A Walk Through GTA IV (Analysis)

[@cyberbingbongbungus]

i like 4's tone better than 5's. 4 is more bleak and i feel like the character of Niko genuinely hates what he does.

[@KH0LRA]

and holy fuck you actually get pissed at the antagonists lol

[@MrDead00]

I see him dead, idk Who said that but in the game somebody said that nico is killing and doesnt feel regret, doesnt feel anything. He'll feel it when he'll die or sth like that

[@DionPanday]

This was the first game that felt next-gen to me. Both in story, characters, visuals and gameplay. So i can see why people like it so much.

[@BrokerCast]

Yeah I agree. I'd imagine the game was mind blowing at the time of release.

[@Huddy52]

I played this and half life 2 (orange box) at around the same time when I was 12 and I know what you mean. They were the first games that gave me this much to chew on from a narrative that I'm still noticing new nuances 13 years later. And both games physics and the fact that you could pick stuff up off the ground blew my mind

[@TitoCarlonCF]

@@Huddy52 ouu yo L Ll Kokopelli

[@Reece29287]

This video was strangely comforting. It was less about gameplay and other purely entertainment oriented topics and more about humans and souls, morality, tragedy and whatnot. Which is more valuable and meaningful. Oddly personal. It felt like having a deep, genuine introspective conversation about how harsh life can be with someone who gets it.

[@BrokerCast]

Thank you! Some of the deepest conversations I've had with people have happened while I'm on a walk with them. So that was kind of the idea for the video, just walking through Liberty City and talking about the game on a personal level. I appreciate you pointing that out because this game's story is personal for me in a way that few stories are. I could've gone even more personal with the video tbh, but I held back a bit.

[@prnxcarter8800]

@@BrokerCast You should more "A Walk Through" videos. It's a great series idea!

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

Mate that's one of the best descriptions of this games atmosphere I've ever read. It's my favourite too.

[@3rasvok24]

Huh I never thought I'd run into someone also fan of archengeia. I prefer 4 as well the whole world felt more real.

[@Huddy52]

Gta v looks more cartoony (of course cause it's a lot more colorful in a good way) buts it's characters lack subtley gta iv characters require more effort to get a read on which I like.

[@christianmogildea4963]

17:30 I believe that the Albanian asked Roman "Where's your russian friend now, eh?" I believe he was referring to Vlad. That's why Roman said that he's his loan shark.

[@sebastianmarcu4368]

Yep, that’s true, he was reffering to Vlad, not to Niko. 😁 I was looking for this comment because I was too lazy to write this myself 😂 Also, Faustin tells Niko to kill Lenny Petrovic, who is the son of Kenny Petrovic and the boyfriend of Dimitri’s cousin (girl). But if you pay veeeery close attention to everything in that mission, you can see that Faustin is only making a bad decission, while Dimitri really wants you to kill his cousin’s boyfriend Lenny to start a war with Petrovic and make you kill Faustin. Why? Because when Niko asks Faustin if he is sure the he wants to kill Lenny, Dimitri doesn’t tell Niko that Lenny is the son of the most powerful russian mob in Libery City, and they SHOULD NOT mess with them, he says that he is only “his cousin’s boyfriend; a moron”, and only that. And Rockstar knew that us, the fans, will never know if there was actually Dimitri’s plan of making Niko to kill Faustin, or Faustin’s stupid decissions that obliged Dimitri and Niko to turn back on Faustin, so they made a “secret” call that will clarify everything. Just after that cutscene, you take a car and head over to Bohan. At that moment, you can call Dimitri to ask him what is better to do. At that moment, he could definitely tell you to NOT kill Lenny, only scare him to send a message or I don’t know, anything but NOT killing, if Dimitri really was a rational and good intended person, but instead he only tells you: “Do what you have to do.”. And don’t tell me that he had no way of informing you that Lenny Petrovic is the son of the most powerful russian mob in Liberty City, because that game is FULL of SMS. He could just send you a message: “Whatever you do, DON’T KILL LENNY, or you will start a war between his dad and all of us and bad things are gonna happen.” So yes, Faustin was not that bad of a person, he was pretty average for Rusia if you really think so, most of the husbands there and being awful to their wifes, and I don’t say that is ok, I am only saying that he was just a bad person making bad decissions and being addicted to drugs and alcohol, but Dimitri definitely is one of the worst person in a GTA ever, because that’s what Rockstar wanted him to be, and they really nailed it.

[@MrDead00]

Youre saying that youre to lazy to write it but at the same time youve made this Wall of text, bruh

[@sebastianmarcu4368]

@@MrDead00 yes, I didn’t wanted to write it at first, but sometimes s*it happens 😂😂😂😂😂

[@FlymanMS]

@@sebastianmarcu4368 very good observation, the writing in the first part of the game (pre-Algonquin) was top notch.

[@unr8ted77]

GTA IV is a masterpiece. It’s like the Pulp Fiction of games. Way ahead of its time, definitely a bit too complex for a lot of people. GTA V is just an okay game, like the Fast and Furious of games. I do see the Revenge ending as the ‘true’ ending of IV, it makes the most sense and is the choice I believe Niko would make.

[@BrokerCast]

I love both endings and I've changed my mind a few times on which one I prefer. I do tend to prefer deal because Niko takes responsibility for the things he did wrong and it feels like it completes his story arc. Roman's death is also very tragic, it adds a lot of gravity to the situation and makes the final confrontation with Dimitri even better. Deal makes the finale more personal but in many ways revenge feels more fitting with Niko's personality. It's also interesting that in the deal ending Malorie has a son that Niko plays a more important part in raising and in the revenge ending he has a daughter. The thought crossed my mind that maybe they were trying to imply that the cycle of crime and PTSD would repeat with the son in deal and not with the daughter in revenge. Malorie even says "A child without a father has a lot to worry about, trust me on that one." This is true in real life, especially with boys. I've heard of stastics that tell about how most criminals come from single parent households. You also have the fact that almost all of the cast of characters had father issues; Niko, Roman, Brucie, Packie, Dwayne and even more characters that I'm forgetting." I didn't mention this in the review because I thought people would maybe think that I'm reading too much into it. Anyways, I like both endings and I could see revenge being canon based on the easter eggs in GTA V. Thanks for watching.

[@unr8ted77]

BrokerCast BrokerCast BrokerCast I don’t recall the gender of Mallorie’s child being specified in the Revenge ending, it’s left ambiguous i’m sure, as Roman only suggests to call it Kate if it is a girl (but as Deal definitely proves it is a boy). I see the Deal ending as more of a cliche ending, the type of ending you would get in a Hollywood movie with the final showdown with the main villain. Whereas I see Revenge as a more tragic, more grounded ending, because Pegorino’s attack is specifically because Niko refused the deal, so the timing seemed right. But the classic hitman face in the crowd of the deal ending is very cliche to me. I also think that Kate’s death is far more tragic because she’s quite possibly the most innocent character in the entire series, and just by involving herself with Niko, got her killed. Anyway, you’re probably right though Niko has turned out remarkably well for someone with such a messed up background which is why he is one of the greatest characters ever. Arthur and John from Red Dead are up there with him. Btw, a little thing I noticed early on you said that you thought Roman was ashamed of Niko, well Roman was actually talking about Vlad. The Albanian’s who wreck his office ask him “where’s your Russian friend now?” referring to Vlad, not “where’s your cousin now?”. They are not even aware of Niko until he comes in and breaks the guy’s arm. Roman replies that Vlad is not his friend he’s his loan shark.

[@BrokerCast]

@@unr8ted77 That's right, I did get that wrong. I can see why I thought they were referring to Niko but it makes more sense that it was Vlad because like you said, they didn't know who Niko was yet. There are definitely strong arguments to be made for the revenge ending. I talked a lot about optimism and pessimism in the video and it's kind of hard for me to tell which ending leans more towards one or the other. The themes are definitely there with Kate and Roman both representing those two sides but the endings themselves are kind of grey. And that's a good thing because I don't want clear cut positive or negative endings. It's also true that Kate did nothing wrong really. Roman's a more "optimistic" person but he also got Niko into some deep shit. It's hard for me to decide which one I like better. I lean towards deal but I'm not 100 percent certain on it. I also love Red Dead Redemption and John Marston. I played RDR2 and Arthur is one of my favorite protagonists that they've made. I'd like to make a video on it but I haven't even finished the epilogue yet. I finished the story but I was burnt out and couldn't finish the epilogue. It's insane how much story there is in that game as well. I'd have to play it a lot more before I even consider making a video on it, especially one as long as this. Also, one of my favorite things in RDR2 is Arthur's Journal. It showed us so much about his character. It makes me wish we had a journal for Niko and John back in their respective games.

[@unr8ted77]

Gene Nightingale it’s story is more complex. But complexity doesn’t equal better anyway. MGS is a complex series, and both 4 and 5 were big misfires

[@unr8ted77]

Gene Nightingale The story was a bit more complex than what GTA players were used to. It was not simply “take over the town” etc. It had layers and depth that previous GTA games (and still most games in general) didn’t have storywise.

[@gizmoduck4292]

Because of that speech Niko gives, whenever I replay gta 4 I like to give him a yukoslavian army cap and camo pants

[@BrokerCast]

I do the same thing early on but by the end of the game I have him wear a suit through the rest of the story to give him more of an agent 47 look.

[@Ilshatey]

Yugoslavian* Btw, Niko is Serbian, he hates other Yugoslavians

[@doesntmatter152]

@@Ilshatey Where did you get that?

[@MrDead00]

He is Serb he speaks Serbian but he doesnt hate any other yugoslavs bruh

[@IllusionaryUsername]

That's exactly the attitude I have towards Darko. Sparing him would be worse of a punishment because it's better to be dead than to suffer in an eternal Hell on Earth but even so, I personally don't believe that death is the end. Niko is actually visibly disturbed by Eddie Low in their final cutscene. The only character who managed to creep out Niko, as far as I can remember.

[@pardoxia7242]

Just some random thoughts: Another thing about Niko v. Johnny -- They both are loyal to those they consider family, but Niko will at least attempt to remain in good faith with his employers unless they ask him to do something that is against his morals. Johnny doesn't hesitate to continually (and sometimes foolishly) backstab his employers. I would add some things to the "erasing the past" idea at the very end of the game. I would argue that GTA IV and EFLC all encompass a different part of it. Johnny's ending signifies erasing the past, Luis's ending signifies looking toward the future (considering how they're talking about the future of Maisonette 9 and Hercules), and Niko's ending encompasses a little bit of both in that regard (moving on from death, but looking ahead toward Niko's nephew and fully retiring from the criminal world). Thank you for defending Johnny's death. People are perfectly entitled to not like it, but I don't think enough people respective the idea and the reasoning behind why they killed him. --- You provided an interesting perspective advocating for Francis. I've always thought both Francis and Derrick have interesting pros and cons to them that get glossed over by many because a lot of people, including myself at one point, "Francis is an asshole so I shot him." With that said, I've always felt it was more in-character for Niko to kill Francis just because of how disgusted he reacts when Francis asks him to do it. --- It's a shame that you're not able to hangout with Bernie after his missions are complete. Niko doesn't seem to hold any ill-will towards him, he only shows disdain because at the point he was at in the game he was being hunted down by numerous people . --- My favorite scenes with Ray are "Museum Piece" and "Was It Worth It?". And I agree, he just carries this arrogance and snarky attitude that just meshes very well with Niko's generally dry attitude and Johnny's "go-fuck-yourself" demeanor. --- The 2nd dialogue of "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" is my favorite "scene" with Gracie and it showcases some really clever humor involving Niko and Packie and their characters: "...Gracie and me is in love. Gonna get hitched; white picket fence and all that shit." "Packie, this is great! You've finally found a woman who will sit down and listen to your shit. Maybe you should bind and gag all the women you meet." "That may be okay where you're from Niko, but this is an enlightened society we live in. U-S of fuckin' A." - Skip ahead a couple lines - "Maybe Gracie ain't so different. You normally shove so much coke up a girl's nose she may as well be tied up." "You're in a mood, ain'tcha Niko? Is it finally beginning to sink in that my sister's chastity belt don't come off?" "Fuck you." "Fuck you!"

[@BrokerCast]

Really late reply, but I agree with everything you said! Love the banter between Niko and Packie. Glad I'm not the only one that sees Johnny's death as necessary and in character. One extra thing about Francis and Derrick. It's been a while since I made this video and rewatched it. So I don't remember if I brought this up, but I remember Derrek was a rat and sold out his old Irish gang. I think it's implied, but never fully confirmed. I tend to lean in that direction and believe O'Malley, the guy you free from prison. I felt pretty bad about being forced to kill that guy when he pleads for his life. And the only reason you had to kill him was because it seemed like Derrek was trying to hide skeletons in his closet. You're out doing his dirty work, meanwhile he's shooting up in the park. That never sat right with me and as much of a dick Francis is, I hate to admit it, but he's kind of enjoyable to hate. I guess he's kind of charismatic in that way, that actor did a really good job. So I usually decide to let Francis off the hook... Also, his ability to call the cops off of you is useful for Niko and would be really useful for anyone involved organized crime. I also love how Niko forces Francis to call off the cops. He doesn't ask politely, he basically blackmails Francis into calling them off. I always thought that was a clever trick of Niko to pull that off. It shows his situational intelligence, he can be really clever on the spot like that.

[@misterchief3338]

This is legitimately one of, if not the greatest KZbin video I’ve ever watched. You REALLY went in depth with this and some of these lines legitimately resonated with me on a personal level. As stated, “life is complicated”. This game is a legitimate masterpiece. I also want to quote Francis. “There’s no good, or no evil. Just shades of fucking grey.” That quote sums up the entire game for me.

[@sweetwheatsy]

(OBS: LONG-AZZ PARAGRAPH INCOMING) Man, I gotta say; this was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I just recently got a bit back into the GTA series by watching speedruns, and realised how long it's been since I played them, especially thought about how San Andreas is as timeless as it is, and why I ever thought this to be that good, "since a lot of distinct features got cut". I saw a lot of cutscenes, biographies, the different endings, and then I had it. This is a damn good story. And I'm so glad you made such an indepth video detailing almost everything the game offers in term of characters and story. The optimism/pessimism-aspect, even though perhaps slightly reductionistic, makes a lot of sense to use as a base for describing the different characters, their aspirations and views on the whole setting and world. It took me a bit of thought, but I do also appreciate just how good the choice-system in the game is. Not because it always adds or detracts anything - and that could make some see it as being somewhat useless and meaningless at times. But I think it goes to show how realistic it is. In some choices, the answer seems obvious, and the pros of one of the outcomes greatly outweigh the pros of the other; and especially how it always seems authentic. If you in the beginning choose to spare the pusher Clarence (also acts as an intro to the mechanic), he promises to better himself and is let go. And you can meet him later as a random character. Now, this is where a more classic, mechanic-story based game could have chosen to make him reappear as a changed man; perhaps even someone who helps Niko and can provide weapons/gang members or other things. But no. "He's had enough of begging", and decides to kill Niko. Very unfulfilling, very annoying, very sad - and perfect for the game; because it also showcases a guy in his situation so well. He's probably been in such demeaning situations lots of times, and since he isn't offered an alternate path in life when he's left - I mean, Niko just killed his entire squad beforehand and leaves him - he's vengeful, and wants to be dominant. This choice, however, is just as much for the thug's sake as Niko's, who genuinely feels better about sparing him than killing him; inching his own sanity just slightly more to the good side. And that's really what matters and has an impact, in the end. It's also evident in Blood Brothers, where you either kill Derrick or Francis. If you off the intended Derrick, you afterwards extort Francis into providing services for Niko to lower his wanted level when necessary. If you off Francis, Derrick can provide... absolutely nothing for you. And this is absolutely to be expected. Francis is in a position of power and has threads to spin, while Derrick is a drug-riddled wreck who has trouble keeping himself together. I still prefer Derrick in the end, btw, because I feel like he has just a semblance more integrity (especially during the excellent Heist-mission) than the always slimy Francis - which is also brilliant, showcasing him as the only one of the brothers who decided to make something of himself and be on the "side" of the law, but might possibly have an even more skewed up moral compass than the other brothers. I also liked that you paid as much attention to Packie as you did; I felt the same way, not really liking him at first, thinking he was too much of a punk, but later on realising just how deep he is, and how tragic his circumstances are. And the last thing, which is good you made points for, but I feel might be even more important to the whole narrative, is Kate and her relation to Niko. As you've also been on the topic of, her and Roman play a huge role in the overarching narrative and Niko's development (Roman's role is arguably bigger, but still), since they are, in essence, the pulling forces to Niko's good sides and want him to become better and change his ways. And the fact that they're on each their spectrum - Roman being the optimist, and Kate the pessimist - just brings it together. This is also why Niko respects them so much, arguably a lot more than his other cohorts, because they're still trying to do good, while the others have succumbed. And the dialogue her and Niko have during dates is so damn impactful - to me some of the most impactful, because she is truly able to challenge his deepest beliefs and morals, and try to let him say what he actually wants in life, in this skewed world. /rant, but this is also why I hate the whole "Revenge-end is infinitely better"-rhetoric, because it's usually way too simple and also takes point of reference in the game's mechanics instead of story; yes, Roman lives and you can still talk with him; yes, Kate "dumps" you in the other end, but it's so much more than that (oh, and those that don't like Kate "because she doesn't put out during dates", are you effin serious???) This last point is also something I want to bring up, because it's one of the things that I find hugely important and that might be a problem in the narrative, and feel forced as to the game's whole choice-mechanic. Let me explain. In the end, both of these meaningful characters each represent and advocate for the choices Niko has to do - and they end up dying in the choice they want, which I will always find to be such good storytelling. But - Roman wants the deal-end due to things you've mentioned too; he wants to be optimistic and doesn't advocate for revenge, since it will just drag Niko down (oh and he likes money too yeah), it checks up, makes sense. Kate, however, wants the "Revenge"-ending because, she herself is vengeful and believes that's the only way out? Now, that can be a more obscure explanation BUT, when Niko calls her to begin with, he never mentions what he's actually going to do. He simply says he might make deals with a man whose track record is not exactly clean. And to this, Kate obviously calls him out and hopes he won't trade with him. BUT HE NEVER ACTUALLY MENTIONS KILLING HIM TO HER, NOT EVEN AFTER HE'S DONE IT. And, considering her personality, she probably wouldn't like him going on a killing spree either, perhaps even less than doing business with the man! The pessimistic side of me wants to say this could've been a slightly lazy way for Rockstar to make her advocate for the choice Roman doesn't, and to let the choice mechanic have the climax. However, the other side also says that this is somehow even more genius storytelling, because Niko is just as withholding as he always is, and doesn't tell her how it is - which is so goddamn in character. Especially considering how much he respects her, and at this point wants to have a life with her. And the thing is, even if I do think it's a bit too selfish of her and sad that she decides to drop connections with him afterwards - it would have been really nice if he could've went on some final dates with her where they truly talk things through - I can't say I don't understand it. This is too evident, because at this point (including her being dissapointed in him dropping his morals, that she perceived), she has seen what can happen to those close to Niko, and she can't risk it further - which, yknow, is the precise forshadowing to the alternate universe where she takes the bullet instead. I never thought about how great that dynamic is until now. And it's just... man, it's so sad. It's so sad because you, as the player, REALLY wants it to work out between them, as they're both alike and have suffered, she has gone down the path he wish he had, they both really like each other and Niko shows some genuine promise for redemption. But the past always comes back, and, as she remarks during the drive to the wedding, "you can't just walk away from it all", to which Niko is incredibly optimistic. And that was ultimately his downfall. Goddamn, I'm tearing up a bit writing this whole thing, it's just so bloody sad that this is merely a vessel for the story that probably so many people have to experience and live through. Fuck. Anyway, way too long paragraph over. Just wanted to express some further points too, and really love what you did here. Hope to see more.

[@BrokerCast]

Thank you! Don't worry about the comment being too long, I read the whole thing and you made some great points. You honored Kate in your comment in a way that I wish I did in my video. I feel like she's one of the deepest characters in the game and I didn't really talk about her enough. It's hard to fit all of these characters in one video and I did this all in one take so I was kind of out of breath by the end. I wish I could've given better analytical commentary on the scene between Darko and Niko at the end but I was out of fuel by that point. I assumed that scene kind of spoke for itself, so I included the clip at the end to honor the scene because it really is the best scene in the game. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm not too sure what the future of the channel will be at this moment. I saw your other comment and I know I said I was originally going to do a Fallout video but I changed my mind and started working on videos for the Batman Arkham games. I made one video on Arkham Asylum but scrapped it because I wasn't happy with how it turned out, so I recorded another and I'm happier with this one but I haven't uploaded it yet. I'm planning on recording an Arkham City video too. Not sure if you have any interest in Batman. If not, I still have plans for Fallout. It's just that the Fallout franchise is in bad shape right now, so I feel some kind of obligation to make a video about FO4 and 76 but that'll bring some negativity to the channel. That's why I've been conflicted on it. I've thought about just doing every Fallout game in order, with it eventually leading to FO4 and 76. Any feedback or advice is appreciated though.

[@alejandromarin9661]

I felt asleep and this video came in as autoplay I dreamed all the narrative it was crazy.

[@negan2714]

GTA IV is my favorite GTA game ever made. The way the dlc story ties into Nikos story was just awesome. Niko alone makes the game for me. He is such an awesome character.

[@first001]

Thank you so much for this. Your commentary is very authentic and soulful, you got a lot of attention to detail of the story arc and characters. I can relate to this game being a companion to dark times in life. Also like that you replaced the deagle with the 1911, which is far more realistic to be around in the setting.I think I can say for us both that this game will remain with a part of us for the rest of our lives. Thanks again for this, hopefully you review other media/games.

[@BrokerCast]

Thank you! I put a link to the 1911 mod in the description.

[@jyag730]

If you do this to every mainline gta game, I would be one happy tiger.

[@BrokerCast]

I appreciate that but I don't know if I could. I'm just really passionate about GTA IV. I like the other games but I don't love them like I do with this one. I just don't know if I'd have as much to say about those games either, I'll still consider it though. There are some other games I had in mind that I could make videos on. If GTA IV is my favorite game, Fallout is my second favorite. So I might make a similar video for the Fallout series.

[@sweetwheatsy]

Fallout would be so good. Fallout New Vegas is still probably my favorite game ever, so hearing more about the different morals and story there would be excellent. @@BrokerCast

[@xman777b]

@@BrokerCast Ironic. Fallout 3 is my #1. And GTA IV is my #2 : ). I hope you will consider making a Fallout 3 retrospective.

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

I got this the day I came out. I finished it 5 times before GTA 5 came out and I actually went back to it before I even finished 5 for the first time. It's a beautifully alive world and I still can't get enough of it.

[@gordon5661]

ive had a very hard life. so focused on revenge for so long. over time im calming down and letting the past go. part of me is stuck in the past and part of me wants a better future. the spikes of tension, anger, anxiety, and regret, are unbearable at times. i relate to niko. i play this game when i need to feel like i am not alone.

[@kevo300]

Just like Niko's struggle hes my favourite protagonist in GTA for that reason.

[@BrokerCast]

I think this game speaks to people differently that have been through some shit. Whether that be some kind of serious trauma or post traumatic stress at some point or whatever it may be. Niko's struggle feels very real and is going to speak to some people differently. Same with Packie's struggle, Dwayne's issues, Roman's way of coping with things, all of that can hit close to home for people. I think I'll make a video related to that topic someday.

[@DJC-10]

Can’t believe you didn’t talk about the Beat 102.7 while some of it was comedic that station really helped with the atmosphere

[@BrokerCast]

Oh it absolutely did! Flashing Lights is a huge standout to me and greatly enhanced the atmosphere. Can't see that game without that song. Classics was good too, but not as good as The Beat.

[@DJC-10]

@@BrokerCast yeah there’s also freestyles where guys implement the neighborhoods in the city which is cool and one of the best songs which they made for the game Dirty New Yorker by Mobb Deep

[@ravedubin3983]

I remember driving through south Bohan listening to the classics station on a rainy night looking at a mural it was so immersive.

[@theninethrees8044]

I made alternate versions of both the Beat and The Classics on my channel 🙂

[@ROOFTOPGUY]

This is what KZbin should be.

[@LightningMcQueen5442]

best game I've ever played in my life

[@bigheadhammer5886]

Amazing video man. Spoke to me on another level as i as well have felt like I was going through something different in my life too and as I been home replaying the game a lot of key points you said I totally agreed on. I found myself very firmly railed in your traces of thought. All made sense and flowed smoothly. Wish I could hear an even more elaborated analysis detailed on levels, missions, game mechanics. Awesome vid man. Subscribed and liked and I never do that. Gta 4 really is home...

[@lucas169]

3 years too late but I'm glad that I found this video. Love the chill vibe of it and sat through it all. Fantastic job man, GTA 4, what a game.

[@jamesalauri460]

This was an excellent video. I really enjoyed it. Just one small correction when you talk about Roman getting beaten up, and they say "where's your Russian friend now huh?" And Roman responds "he's not my friend he's my loan shark" they aren't referring to Niko, they're talking about Vlad. Roman not only owed money to Vlad but several other people, Vlad would help Roman deal with the Albanians in exchange for increasing the debt he owed. Very small correction but I loved this video. I also agree the deal ending fits better for the larger theme of the game. I don't like happy endings to sad stories, and in my opinion the revenge ending is kinda a happy ending because Kate was a very unlikable character. This story is very underappreciated and over time I find myself feeling more and more attached to it. Excellent job from everyone involved in creating this game, it's almost flawless.

[@BrokerCast]

Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I saw other people commenting on the Roman thing too, I guess it's just something I misunderstood. I don't really get why Roman would call Vlad his loan shark. It made more sense to me that he would be covering for his cousin in some way. Niko isn't Russian but he's often mistaken as Russian, so that's why I thought that. A little bit confusing but I hope I didn't misinform anyone.

[@narcissist97]

I appreciate you for making this video my man. Hands down my favorite game as well, one hell of a story. Much love ❤️

[@bbcm2007]

I understand that Mikhail was a particular kind of monster, but he's a kitten in comparison to Ray Bulgarin. Don't forget that all the horrible things that Niko said he did after the war, he did while he was working for Ray Bulgarin. If you remember his character in The Ballad of Gay Tony he did some wild things (including shooting his sister in a cutscene).

[@BrokerCast]

That's right and Bulgarin also had the Cook's head cut off and put in what I think is a cake box? The cook that put the diamond in the cake on the Platypus during the intro. So yeah, Bulgarin is about as bad as they come. I think I hated Mikhail more because of what we get to see of him do to his wife and daughter, first hand. Bulgarin is more like a threat that looms over Niko the whole game. It's unfortunate that they don't followed up on in the vanilla game, not until TBOGT do we see what happens to him. Some of that makes me wish that TBOGT could've been more serious. Maybe we could've seen more of how bad Bulgarin really was because I don't think they show enough. The scene where he shoots his sister was messed up but it felt like it was played for laughs. Then you have the head in the cake box scene in TBOGT which is dead serious, the tone is really weird and inconsistent. It was the beginning of a problem that would get worse in GTA V.

[@yuh9935]

Damn, I can't really express how this analysis (and the game) wrecked me up I want to start by thanking you for this analysis and for sharing some personal things with us all at the start of the video, I'm glad you are in a better place (I mean, this video is 2 years old, so that might not be true now but, I just hope everything is alright) and hearing how much this game meant to you just immediately made me more engaged to watching it all I've played this game twice and you made me realize there were quitee a few things I missed that you talked about, like Faustin and Niko's similarities, Roman and Niko wanting to be each other, Brucie's conversation about his bullying, Packie's conversation about being molested, and especially the optimism and negativism theme of the game that I never really noticed I really appreciate how I almost heard my own thoughts being said in this video, especially regarding the endings. I first prefered the revenge ending because it was "slightly happier", but after playing again, the Deal just felt more perfect to the whole story and specially to Niko, it annoyed me a bit how at the end of the mission where you do the Deal itself, Kate says that Niko chose money over principles and while I can see why she's saying that, at least I and I think Niko wouldn't see it like that. I don't see it like that at all. I feel like this is the ending where Niko makes a bigger stance that he wants to move on (I feel like this happens in the revenge ending too but since he still chooses to get revenge on Dimitri I don't feel like he's as ready to move on like in the Deal); and it does feel like he wants to move on from the revenge, from the combat, maybe even from crime all together, and first I saw Roman's death as something that would not let Niko do it but you made me realize that could not be the case, which makes me feel a little bit better when i follow that route. Regarding the question you left on the air about Dimitri, I think that Faustin's attitude definitely contributed to Dimitri changing over time. Just from the couple arguments they have, it's clear that Faustin doesn't show care for anyone, he does probably care(very deep inside) at least about Dimitri (for example, in that scene where they're arguing and then he hugs dimitri and tells he loves him, and how he calls him his brother, etc.) but he just completely disrespects him, ignores his opinions, and it made sense that it all ended up on dimitri having to get faustin killed because of his reckleness(or maybe, get him killed because he wanted to take over.) I was more led to believe that he didn't really want niko to kill faustin from the conversation he had with niko, but the way he then also betrays him and just seems to have things well planned out, makes me wonder if that was more probably a play than a true conversation, and this all also makes me wonder, who is the Dimitri we see in the game I actually find it funny how I felt sad when I first had to kill Faustin because of his whole "Me and Dimitri were best friends for life" speech but the reality was that they probably they hadn't been brothers/best friends for a longggg time Also I liked how instead of putting gameplay regarding the parts of the game you were talking about(which is normally what I've seen in these type of videos) you literally just walked around the city, it felt refreshing Just to finish this already long comment, I found interesting how you liked Francis which (from what I've seen at least) is a rather unpopular opinion, and regarding Kate, i've seen quite a few youtube comments saying that her leaving Niko in the deal ending is one of the reasons why it's a worse ending, but being realistic for a second, It's understandable why she would have to leave him, Niko is a criminal, his cousin got killed because of his enemies and it would be hard for their relationship to last and to reach the point of starting a family I hope this isn't confusing, it's 3am so i might be making a few grammar mistakes but, one last time, thank you so much for sharing all of this, and good luck with the rest of your work!

[@BrokerCast]

Nah, you're good! I always appreciate comments like this. I'm glad you appreciated the stuff about Faustin. He's a character that really stuck out with each playthrough for me, there were always new details to his character and more interesting every time. He's definitely a character I wanted to emphasize in this, so I'm glad that payed off for you. Regarding Kate, I agree with you that it wouldn't have worked out. Which reminds me, I was going to mention this in the video but ended up forgetting, but I think in some ways Michelle/Karen might have been a better fit for Niko. She was being blackmailed into working for the FBI and she was very awkward and out of place, similar to how Niko felt. Now it's hard to say how much of her was honest or fake and I'll admit that it is hard to say for sure but I think at least some of it was truthful. I definitely think she's a completely different person in GTA 5. As Niko so eloquently put it, she "whored for the government," so I think that wore on her over the years and turned her into the monster we see in GTA 5. I do think about what would've happened if Niko and her just talked it out. Oh well, I guess Niko is stuck with Alex from craigslist/craplist. Thanks you!

[@alexandrajean3912]

In the beginning Roman didn't call Niko the loan shark, he's talking about Vlad. Loved this video

[@Hme_by]

Same dude,gta 4 is my first gta experience and my favorite game of all time!!!!

[@imonit1177]

My first was San Andres but IV is my favorite.

[@bigpickenergy5321]

46:21 - 46:43 I think another important thing to take away from that small bit of dialogue is how Niko is still grounded and perceptive to other people's pains despite being a damaged man. When you have lived a life like Niko's it's easy to only prioritize the highest forms of suffering to the point where when someone shares their personal insecurities it would be understandable to just dismiss those. Internally, Niko is always suffering. There is not a moment through the narrative where he is at peace with just existing. This is evidenced by not only his outlook on life, the things he's had to endure and the things he still does, but also key moments in dialogue. ''Life is shit.'' in 1 of the friend activities with Roman. ''How very lucky for you.'' as a response to Michelle stating she has a clear conscious, etc. When you're constantly in some form of suffering anything less could be seen as trivial and not even worth acknowledging, but Niko still does...

[@loba1383]

This game is so nostalgic to me it makes me cry,Vice city and GTA IV have the best atmoshpere and story.

[@jonathangetachew1522]

Dimitri in my opinion never went crazy, he was always a psychotic piece of shit. Even though the deal ending probably is worse and isn't canon, I prefer it, since I think Dimitri deserves to be the final villain over Pegorino.

[@JuleZz__z]

Played it when i was a kid, my first R18 game & loved every minute of it.

[@Roadwarrior627]

One of the best YT videos I've ever watched (not just game analysis videos). Great job. Love GTA 4 as both a fan of complicated, realistic stories, and of course a New Yorker. The one bad thing - where TF is Staten Island?!

[@BrokerCast]

Thanks! And I know right? I liked the suburb areas in Alderney/Jersey when you're working for the mafia and it would've been cool to see similar missions in a Staten Island like area. I'm not from New York, I'm from California but I will say when it comes to sports the Yankees are one of the coolest teams ever and I was disappointed to see the Yankees lose against the Rays. I wanted to see some revenge against the Astros... Idk if you're Mets or Yankees or if you like Baseball, but I thought I'd mention it since I watched the games last week and you're from NY. Thanks for watching!

[@Roadwarrior627]

@@BrokerCast Yeah, I'm a Mets guy. Sometimes you wonder why you put yourself through such hell, but when you're as serious as I am, you can never change your heart.. I'm certainly not a Yankee hater like most Met fans are, so yeah I was disappointed they lost too. NY hasn't won a major title since my 2011 Giants. Hopefully Tampa can finish off the trash can bangers to win the AL pennant!

[@xman777b]

pretty much sums up staten Islands plight, doesn't it? : )

[@xman777b]

@@BrokerCast of the Boroughs (and Jersey) I felt The Bronx was portrayed the worst. Not terrible. But Rockstar half-@ssed it, compare to the other sections.

[@reecedurning1275]

This is a great video mate! Love from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@BrokerCast]

Thank you!

[@greasy8394]

GTA4 is (secretly) my favorite game of all time as well because it is basically my "spirit game". Allow me to explain. So first of all, GTAIV came out on my 17th birthday. So not only did it come out on my birthday of April 29, it also came out when I turned 17 years of age and was able to pick up this game first without a problem considering it's Rated M. So there's already symbolism in that. And more importantly, the storyline of the game is a Eastern European coming to the United States, in this case New York City, to better himself. Just like Niko Bellic, I too am a Eastern European who moved to America from Eastern Europe. And what's even crazier is that I moved to Brooklyn, NY just like how Niko moved to Broker and what's even crazier is that I live in the same neighborhood where Niko's first safe house (Roman's apartment) is based in. So with all the symbolism and numerology behind this, the game feels very special to me.

[@BrokerCast]

That's pretty cool, sounds like it was meant to be!

[@supermariodmac]

Awesome video man love listening to ya, really been feeling the same sorta way you talked about in the beginning and i find I like gta iv more then I ever have

[@Jared_Wignall]

The best GTA game. The characters, story, tone and atmosphere are all top notch. This is awesome to watch. Thanks for the video and keep up the great work man. Take care!

[@jims.2274]

I'm at the point where you're discussing the music. Agree with you about the choice of song placement. Don't forget about Strange Times though ...

[@ravedubin3983]

I enjoyed every minute of this a video encompassing all of the things this game makes me think about.

[@KH0LRA]

Did not mind the "dull" world colors in my opinion, it only added to the experience also noticed that filter changes when you pick to play either of the three stories in the game, it's like there's this slightly opaque tv static layer when you play through TLaD

[@halicarnassus834]

I'm an 80s child, and I have NEVER tried Coccaine. So when he was talking about Coke, I remember all the Glitz about it and the Gloom of its condensed form Crack. I would Never want to be addicted to something like that. EXPENSIVE or CHEAP form. Along with Heroin , Meth or whatever is " Cranked" out. I'll stick to what I did in the late 90s as a teen, Weed.

[@v.i.loudboy]

This is by far the best GTA analysis

[@cruxlamar9681]

Bruh you should definitely make more analysis videos this was great

[@user-og9nl5mt1b]

He will if he really likes a game

[@bigheadhammer5886]

I'm back again for another revisit. I love this video. Speaks to my whole life...

[@BrokerCast]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@andrelucca3369]

Never seen a more creative way of doing a personal analysis video for a game, specially in a way so fitting as this. Walking around and talking made me feel not only interested but weirdly relaxed, almost If this video was a chat between the viewer and the creator instead of a screpted topic-by-topic list about interesting things and thoughts that the creator think It's interesting enough to make a video about It (not that doing this is something wrong, those type of videos are my favorite, but I do appreciate the originality and creativity of doing something that I've never seen) Hugs from Brazil, hope my english wasn't too bad lol. Stay safe

[@Justachamp772]

GTA IV is my fav. game too bro and I am just a young kid

[@baileyw1618]

Wow, what a video. You almost know enough about this game as me. I appreciate your views on this beautiful experience

[@michaelswinton6753]

Brokercast i feel Dimitri changed after he begged and pleaded with Mikali to not send Niko to do the hit. He was ignored. Mind you he has been very helpful to you & roman. (He was the only one who wasn't hostlie when you got kidnapped & also helped Roman after he got shot.) He always stated that his bestfriend (Mr. Faustin) is losing his mind. We seen how easily he shot his own henchman (mind you who got the job done) in the face. I think that moment changed him. Thats when survival of the fittest played apart. He seen someone he was with get replaced by someone who is stronger and more capable. He felt he was next and his time would come. Little did he know Faustin looked at him like a true brother. Tbh 4 is soooo good you cant say who is right or wrong because there are only gray. Live by the sword and die by the sword. Jacob was a realist. He always was loyal and gave sound advice. He was literally the wisest characters (if you get pass his accent) mind you not smart......... Just wise. He was no optimist and had no pessimism. Just real and reactive. Jacob was the one who warns you about Dimitri when Niko was unaware. Idk Dimitri was a snake in the grass, but i think he just lost his trust and loyalty in people which is why he burnt every bridge because loyalty will get you killed. Which shows in the ending.

[@BrokerCast]

Good points and I agree about Jacob. He gets overlooked a lot but he's an important character and no matter what choice you make he stays loyal to Niko through to the very end.

[@leviyoung4659]

I love the in-depth psychological and philosophical analysis on each character and the story, you should do one on 5.

[@maymp3]

Loved the walkthrough/analysis. Really simple but human and sincere. Thank you for that ❤️

[@avace917]

They REALLY nailed NYC. Even though it's exaggerated, the layout and landmark placement are so impressive

[@avace917]

Your description of Luis sounds like a speaking version of Claude from GTAIII

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

Your analysis of Packie is perfect.

[@muther1997]

I think the greatest thing about the end of gta 4 is that there is a sacrifice either way. It makes the debate on which is better have far more weight

[@Materia_Primoris]

This is one of those games that everyone should experience even if they don't play games often.

[@FlymanMS]

Great analysis, I don’t necessarily agree with many point and I might address them later, but as for revenge ending being out of pure pursuit of vengeance, there’s a reason and logic behind the actions, it’s that Dimitri is a calculating psychopath (in clinical sense) who hates leaving loose ends and thus he’s a constant hazard and a lingering threat to Niko’s family that needs to be stopped.

[@mryagami8448]

romans loanshark comment was about vlad

[@gizmoduck4292]

"Where's you're Russian friend now?"

[@diesemautokerl2181]

@@gizmoduck4292 vlad

[@josiahcone7506]

Best video on GTA IV ive ever seen

[@onjah8643]

This is it chief

[@gpelina8220]

Wow. That is an amazing video. Really enjoyed every bit of it

[@bravelotus]

This is still the only game in gta that feels real its also the first video game ive ever played

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

I don't think GTA 4 is a depressing game. It's just accurate. Don't pretend the world is Disneyland.

[@user-og9nl5mt1b]

After seeing this video it makes me wanna go replay gta 4 all over again. I really love gta 4 too but I never looked into the story this deeply.

[@loba1383]

Amazing video,I love it,great points and a lovely letter to this game.

[@CyrusCageSCWS]

So weird you didn't play the original story as your first experience. I've never understood online culture. This is my favourite game of all time too. It's perfect.

[@gangcrew7282]

I have been depressed from school too, online school drove me insane

[@Tails7212]

Fantastic analysis of a ballsy, landmark game

[@DJC-10]

31:15 I’m playing this through again I’ve played it through a good few times. The news report on liberty tree said there was no causalities of this bombing idk how credible that is but just something I remember I’m reading through nearly all the news reports as I’m playing. Great video so far.

[@dsinghr]

I loved this game. The serious tone. Loved it 😊

[@dmitryrudnev]

Hey man. Noticed a little issue, at about 17:00 you say that the Roman said that Niko was his loan shark, but he actually wasn’t referring to Niko. He said that because Albanians said “Where’s your Russian friend now”, and by that they meant Vlad, and not Niko.

[@techiskek]

I loved this game I was like 4 years old remember playing it on my uncles ps3 playing tbogt and normal one and just enjoying it so much 11 years later I brought it on steam and it’s really good again very nostalgic

[@Dankehum]

Gta 4 my favorite game all time. Its so violently sick, i love it

[@xtremearts8668]

17:26 I think you really misinterpreted that quote a lot, Roman is mentioning Vlad at that moment not Niko. Even before he says that, one of the two Albanian loan sharks that threatens him assumed that he and Vlad are friends despite its not. "Where's your Russian friend, eh?" "He's not my friend, he's my loan shark..!" (Obviously Vlad since he's a Russian loan shark working for Mikhail's mob) It is also stated clearly that Niko confirms that he isn't Russian from one certain mission of Dimitri or Mikhail where he buys a smg on a discreet underground gun store, heavily implying that he does indeed comes from Yugoslavia or is a Serbian.

[@spookyskeleton9816]

I just can't bring me to fully appreciate this game, story and atmosphere it's gorgeous, just like most of Rockstar games, but the controls (not just the driving), the lack of features typical of most GTA games (which I understand since it was the first game running on their new engine, but still) and the horrendous, fucked up porting to pc that can't run at solid 60 frames not even on recent hardware (we are talking about a 13 year old game, how time flies) just ruins this game for me, I'll finish it once and for all, maybe twice for both endings, and I'll respecc it as a GTA game, since this software house it's literally the only one that never fails

[@BrokerCast]

Oh I understand, those are all valid complaints. Very bad ports especially. They continued to fuck up their game to this day with the recent windows 10 patches for GTA IV. I watched a friend of mine stream it on his PC and I can't tell you how many glitches I saw that weren't even there in the vanilla game or on the previous patch. Way more AI and cutscene bugs especially. Not to mention all of the songs they stripped out. I refuse to update to the new patch because of that. I have a huge problem with Rockstar not respecting their own legacy. The San Andreas port on PS3 and 360 was also pretty bad back in the day, but I remember hearing that they improved it on Xbox One and PS4.

[@AAllen-br8it]

I just recently reexperienced gta 4 after years (i had never beaten it before). My thing with the Revenge ending is that it actually made me stop and think about it for a second because I had just recently chosen to spare Darko. But the thing is, Darko was simply a personal matter where nothing would happen whether he lived or died, Dimitri on the other hand is an active threat against Niko's family. I honestly feel like I was obligated to go kill him, especially after all of the violent promises Niko had thrown his way every time he tried to call and get into Niko's head. I feel like it just makes more sense to go and kill him.

[@kpag3030]

This game feels more like New York than Spider-Man even though Spider-Man is better graphically obviously, and Manhattan is pretty accurate, this game really feels like the Burroughs. Just the way they depict the streets and the buildings and the atmosphere. Is way less glossy than Spider-Man. The world Just seems more realistic with the way they designed it.

[@imonit1177]

It's a close second for me. But my all time greatest is OOT.

[@BrokerCast]

I hear you on that. Ocarina of Time is in my top 10 games of all time. Here's my list if you're interested... I really cheated in how I listed it though. haha My favorite game genres tend to be RPGs, Sandbox and Stealth. 1. Grand Theft Auto IV 2. Fallout/ Fallout 2/ Fallout 3/ Fallout: New Vegas 3. Oblivion/ Morrowind 4. Ocarina of Time/ Majora's Mask/ Twilight Princess 5. Final Fantasy 6, 7 and 8 (Honorable mention to Crisis Core for making FF7 even better) 6. Bioware's DnD based RPGs, Baldur's Gate 1 & 2/ Neverwinter Nights/ KOTOR 1 & 2/ Dragon Age 7. The Hitman Franchise 8. Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, 3 and 4 9. Castlevania 3/ Castlevania 4/ Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 10. Assassin's Creed 1 and 2 and maybe Brotherhood.

[@aidanhill690]

I've played through gta 4s story only 1 time. but gta 5 I've played roughly 8-9 times. overall I think gta 5 is the better game content wise. (map, cars, customisation) and that's what I find fun about it. but gta 4 is my favourite game due to its realism. I played it up to the Elizabetha missions when I was around 9 or 10 on my dad's xbox. I didn't understand the game back. I just saw it as another crime game, like saints row (I played that quite a bit back then too). then I got my ps4 when I was around 11 or 12 and got gta5 with it. instantly my favourite game but gta 4 always stuck to me for some reason. I then played 4 a bit on my xbox on my dad's account, and got around to the same part as when I was 9. only in the past few months have I got gta 4 to myself. and it's now my favourite gta game overall, due to the story and dark and realistic it is. gta5 will always be fun to me but gta4 is so much better story wise. I might only be 16 (nearly 17) right now, but from the first time I played this game 7 years ago, I can understand alot more in the story and that's why it's my favourite. niko is my favourite character in any gta game, or any game at all.

[@slimdaddyswag4094]

I love your video man

[@drkalowski256]

im doing gta sa play thru but I'm do gtA iv soon!!!

[@MrCaxumba]

Damn, nice work

[@evanpaluch6190]

Are you gonna do a GTA V perspective? I like this games tone more. More realistic.

[@Journey_to_who_knows]

One odd thing, the city itself lives. On paper they are just generic city blocks and much less exciting than any other gta map but somehow they made it all look beautiful, at least to me, each building just exudes a art, this is the only game that makes a grey overcast sky look beautiful and I dont know how did they do it? I need to know those art effects, something about the bloom? or shadows ? Walking around through a evening alleyway as your character leaves a cloud in the cold air from their breath or the way cars reflect light through the night asphalt or the glow of dropped guns. V looks more cartoony so it lost that effect and even harder on the Ps4 remake. Though the first GTA game to speak out against drugs and crimes was VCS but sometimes its badly written and hypocritical to it's message but we see series first elements that returned in 4 like the writers were getting a taste for it.

[@christiantaylor1495]

Did somebody delete my comment? I wanted to add to it in an edit about Niko and Darko. I Finished your video now, and really hope you didn't manually delete my comment. I want to say I see your point at the beginning about how Niko kills several people for $150, but wants revenge on Darko for killing people for $1000, but you seemed to not talk about that in more detail. Hopefully that is in your follow up video. Time to watch that now. Also I really like how you know the map so well that without using a HUD, you timed your arrival at Lady Liberty just in time for the ending.

[@BrokerCast]

I've never deleted a comment on my channel and never will unless it's doxxing or something extreme like that, so Idk. Maybe KZbin deleted it, they seem to lean on the authoritarian side these days.

[@R1L3D_G1T]

oh my god man u r such a great god damn guy !

[@moncay3238]

Better than NordicWarriorGaming review

[@PeterParker-ff7ub]

It's wonderful

[@hoodstyle_zh]

Nice video

[@bryanspencer7916]

Hey man I love the game as well. It was the first gta game that I ever got to play. Do you ever want to play sometime. I will help you get some subs man you put a lot of effort into this video.

[@breatheeasily4013]

Im finally modding the game after learning it

[@Jojo1996-_-]

Shouts out the the bums walking around the street with cooking pots their heads.

[@Ochenter]

My fav game too, dude. Not a hard statement to do. Really good title that has made history among the best games of the insdustry.

[@adnanbosnian5051]

Ti si dobar u ovoj igri?

[@PeterParker-ff7ub]

It was never silly.

[@splinterborn]

Shame Rockstar shut down the MP.

[@johnylaw3101]

5 is just so old now people forgot how good it is.

[@streetzomb69]

how do we forget how good it is when we play it everyday waiting for 6?

[@streetzomb69]

couldn’t you say the same thing about San Andreas and Gta 4? since they’re even older??

[@HelloWorld-lg1pz]

nihilistic? maaan, people really dont understand satire anymore.

[@teeniepeenie3148]

1:52:37 lol

[@sakshithakar9585]

"I like Francis" sounds like a bootlicker to me. Derrick will always be better than Francis. He's against the system, is the most compassionate McReary brother, and just wants to be there for his family.

[@matthewsteele99]

They're both awful people. But I prefer Francis since he gives more benefits, and kept his word to you, while Derrick has a more likely than not history of being a rat