Niko Bellic

Last updated

Niko Bellic
Grand Theft Auto character
Niko-Bellic-Infobox.png
Promotional artwork for Grand Theft Auto IV
First game Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
Last appearance Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009)
Created by Rockstar North
Voiced by Michael Hollick
Motion capture
In-universe information
Fighting style Krav Maga
FamilyRoman Bellic (cousin)
Significant others
  • Karen Daniels / "Michelle"
  • Kate McReary
Origin Eastern Europe

Niko Bellic is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of Rockstar North's 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV , the sixth main entry in Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto series. He also makes non-playable appearances in the game's episodic content The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony , both released in 2009. Michael Hollick provided the character's voice and motion capture.

Contents

Within the game's storyline, Niko is an ex-soldier from Eastern Europe, who was shaped by his experiences in an unidentified war he fought in, developing a very cynical view on life. After becoming involved with a Russian crime syndicate, and discovering that his unit was sold out to enemy forces, he decides to move to Liberty City to pursue the American Dream, inspired by his cousin Roman's personal tales of luxury and riches that he had experienced while living there for the past decade. However, upon his arrival, he discovers that those stories were greatly exaggerated, and attempts to improve his and Roman's financial situation by becoming involved with the local criminal underworld. As the game's story progresses, Niko works for various prominent fictional crime figures, in the hopes of finding the traitor who betrayed his unit during the war, while slowly learning to let go of his past and quest for revenge, and attempting to leave the criminal life that comes with major risks.

Niko's character received critical acclaim for his maturity, moral ambiguity, and personal growth, and has been called one of the best protagonists in the series. For his role, Hollick won Best Performance by a Human Male at the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards.

Conception and development

Writer Dan Houser described Niko Bellic as "a more rounded character" than those in previous games. [1] He felt that his dual personality—often saving innocent people, while also being a "cold-hearted killer"—made him more relatable. [1] He also felt that Niko's unfamiliarity with Liberty City allowed for the player to relate to him more, only driven by his vague past and relationship with Roman. When deciding on Niko's background, the writers felt that being an immigrant could lead to more dangerous situations, and therefore more enjoyable missions; after discussions with criminal experts, Houser found that "the real scary characters are not born in America anymore". [1] He felt that Niko's outsider view of American culture was "fun". [1] The team wanted Niko to be "more of an anti hero than a hero, capable of making positive actions within his criminal world". [2] They wanted his demeanour to reflect the weight of his past and choices. [2]

Niko's design underwent a few changes, but was finalised early in development. [3] His outfit underwent several changes based on Eastern Europeans, particularly photographs of men fighting in winter wars in Yugoslavia and Chechnya. The primary motivation for the design was a face to convey the appropriate emotions and a body that could move nicely with the new animations. [1] The in-game purchasable outfits were also designed to fit with the character. [4] The writers found that Niko needed a motivation to come to America, so they created his cousin, Roman. Houser felt that the two could not be brothers as there would be a deeper level of familiarity than necessary. He described the two as a double act, with Roman's fantasist charm playing off Niko's tough cynicism. The team gave other non-playable characters (NPCs) more definable behaviours and dialogue to make them feel more alive. [5]

Michael Hollick, voice of Niko Bellic, won a Spike TV award for "Best Performance by a Human Male". MichaelHollickCC08.jpg
Michael Hollick, voice of Niko Bellic, won a Spike TV award for "Best Performance by a Human Male".

Niko is voiced by Michael Hollick. [6] Hollick was paid about US$100,000 for his voice acting and motion-capture work over the course of about 15 months from 2006 to 2007. Hollick was paid about $1,050 a day for his work on the game, about 50% more than the standard Screen Actors Guild-negotiated rate for actors, although he claimed it was still a fraction of the income he would receive from a film or TV-show performance, and that he was upset about not getting residuals from game sales, putting the blame on the union for not securing such agreements. [7] Hollick told The New York Times that while he was a theatre student at Carnegie Mellon University he developed a talent for dialects. [7] [8] [9] [10]

Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov claims he was in discussions with Rockstar Games to voice the character, and that the character's appearance is based on him, specifically from his role of the Tracker, Sasha Ivanic, in the 2001 movie Behind Enemy Lines , but he ultimately turned down the offer. [11] Actor and former mixed martial artist Bas Rutten performed the motion capture for Niko's fighting scenes; [12] he worked on the game for over a year, and brought mixed martial artist Amir Perets for additional work. [13] Niko's fighting style is primarily Krav Maga. [14] [15]

Niko's nationality is unspecified in the game and is subject to debate. [16] It was believed by some that he was Russian, Serbian, or Croatian. [17] [18] [19] Executive producer Sam Houser spoke on the matter, saying that Niko is "from that grey part of broken-down Eastern Europe", suggesting that Niko's nationality was left intentionally vague or to the interpretation of the player. [20] Following the game's release, several journalists referred to Niko as Serbian. [21] [22] [23] [24] In the game, Niko occasionally makes statements in Serbo-Croatian [25] however it is suggested by his cousin Roman that Niko speaks the Serbian variety. [26]

Appearances

In Grand Theft Auto IV

Niko was born to Milica Bellic and an unnamed father in an unspecified country in Eastern Europe. Milica, a maternal and caring presence in Niko's life, regrets that her sons have been forced to endure the hardships they did as children, including their abusive, alcoholic father. As a teenager, Niko participated in an unnamed war as an infantryman, tank driver, and helicopter pilot, during which he witnessed numerous atrocities that traumatised him, leading to his cynical view on life. He is implied to have committed war crimes. [27] After his unit of fifteen men from his village were ambushed by the enemy, Niko escaped and concluded that the unit had been betrayed by one of their own soldiers. He later learned that there are two other survivors, Florian Cravic and Darko Brevic, and vowed to search for the traitor.

After the war, Niko experienced difficulty leading a normal life, and his brother was killed in action. Knowing only violence, Niko turned to the Balkanic criminal underworld. He joined a smuggling and trafficking ring run by Russian crime lord Ray Bulgarin. During one smuggling run into Italy, the boat that Niko was working on sank in the Adriatic Sea. [28] He was able to swim to safety, but Bulgarin accused him of sinking the ship intentionally to escape with the money. Niko later joined the merchant navy to flee from Bulgarin, befriended the crew of the Platypus cargo ship, and contemplated his cousin Roman's requests for him to come to Liberty City in the United States. [29]

Once in Liberty City in 2008, Niko quickly realises that Roman's stories of wealth and success were exaggerated. In reality, his cousin lives in a small, decrepit apartment in the Broker district, [30] and owes gambling debts across the city, which he struggles to pay through his unprofitable taxi service. [31] [32] [33] [34] In addition to working for Roman as a cab driver, Niko must protect him from loan sharks and work for Russian gangster Vlad Glebov to prevent Roman from sinking further into debt. Niko completes most of the jobs he is given with ease, as his military skills give him an advantage over the street thugs of Liberty City. [35] [36] During this time, he also begins making criminal contacts that will eventually become important allies, [37] such as Yardie second-in-command Little Jacob and car entrepreneur Brucie Kibbutz. Niko's professional and personal relationships expand over the course of the game, as he is introduced to more powerful and influential criminals. [38]

After Niko kills Vlad as revenge for sleeping with Roman's long-time girlfriend Mallorie, he and Roman are kidnapped by Russian mobsters on orders of their boss Mikhail Faustin. Not bothered by Vlad's murder, Faustin releases them and later employs Niko as a hitman. Niko quickly discovers Faustin's true nature after being ordered to kill the son of powerful Russian crime lord Kenny Petrović. When Petrović threatens retaliation, Faustin's deputy Dimitri Rascalov convinces Niko to assassinate Faustin to make amends, but later betrays him by bringing him before Ray Bulgarin, revealed to be an old friend of Dimitri's, who demands what he is owed. With Little Jacob's help, Niko survives the ambush, but Dimitri and Bulgarin later retaliate by burning down Roman's apartment and cab depot.

Forced to move to the Bohan district and lay low for a while, Niko begins making new criminal contacts, including several drug dealers and the Irish Mob, for whom he begins working in an effort to secure a better life and locate Florian, who Niko knows also lives in Liberty City. In the process, he befriends Irish gangster Patrick McReary, and discovers that his girlfriend Michelle is an undercover government agent actually named Karen, who entraps Niko into working for her agency, known only by its cover: the United Liberty Paper (ULP). Niko assassinates several known or suspected terrorists for the agency in exchange for clearing his criminal record and assistance in finding the man who betrayed his unit.

After assisting Ray Boccino, a caporegime in the Pegorino Crime Family with an important diamond deal, Niko finally locates Florian, now the flamboyant homosexual Bernie Crane, only to discover he is not the traitor. He then sets off to find Darko, now revealed as the one who betrayed their unit, while continuing to work for the Italian Mafia in Liberty City, including the Pegorino and Gambetti families. While helping Patrick trade Don Giovanni Ancelotti's kidnapped daughter for the diamonds, Niko crosses paths with Bulgarin again, whose interference in the exchange results in the diamonds' loss.

During this time, Niko's conflict with Dimitri escalates as the former rescues Roman after he is kidnapped by Dimitri's men, thwarts his plot to blackmail Liberty City's deputy mayor, and disrupts his drug operations while working for the Mafia. Niko and Roman eventually secure the lifestyle they sought after the latter rebuilds his taxi company and buys a new apartment in Algonquin using insurance money from his formerly destroyed business.

Eventually, the ULP locates Darko and brings him to Liberty City for Niko to decide his fate. Having achieved closure on his past, Niko is summoned by Don Jimmy Pegorino for one final favour: to help with an extremely lucrative deal on heroin in collusion with Dimitri. After learning where Dimitri is, however, Niko is left to choose between exacting revenge on him or going through with the deal. [39]

The former scenario sees Niko successfully killing Dimitri and his men, [40] only for Pegorino, enraged at losing out on a substantial profit, to try and exact revenge on him at Roman and Mallorie's wedding. Pegorino performs a drive-by attack on Niko, but accidentally kills Patrick's sister Kate, whom Niko had been dating. [41] Little Jacob and Roman help Niko find and kill Pegorino, who by this point was targeted by most of the Liberty City underworld. [42] If Niko instead agrees to work with Dimitri again, the latter betrays him by keeping the heroin for himself, [43] and sending a hitman to murder him at Roman and Mallorie's wedding. Niko survives the attempt on his life, but the hitman accidentally kills Roman with a stray bullet. [41] With Little Jacob's help, the vengeful and devastated Niko tracks down and kills Dimitri, who in turn murdered Pegorino. [44]

Depending on the ending chosen, Niko is later informed by Mallorie or Roman that the former is pregnant. He either vows to protect the child and become a father figure for them, or is told by Roman that the couple have decided to name their child in Kate's memory, should it be a girl. Either way, the game ends with Niko musing on the American Dream and concluding that it is a hollow promise, which no one can truly achieve.

Niko plays a minor role in both of Grand Theft Auto IV's expansion packs, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony (both 2009), which take place simultaneously with the storyline of the base game, from the perspective of characters with minor roles in GTA IV's narrative. [45] He appears as an NPC in the missions that cross over with the base game.

In other games

Niko is mentioned several times in Grand Theft Auto V (2013), indirectly by Lester Crest, who, when planning a jewellery store robbery alongside protagonist Michael De Santa, considers "an Eastern European guy making moves in Liberty City" as a possible accomplice, before dismissing the idea, claiming that he "went quiet". If selected as a crew member for "The Paleto Score", Patrick McReary will talk about the bank heist he, Niko, his brother Derrick, and accomplice Michael Keane carried out in Liberty City, mentioning how the latter two are dead and that Niko is probably dead as well, as he has not heard from him in the past five years. As an Easter egg in the game, players can view Niko's LifeInvader profile, which reveals that he is still working for Roman's taxi company. Niko's latest message to his cousin is wishing him a happy birthday. [46]

In the "Collector's Edition" of Grand Theft Auto Online , players can choose what their character is to look like by selecting between different parents; Niko is one of the special parents available, meaning that players can select Niko so that their character has a level of resemblance to him. [47] [48]

Reception

Niko received positive reactions from critics. Jon Hicks of Official Xbox Magazine and Andy Robinson of Computer and Video Games both called Niko "charismatic" and "likeable", stating that they prefer him over previous protagonists of the series. [49] [50] George Walter of GamesRadar praised the depth of the character, and IGN 's Hilary Goldstein found him relatable when faced with difficult decisions. [21] Jeff Gerstmann of Giant Bomb felt Niko was "the only thing that mattered to [him]" as he progressed through the story, with the character becoming one of his favourite features of the game. [51] Seth Schiesel of The New York Times named Niko one of the most realised video game characters, attributing this to the game's script. [52]

Niko was voted as the 14th top character of the 2000s decade by readers of Game Informer . [53] In 2008, The Age said "few characters in video game history have provided us with such a spectrum of emotions. Niko's tale is such a roller coaster ride that by the climax you'd be forgiven for feeling exhausted and perhaps even a little numb." [54] Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer opined Niko "himself is quickly sympathetic - his moral latitude is rooted in horrible war stories, but he's warm-hearted - and imposing". [55] GameDaily stated that he had a heart-of-gold beneath his rough exterior. [56] In 2011, readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition voted Niko as the 13th-top video game character of all time. [57] Yahtzee Croshaw of Zero Punctuation considered Niko an improvement over previous series protagonists, regarding him as "a very human, very relatable character who could still believably lose his mind." [58]

Related Research Articles

<i>Grand Theft Auto: Vice City</i> 2002 video game

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the fourth main game in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2001's Grand Theft Auto III, and the sixth entry overall. Set in 1986 within the fictional Vice City, the single-player story follows mobster Tommy Vercetti's rise to power after being released from prison and becoming caught up in an ambushed drug deal. While seeking out those responsible, Tommy gradually builds a criminal empire by seizing power from other criminal organisations in the city.

<i>Grand Theft Auto III</i> 2001 video game

Grand Theft Auto III is a 2001 action-adventure game developed by DMA Design and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 1999's Grand Theft Auto 2, and the fifth instalment overall. Set within the fictional Liberty City, the story follows Claude, a silent protagonist who, after being betrayed and left for dead by his girlfriend during a robbery, embarks on a quest for revenge that leads him to become entangled in a world of crime, drugs, gang warfare, and corruption. The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot or by vehicle. Its open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, consisting of three main areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar North</span> British video game developer

Rockstar Games UK Limited is a British video game development company and a studio of Rockstar Games based in Edinburgh. The company was founded as DMA Design in Dundee in 1987 by David Jones, soon hiring former classmates Mike Dailly, Russell Kay, and Steve Hammond. During its early years, DMA Design was backed by its publisher Psygnosis, primarily focusing on Amiga, Atari ST and Commodore 64 games. During this time, they created successful shooters such as Menace and Blood Money, but soon turned to platform games after the release of Lemmings in 1991, which was an international success and led to several sequels and spin-offs. After developing Unirally for Nintendo, DMA Design was set to become one of their main second-party developers, but this partnership ended after Nintendo's disapproval of Body Harvest.

<i>Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas</i> 2004 video game

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh title in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, the game follows Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns home after his mother's murder and finds his old gang has lost much of their territory. Over the course of the game, he attempts to re-establish the gang, clashes with corrupt authorities and powerful criminals, and gradually unravels the truth behind his mother's murder.

<i>Grand Theft Auto</i> Video game series

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a series of action-adventure games created by David Jones and Mike Dailly. Later titles were developed under the oversight of brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut. It is primarily developed by British development house Rockstar North, and published by its American parent company, Rockstar Games. The name of the series is a term for motor vehicle theft in the United States.

<i>Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories</i> 2005 action-adventure game

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a 2005 action-adventure game developed in a collaboration between Rockstar Leeds and Rockstar North, and published by Rockstar Games. The ninth installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, it was initially released as a PlayStation Portable exclusive in October 2005. A port for the PlayStation 2 was later released in June 2006. At the time of release, the recommended retail price of the PS2 port was around half the price of the PSP version, because the PS2 version does not feature the custom soundtrack ripping capability of the PSP version. Ports for iOS, Android and Fire OS devices were also released in December 2015, February 2016, and March 2016, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Coffee (minigame)</span> Minigame in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

"Hot Coffee" is the unofficial name for a minigame in the 2004 action-adventure video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas by Rockstar Games. While it was not playable in the official game release, the modding community discovered hidden code that, when enabled, allows protagonist Carl "CJ" Johnson to have animated sexual intercourse with his in-game girlfriend.

<i>Grand Theft Auto IV</i> 2008 video game

Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and the eleventh instalment overall. Set in the fictional Liberty City, based on New York City, the single-player story follows Eastern European war veteran Niko Bellic and his attempts to escape his past while under pressure from high-profile criminals. The open world design lets players freely roam Liberty City, consisting of three main islands, and the neighbouring state of Alderney, which is based on New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar Advanced Game Engine</span> Proprietary game engine

The Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) is a proprietary game engine of Rockstar Games, developed by the RAGE Technology Group division of Rockstar San Diego. Since its first game, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis in 2006, released for the Xbox 360 and Wii, the engine has been used by Rockstar Games' internal studios to develop advanced open world games for consoles and computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Philips</span> Fictional character in Grand Theft Auto V

Trevor Philips is a character and one of the three playable protagonists, alongside Michael De Santa and Franklin Clinton, of Grand Theft Auto V, the seventh main title in the Grand Theft Auto series developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. He also appears in the game's multiplayer component, Grand Theft Auto Online. A career criminal and former bank robber, Trevor leads his own organisation, Trevor Philips Enterprises, and comes into conflict with various rival gangs and criminal syndicates as he attempts to secure control of the drugs and weapons trade in the fictional Blaine County, San Andreas. He is portrayed by Canadian actor Steven Ogg, who provided the voice and motion capture for the character.

<i>Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars</i> 2009 video game

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a 2009 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar Leeds in conjunction with Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The game was released for the Nintendo DS in March 2009, PlayStation Portable in October 2009, iOS in January 2010, and Android and Fire OS devices in December 2014. It is the thirteenth game in the Grand Theft Auto series and a follow-up to Grand Theft Auto IV, and is the first entry to be released for handheld consoles since 2006's Vice City Stories. Set within modern-day Liberty City, the single-player story follows young Triad member Huang Lee and his efforts to recover a sword gifted by his late father after it is stolen from him, while inadvertently becoming caught in a power struggle amongst Liberty City's Triads.

<i>Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned</i> First of two episodic expansion packs for Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned is the first of two episodic expansion packs of the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV, developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The game was released individually for the Xbox 360 on 17 February 2009, and as part of the disc-based package Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City for PlayStation 3 and Windows on 13 April 2010. The package also includes the second Grand Theft Auto IV expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony, and does not require the base game to be played. Microsoft added Episodes from Liberty City to its backwards compatibility list for Xbox One platforms in February 2017.

<i>Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony</i> Second of the two episodic expansion packs for Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony is the second of two episodic expansion packs available for the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV, developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The game was released individually for the Xbox 360 on 29 October 2009, and for the PlayStation 3 and Windows on 13 April 2010, as part of a standalone disc-based package titled Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, which also contains Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned and does not require the base game to be played. Microsoft added Episodes from Liberty City to its backwards compatibility list for Xbox One platforms in February 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hollick</span> American actor

Michael Hollick is an American actor. He is known for providing the voice and motion capture of Niko Bellic in the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

<i>Grand Theft Auto V</i> 2013 video game

Grand Theft Auto V is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV, and the fifteenth instalment overall. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California, the single-player story follows three protagonists—retired bank robber Michael De Santa, street gangster Franklin Clinton, and drug dealer and gunrunner Trevor Philips, and their attempts to commit heists while under pressure from a corrupt government agency and powerful criminals. Players freely roam San Andreas's open world countryside and fictional city of Los Santos, based on Los Angeles.

Development of <i>Grand Theft Auto V</i> Development of 2013 video game

A team of approximately 1,000 people developed Grand Theft Auto V over several years. Rockstar Games released the action-adventure game in September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in April 2015 for Windows, and in March 2022 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The first main Grand Theft Auto series entry since Grand Theft Auto IV, its development was led by Rockstar North's core 360-person team, who collaborated with several other international Rockstar studios. The team considered the game a spiritual successor to many of their previous projects like Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3. After its unexpected announcement in 2011, the game was fervently promoted with press showings, cinematic trailers, viral marketing strategies and special editions. Its release date, though subject to several delays, was widely anticipated.

<i>Grand Theft Auto Online</i> 2013 video game

Grand Theft Auto Online is an online multiplayer action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 1 October 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 18 November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, 14 April 2015 for Windows, and 15 March 2022 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game is the online component of Grand Theft Auto V. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto Online allows up to 30 players to explore its open world environment and engage in cooperative or competitive game matches.

<i>Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition</i> 2021 video game compilation

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is a 2021 compilation of three action-adventure games in the Grand Theft Auto series: Grand Theft Auto III (2001), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). Developed by Grove Street Games and published by Rockstar Games, all three games are remastered, with visual enhancements and gameplay upgrades. The games feature different protagonists and locations within the same continuity. Grand Theft Auto III follows silent protagonist Claude in Liberty City; Vice City, set in 1986, features ex-mobster Tommy Vercetti in the fictional Vice City; and San Andreas, set in 1992, follows gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson within the state of San Andreas.

<i>Grand Theft Auto VI</i> Upcoming video game

Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming action-adventure game in development by Rockstar Games. It is due to be the eighth main Grand Theft Auto game, following Grand Theft Auto V (2013), and the sixteenth entry overall. Set within the fictional open world state of Leonida—based on Florida—and its Miami-inspired Vice City, the story is expected to follow the criminal duo of Lucia and her male partner.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Goldstein, Hilary (29 March 2008). "GTA IV: Building a Brave New World". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 Garbut, Aaron (April 2008), The Art of Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar Games, p. 26
  3. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (21 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV's Aaron Garbut: Part 1". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. p. 1. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  4. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (1 April 2008). "GTA IV: Pushing the Limits". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  5. ↑ "GTA IV: The City that Never Sleeps". IGN . Ziff Davis. 22 April 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "Jack Black announces new game trailers at video game awards". The Daily Telegraph . 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  7. 1 2 Schiesel, Seth (21 May 2008). "A Video Game Star and His Less-Than-Stellar Pay". The New York Times . p. E1. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  8. ↑ Totilo, Stephen (11 April 2007). "'GTA IV' Details: Who's Niko Bellic? And Where's Staten Island". MTV News . MTV. Archived from the original on 18 March 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  9. ↑ Androvich, Mark (21 May 2008). "Voice of GTA IV's Niko Bellic wants more respect". Gamesindustry.biz . Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  10. ↑ "About Michael Hollick". Michaelhollick.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  11. ↑ Posner, Vladimir (27 September 2010). "Vladimir Mashkov's interview". Posner  [ ru ]. Episode 61 (in Russian). Event occurs at 32:30. Channel One Russia . Retrieved 30 July 2018. Нет, таких слов в моём лексиконе, „не мой уровень", не было никогда в жизни. Мне, прям, сейчас аж стыдно. Дело в том, что это была странная такая, полуаферистическая вещь. Я очень рад, что эта игра собрала за месяц полмиллиарда долларов – это идёт разговор о GTA IV. То есть это самая продаваемая игра в мире. И они использовали мой образ из картины Джона Мура под названием „В тылу врага". Вот, им понравилось такое. Я очень старался, собирал по кусочкам этот бомжеватый вид. И мне не сказали тогда, что это такое. Может быть, я озвучил бы. Не знаю. Ну, это интересно, часть профессии, но не особенно меня это увлекает. <…> Я даже не знал, что это, я не принял это всерьёз.
  12. ↑ Hammond, Mick (25 May 2008). "Bas Rutten Talks IFL, GTA 4 & More". MMAWeekly.com . Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Bas Rutten Talks GTA 4, Kimbo Slice, His Inside MMA Ranking, and much more!". MMAyou.com . 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Steal a glimpse inside 'Grand Theft Auto IV'". ABC News. April 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  15. ↑ Reparaz, Mike (28 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV review". GamesRadar . Future plc. p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  16. ↑ Cowen, Nick (28 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV: the biggest and the best". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  17. ↑ Workman, Robert (16 October 2007). "Grand Theft Auto IV". Businessweek.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2010. He's a Russian immigrant with a life of crime and several problems at home.
  18. ↑ Schiesel, Seth (21 May 2008). "A Video Game Star and His Less-Than-Stellar Pay". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017. Niko is a war-scarred Serbian...
  19. ↑ "Top 10 Video Games of 2008". New York: Nydailynews.com. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2010. An ex-soldier comes to America from Croatia, seeking revenge for a wartime betrayal.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ Crispin Boyer (27 April 2008). "Sweet Land of Liberty". Electronic Gaming Monthly. pp. 44–56. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2008. He's from that gray part of broken-down Eastern Europe, a war-torn area -Sam Houser
  21. 1 2 Walter, George (28 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV - The Fluff-Free Review". GamesRadar . Future plc. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  22. ↑ Purchese, Robert (27 May 2008). "Niko actor prepared for GTA "backlash"". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  23. ↑ Smith, Ed (24 April 2017). "'Grand Theft Auto IV' Shows the Importance of Outsider Perspective". Waypoint . Vice Media. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  24. ↑ Roberts, Sam (30 April 2018). "10 years later: how Grand Theft Auto 4 raised the standard for open-world games and helped shape GTA 5". GamesRadar+ . Future plc. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  25. ↑ Lopičić, Vesna (2009). ""GTA IV": Breaking or Making a Stereotype? Video Game as Propaganda". Belgrade English Language and Literature Studies. 1: 211–220. doi: 10.18485/bells.2009.1.13 . ISSN   1821-3138.
  26. ↑ Zdravković, Aleksa (6 February 2017). "Srbija do GTA: Sve veze Srbije sa najpopularnijom igrom na svetu" [Serbia to GTA: All connections of Serbia with the most popular game in the world]. Vice (in Serbian). Vice Media. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  27. ↑ Bissell, Tom (21 March 2010). "Video games: the addiction". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 16 December 2023. We know he was party to a war-crime atrocity and victim of a double-cross that led to the slaughter of all but three members of his paramilitary unit.
  28. ↑ Schiesel, Seth (28 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto Takes on New York". The New York Times . p. 1. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  29. ↑ Stuart, Keith (29 April 2008). "How Grand Theft Auto smashed the system". Guardian . London: Guardian News & Media Limited. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  30. ↑ "Grand Theft Auto IV". Ur magazine. Rogers Publishing. p. 64.
  31. ↑ Boyer, Crispin (27 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV Review". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  32. ↑ Kendall, Nigel (26 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV the drive of your life". Times Online . London: Times Newspapers Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  33. ↑ Taves, Scott (28 April 2008). "'Grand Theft Auto' will blow you away". NBC News. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  34. ↑ "Grand Theft Auto IV Review for Xbox 360". gamespot.com . CBS Interactive Inc. 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  35. ↑ "Grand Theft Auto IV". Rockstar Games . Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  36. ↑ Thompson, Clive (2 May 2008). "Games Without Frontiers: 'Grand Theft Auto IV' Delivers Deft Satire of Street Life". Wired.com . Condé Nast Digital. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  37. ↑ Gray, Sadie (4 May 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV Making a killing is the name of the game". Times Online . London: Times Newspapers Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  38. ↑ Waite, Roger (27 April 2008). "Its just a game says man behind Grand Theft Auto". Times Online . London: Times Newspapers Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  39. ↑ Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "One Last Thing".
  40. ↑ Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "A Dish Served Cold".
  41. 1 2 Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "Mr and Mrs Bellic".
  42. ↑ Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "Out of Commission".
  43. ↑ Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "If the Price is Right".
  44. ↑ Rockstar North (29 April 2008). Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Rockstar Games. Level/area: "A Revenger's Tragedy".
  45. ↑ Totilo, Stephen (23 January 2009). "'Hell No' - No New Lines For Niko Bellic in 'Grand Theft Auto' Expansion". MTV Multiplayer . Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  46. ↑ "Grand Theft Auto IV: 10 things you didn't know about Niko Bellic". Game Rant. 12 July 2020. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020. In Grand Theft Auto V, players can find Jimmy de Santa looking at Niko's LifeInvader page. While being an Easter egg, it shows that Niko is alive by 2013. [...] Posts on his account can be seen, such as wishing Roman a happy birthday and a picture of Chinatown.
  47. ↑ "More Details and Screens from the Grand Theft Auto V Special and Collector's Edition Digital Content". Rockstar Games . 26 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  48. ↑ "Some More Details on Grand Theft Auto Online". Rockstar Games . 23 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  49. ↑ Robinson, Andy (27 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV review". Computer and Video Games . Future plc. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  50. ↑ Hicks, Jon (28 April 2008). "Review: Grand Theft Auto IV". Official Xbox Magazine . Future plc. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  51. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (5 May 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV Review". Giant Bomb . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  52. ↑ Schiesel, Seth (28 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto Takes On New York". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 28 April 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  53. ↑ Vore, Bryan (3 December 2010). "Readers' Top 30 Characters Results Revealed". Game Informer . Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  54. ↑ "The Top 50 Xbox Characters of All Time". The Age . Fairfax Media. 30 September 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  55. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (27 April 2008). "Grand Theft Auto IV Review". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
  56. ↑ "Top 25 Game Anti-Heroes". GameDaily . AOL Inc. 25 April 2009. p. 17. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  57. ↑ Marchiafava, Jeff (16 February 2011). "Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters of All Time". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  58. ↑ Croshaw, Yahtzee (20 April 2010). "Revenge". The Escapist. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.