Grand Theft Auto 4

Although already somewhat old in the scheme of the fast-paced environment that is digital storytelling Grand Theft Auto 4 (released in 2nd quarter of 2008) to me is still a definitive example of digital storytelling. I can still remember the first time I played the title how it seemed fresh, vibrant, and incredibly detailed. The depth is huge with side missions, radio stations to suit almost any taste, and fake television that can just be watched. All of these elements are joking impersonations of their real life counterparts, which add interest that is relatable while at the same time reinvigorated. Personally I am a fan of the nonlinear sandbox style game play that can be found in GTA4 and sadly there are still at this point not that many open play titles, while a few handfuls can be named it is still a small proportion of the market.

Interactivity is great in GTA4, you are in complete control of the character. If you want to bowl, play darts, shoot pool just do it. If you want to play any one of several styles of online play with people all over the globe, it is easy as making a selection on the character's cell phone. The IA in the game allows a decent level of interaction with all the characters in the game itself from friendly characters and the police to the drivers of random cars and people on the street. Some abilities in the game are even based on your relations with characters in the game.
Hypermedia is something that is not largely presented in the game and is one of the only things that I could see some improvement in, not to say the game is terrible at it. The depth of this skewed look at life even goes to the point of having its own version of the Internet. While the games comical look at the Internet in and of itself has a surprising amount of detail given the consoles ability to web browse the sites or at least an area of the interpretation should be able to connect directly to the web. The game does come close in this with some actual links and urls found in the game actually correlate to actual sites when taken online, the crutch being that you are not going online through the game. The presentation and story build up on all of the game’s web based advertisement is great. The linking for multiplayer online is seamless.
Immersion is something that that this game doesn’t lack. From the story to the free range of choices the detailed world is yours. Immersion to me is huge in a movie, something about not having to interact and be able to put deep focus on watching the story unfold with a video game it is nearly opposite the control is given to me, so I want free ranged control. The sandbox play of GTA4 is so far removed from the strict path and non-cerebral thrills of a rail shooter. While the borders of GTA’s world and detail can be found, you actually have to look for it or at least nit pick to such a degree that you are going to be happy with nothing that is presently available. Natural Motion’s Euphoria engine integrates AI, physics, and biomechanics into the game making the people and environment of the game intuitive and adaptive. The game is transportive and helped raise the bar, at least for me, of what a great game requires.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_IV

http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/