Grand Theft Auto Iv (2008)

Mechanically, GTA IV is not the best in the series. It takes away many of the RPG elements that made San Andreas great, and its car controls are shaky at best. Nor does it have the incredible world of GTA V, or its three-perspective narrative. It does, however, have a real, well-developed protagonist, and for story alone, it's a standout title. The Eastern European war veteran Niko Belic is a gangster of circumstance rather than choice, forced to defend his brother Roman from loan sharks. He's not trying to prove himself or trying to rule the city, he's just attempting to get by. That fact alone brings something that rarely appears in the GTA series – a sense of humanity and restraint. Doubtless, you'll be forced to perform ruthless tasks, but it won't be with a borderline psychopathy. Niko is quick to anger, but he also presents hints of dry humor and empathy. The game is as much about his relationships as it is his crimes. As he falls deeper into that life, it's his combination of cynicism and humanity that create the story's great emotional gravity.