“Grand Theft Auto IV” — the “Halo”-killer?

From Friday’s The Oklahoman: 

By Matthew Price
Assistant Features Editor

THE NEXT LEVEL

It’s spurred record sales and congressional inquiries. The bad boy of video games is back on Tuesday, as “Grand Theft Auto IV” is released. It may “launch a million PTA meetings,” says Game Daily editor in chief Libe Goad. But “Grand Theft Auto IV” brings more realistic physics and mature storytelling to next-generation consoles, she said.

This time around, the mature-rated game allows gamers to take the role of Niko Bellic, an eastern European lured to Liberty City by the promises of his cousin.

“He’s coming over to America to live the American dream,” said Goad, whose Web site is found at www.gamedaily.com.

“(Bellic’s) cousin moved over and was apparently having a very Scarface lifestyle — yachts, hot ladies etc.,” Goad said. “(Bellic) came over and discovered that’s not the case — his cousin was actually in trouble and needed some help.”

Goad, who played the game prior to release, said it will be recognizable to fans who have played previous games, but with improvements.

“There’s a lot that’s new in the game,” she said. “When you play the game it’ll be very familiar … but in a lot of ways it’ll be very advanced. There’s amazing graphics; there’s more realistic physics with driving the car. There’s a totally new main character and a new storyline. There’s a new environment.”

That new environment has a familiar name — Liberty City — but it’s been redesigned for “Grand Theft Auto IV.”