IGN Revisits GTA 4: Why It's the Most Respected Entry in the Series

Ahead of GTA 6, IGN is revisiting every mainline GTA game. Their latest look back at GTA 4 calls it the blueprint for modern GTA — and the one they respect most.

With GTA 6 on the horizon, IGN has kicked off a special project: replaying every mainline entry in the series and rolling out what they're calling "legacy retrospective reviews." Not traditional re-reviews, mind you — no new scores. Instead, they're looking back at what made each game stand out when it first dropped.

Once the whole series is covered, the editors will rank the games themselves, taking inspiration from the classic six-star wanted level. This time, the spotlight is on GTA 4 — and a return trip to Liberty City.

Here's the verdict: on pure nostalgia, GTA 4 isn't IGN's favorite GTA. But it's the one they respect the most. Rockstar ditched the wide-open, do-anything freedom of GTA: San Andreas in favor of a slower, more grounded crime story — and back then, that was a genuinely bold move.

What Rockstar built was a city that feels like a character in its own right. On top of that, the character animation system they developed laid the groundwork for the series' now-signature random, playful interactions. Packed with detail and still holding up today, GTA 4 is basically the blueprint for modern GTA.

It's a fascinating way to frame it. San Andreas gave you a whole state to run wild in; GTA 4 handed you one city and asked you to live in it. Different vibe, different ambition — and according to IGN, the risk paid off in ways that shaped everything that came after.

The retrospective series is still rolling, so expect more trips down memory lane before GTA 6 finally lands. Platforms for GTA 4 include PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

So what about you? Is GTA 4 your most respected GTA too, or does another entry hold that crown? Drop your ranking in the comments.