GTA 4 multiplayer is chaotic and hilarious, if you can find a game
In a classic feature from PC Gamer issue 197, February 2009, Kieron Gillen discusses the multiplayer mode of Grand Theft Auto 4.
The PC version of GTA games has always been the best way to experience them, thanks to the more powerful hardware and additional features. GTA 4 offers future-proofing with hardware settings that will become practical as PCs catch up in power.
The multiplayer limit has been increased from 16 players on consoles to 32 players on PC, allowing for larger and more chaotic multiplayer experiences. The addition of multiplayer to the GTA series is a major step forward, as previously players had to rely on mod projects like Multi Theft Auto. Playing GTA 4’s multiplayer requires creating a Games for Windows Live account and linking it to a Rockstar Social Club account, but once that’s done you’re free to play.
There are various game modes available, each can be customized with different options, such as limiting weapons to rocket-launchers only. The control system in multiplayer brings out subtleties, with slow-moving rockets that require careful aiming. The closed-off areas in multiplayer can be as small as one of the peninsulas of the central island, depending on the selected game mode.
There are world options such as pedestrians and traffic, which can be turned off to improve performance in larger games. The GTA race mode combines racing with added violence, creating a thrilling and chaotic experience. Lower-placed racers often turn the race into a survival simulator, fighting among themselves and creating road blocks of debris.
GTA 4’s multiplayer offers a collision between realistic gangster movements and comedic moments straight out of a Keystone Cops film. Fellow human players add a sense of humanity to GTA 4, making the multiplayer experience even more enjoyable.
This article was originally published in PC Gamer issue 197, February 2009.
