAQ
What is GTA 4 about?
Niko Bellic leaves Europe for Liberty City to escape his past and chase the American Dream with his cousin Roman, but debt and the criminal underworld pull him in.
When was GTA 4 released?
The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions came out on April 29, 2008, and the PC version followed on December 3, 2008.
Can you change the story in GTA 4?
Yes. It is the first HD Universe game where your choices change the plot and carry consequences, so the last missions branch.
Does GTA 4 have expansions?
Yes, two episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, both set in 2008 in the same city.