Grand Theft Autogames are known for their variable game systems. Released in 2008 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and later PC,Grand Theft Auto 4pushed the gaming mediumto new heights at its time of release. Set in Liberty City, a fictionalized version of New York, Rockstar Games’ sprawling crime drama featured a massive, living game world and highly advanced physics.
ModernGrand Theft Autogames run on Rockstar’s impressive RAGE engine, one of the few game engines to use the highly realistic Euphoria physics middleware which makes collisions and ragdolls very distinctive. Given the open nature of the title, the advanced physics system, and the reactiveness of the NPCs inhabiting Liberty City,Grand Theft Auto 4is a highly dynamic game where missions can play out in a variety of ways. Sometimes, even cutscenes can play out in strange ways depending on the game world’s state.
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Reddit user Alexisonxanax posted a video ofGrand Theft Auto 4’s “Rigged to Blow'' mission, in whichprotagonist Niko Bellicis tasked with driving a truck rigged with a bomb to a garage before detonating it. Normally, the mission ends with a cutscene where Niko runs away from the bomb before safely diving away as it explodes in the distance. In Alexisonxanax’s version, things play out a little differently.
Rather than having Niko safely run away from the blast radius, Alexisonxanax’s clip has Niko get hit by a passing car, throwing him into the street. The hilarity continues when a second car then narrowly misses him before skidding to a stop. Finally, the bomb detonates and Niko dives away from the explosion after a significant delay. The post has become a hit on Reddit, earning over one thousand upvotes fromGTA 4fansas of writing.
The RAGE engine thatGrand Theft Auto 4was built on was considerably ahead of its time, particularly when it came to its physics simulation. RAGE is still being used today, albeit in an upgraded state, in other Rockstar Games’ titles likeGrand Theft Auto 5andRed Dead Redemption 2. These titles have also been praised for their dynamic, living worlds and advanced physics systems, which in agame likeRed Dead Redemption 2, can lead to characters getting caught in a horse’s stirrups.
Of course, other game engines can provide realistic physics systems as well, but NaturalMotion’s Euphoria technology is one of the best. It’s expected that the much anticipatedGrand Theft Auto 6will use the same RAGE engine with further upgrades. With that game being so far off, players will have to settle for theupcoming next-gen release ofGrand Theft Auto 5, which is expected this fall.
Grand Theft Auto 4is available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
