Bio
this is where i ramble about games


my scoring:

5 stars - one of my all time faves
4 and 1/2 - incredible, close to being a fave
4 - amazing
3 and 1/2 - really good
3 - good
2 and 1/2 - acceptable
2 - not good
1 and 1/2 - really bad
1 - horrible
1/2 - all time low

also the reason i have so few games logged is because i'm having the same approach as with letterboxd: i only log games i've played/completed since making the account
Personal Ratings
1★
5★

Badges


Popular

Gained 15+ followers

Liked

Gained 10+ total review likes

Best Friends

Become mutual friends with at least 3 others

3 Years of Service

Being part of the Backloggd community for 3 years

Noticed

Gained 3+ followers

061

Total Games Played

003

Played in 2024

000

Games Backloggd


Recently Played See More

Arcade Game Series: Galaga
Arcade Game Series: Galaga

Mar 20

Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen
Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen

Feb 16

Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI

Feb 12

Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition
Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition

Dec 10

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Dec 10

Recently Reviewed See More

This review contains spoilers

- Revenge ending

Incredible game, way better than V when it comes to story and writing since it focuses on being more grounded than open, which is why when it comes to gameplay it may feel way more dull and boring than V's for some. GTA IV focuses a lot on the narrative side, gameplay features becoming to a certain extent a narrative device (the games you can play with friends during hangouts and so on). I personally think the amount of activities keeps the game fresh although post-story the game can feel quite..lonely. And then there's glitches. Anything from small funny mishaps to the well known swingset, they're all guaranteed to provide a few chuckles either in regular gameplay or if you go out of your way to seek it out. (trust me, that swingset is so unpredictable it can create hours of fun alone). There's a lot to do in-game but I understand why some may not find the free-roaming as compelling or entertaining long term as the one from GTA V or even older titles such as San Andreas.
Every main character has its own set of morals and principles and very few feel completely two-dimensional. Little Jacob is my favorite character in the whole game and the friendship he and Niko have is special. The way despite the two being from complete different backgrounds and with a small language/vocabulary barrier can both connect and be so loyal to each other. Jacob is a real friend to Niko and has been more loyal to him than most people, despite the brief time they've known each other for. The relationship between the characters feels real and honest, something opposite of GTA V, who tends to be very shallow and very simplistic with its character relationships, opting less for realism between characters and more for what makes sense to see if the game was a three act movie. IV is very heavy on character development and the often annoying hangouts offer a lot of tidbits about characters histories, livelihoods and so on that the main story alone couldn't offer. Roman is Niko's cousin, always an optimist even if his life is in shambles constantly. He plays both the roles of the comedic relief but also the role of Niko's shining light in the darkest times, as he's the only character that help bring a bit of light in Niko's life, something that is really apparent if you check out the Deal ending.
The game's topics of war, trauma and having to survive with the atrocities you've witnessed or heard be done to those you knew and loved tend to be show themselves a lot with several characters. Roman, while not being directly involved, is traumatised by the war and copes through escapism of a different culture than his. Niko is someone who despite being 30 is way beyond his years due to the trauma the Yugoslavian war has gripped him with. Left with a desensitization to murder due to his embrace of violence, distrust of others and little else other than getting by and revenge, Niko Bellic does anything he can to keep existing, maybe one day being able to live again. Bernie, on the other hand, leaves Yugoslavia and embraces his true self, abandons violence and embraces a peaceful, even submissive and louder nature, the opposite of the mask he had to wear during the war which he associates with his previous name (also unrelated but Bernie should've been a friend character even moreso than Brucie, who Niko never showed much fondness towards due to his behavior). And then there's Darko, who has died with the war. He is just a ghost, an empty shell. He only wanders around and haunts people but has no real purpose. His only way of escaping is addiction to drinking, gambling and isolation. It's why despite going for a Revenge ending, I spared Darko. Death is what he seeks and a greater punishment is not giving him the closure of death, letting him keep suffering on this world that he has abandoned as much as it has abandoned him. War unfortunately creates many people like Darko. Not necessarily as traitorous but people who never recover and keep existing but not living. Despite Niko ultimately being more and better than Darko, he is still surrounded by guilt, shame and bloodshed, all tied to him one way or another, all concluding with Niko realizing that often times what may be imagined as closure may not mean anything, especially if the closure is just getting back at someone who took something away from you, and in that ending's case, Kate, but putting an end to the root cause of the issue is often the only way one can move on and progress. Even though I personally see Kate and Niko's relationship as one sided, with Kate showing no actual romantic interest despite Niko's hopes something may bloom, nobody can deny the intensity of that scene (and how much more depressing it is in the Deal ending where Roman gets killed). Unfortunately closure may not be enough and moving on is the only thing that can start the healing. And that's the hardest part.
"So this is the dream, this is the victory we longed for"

In conclusion, while not as huge in size and scope as V or San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto IV manages to offer a compelling narrative wrapped up in an entertaining gameplay and a beautiful package

On one hand I kinda relate to Ame but on the other hand I also think she's a complete vapid scumbag. Both are good answers