Grand Theft Auto 4 Multiplayer Modes Detailed

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Several new details concerning the multiplayer modes in Rockstar North's upcoming opus Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360) have been revealed, shedding light on the array of online carnage to be enjoyed in the open-world title.

Similar to Criterion Games' Burnout Paradise (PS3, X360), the game seamlessly integrates online multiplayer with the single-player campaign through use of the in-game cell phone.

"After players earn the cell phone in the single-player game, which takes about five minutes, if they want they can jump online and never even play the single-player again," Rockstar development VP Geronimo Barrera told GameTap. "Online is a serious time sucker. You're going to have to be really careful if you're married."

Once players are online, they can engage in matches up to 16 players in a variety of configurations. The game supports the standard-issue team deathmatch mode which can be customized for team balance, traffic, police presence, and weapon types.

In addition to the previously detailed Cops 'n Crooks mode, Rockstar also demonstrated GTA Race, which is said to draw directly from the races in previous GTA single-player campaigns. 16 players can compete in an all-out deathrace using any vehicle available in the game, as well as a variety of weapons to trip up adversaries.

Hangman's Noose, meanwhile, is a collection of cooperative objective-based missions for four players versus computer-controlled enemies. The goals are generated randomly, tasking players with objectives such as surviving a massive assault from SWAT police while protecting a VIP from harm, and later escaping from the fuzz.

The game's fifteen-plus multiplayer modes are divided into ranked and unranked modes. While unranked makes for a less competitive experience, GTA 4 rewards intrepid ranked players with cash, which allows for more character customization options.

Grand Theft Auto IV is scheduled for release on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on April 29.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    April 8, 2008 11:38 AM

    I hope they include a lobby/party system. Halo did it so well, any other online game feels subpar afterwards.

    • reply
      April 8, 2008 11:44 AM

      I agree. I hope it's easy to get with a group of 5 friends and then jump around to different servers.

      • reply
        April 8, 2008 12:03 PM

        Honestly why the fuck don't all games do this. I think the whole ranked system is lame. For the sake of a few achievements and a supposedly matching me with players of my rank (highly suspicious if this works unless everyone has a lot of matches under their belt to categorize them properly) I have to play with a bunch of strangers that say dumb shit on the mic.

        It too many games it feels like my only few options are getting a whole shit ton of friends online at the same time all wanting to play the same thing, or playing with a bunch of strangers. Halo is so so awesome in that me and just as few as one other buddy can join giant games and then when a new friend comes online he can easily get in the next match, or we can easily merge parties with random people we like.

        It's not rocket science. They need to make this the default mode for multiplay in XBL 3.0.

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      April 8, 2008 12:07 PM

      them saying it's seamless from single to multi like burnout paradise leads me to believe the 'lobby' is the gameworld, similar to how criterion handled it.

      whether or not that is subpar is personal preference. i had no problems with the setup in paradise.

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        April 8, 2008 12:40 PM

        it would suck if you couldn't get your party of 2,4,8,etc. into a larger game vs other people like halo3 and cod4 though.

        need more information :(

    • reply
      April 8, 2008 1:49 PM

      Yeah I was just thinking Battle.Net sucks for this. Even though it is PC I thought it was still relevant. Trying to join a Dota game with a friend is hard work.

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