a game DEFINITELY for kids contains content so inappropriate thet persons over age 17 can only view attacks are not that bad but the language and the sexcual scenes make it easily an M rated title
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Grand Theft Auto IV
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 17. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Murder, sex, drugs, drunk driving. Not for kids.
In this game kids can: kill humans (with blood), live vicariously, play in a virtual world, race
Why We Rated This 
The good stuff
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Ease of play:
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Role models:
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Grand Theft Auto IV was written by Marc Saltzman
Parents need to know that this game isn't for kids in any way. This new version is as controversial as its predecessors, letting you lead a life of crime, shoot police officers, drink and drive, and have sex with prostitutes. It features pole dancers and lap dancers at a men's club and is laced with profane language that pushes the envelope (much of it peppered throughout the over 100 songs played on car radios in the game). The star rating given to this game is based on the quality of the gameplay within the context of adult gaming and isn't an endorsement of the violence within the game.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about why kids -- who are not the intended audience -- play this game. What is it about the game that appeals to them? Do they understand why this game is inappropriate for young people?
- You also might ask your kids if they think video game violence is different from TV or movie violence. What affect does it have on your kids when they initiate the violence within the game or do something clearly outside of the law? In the game, they can break the law with no consequence.
More on Grand Theft Auto IV
What’s the Story?
Without question, GRAND THEFT AUTO IV isn't for younger players because of its graphic violence, sexual themes, and coarse language. Yet the game will be extremely popular with adult gamers because this sequel lives up to its hype in the game-play department. Available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Grand Theft Auto IV lets you play as Niko Bellic, a tough-looking character who arrives on U.S. shores from somewhere in Eastern Europe, expecting to live the good life with his American cousin, Roman, who lied to Niko about his posh lifestyle in the New World. In fact, Niko is a scheming loudmouth who owes money to loan sharks because of gambling debts and lives in a cockroach-infested apartment the size of a walk-in closet. Nevertheless, Niko decides to help out Roman with his rundown cab stand and keep thugs off his back until he can figure out how to make money and connections in Liberty City, the same town as 2001's Grand Theft Auto III, modeled after New York City and New Jersey. Plus, you'll discover a few hours into the game there are other reasons why Niko left his homeland.
For the uninitiated, Grand Theft Auto games offer "sandbox" play, meaning you can virtually go anywhere and do anything in this fully realized 3-D city with pedestrians, traffic, and storefronts. Played from a third-person perspective, this includes carjacking any vehicle, listening to more than a hundred songs on car radios (as well as very funny DJ banter and commercials), and playing mini-games such as billiards, darts, bowling, or arcade games. Niko can go on dates, swim, surf the Net, and purchase clothing and weapons. But it's the seedy missions that unravel the lengthy single-player story. In-person or on his cell phone, Niko will be asked to perform missions that include escorting Roman's friends, taking out drug dealers, evading police cruisers, racing to one end of the city before someone else, flying a helicopter, or retrieving stolen money. And how you go about a mission may vary, such as carjacking a cop cruiser to gain access to the police computer to look up an informant: you can call 9-1-1 on your phone so a police car comes and then take out the cop; shoot at pedestrians until the police come; or stealthily steal a cop car from the police station.
CloseIs It Any Good?
For the first time in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV offers high-definition graphics, including smooth animation and lip-synching, varying weather effects, and a new physics engine that models everything authentically. This sequel also adds more hand-to-hand combat and optional in-car GPS to help you better navigate this city. Without question, though, the biggest new feature is something gamers have been asking about for years: multiplayer. In Grand Theft Auto IV, up to 16 gamers can play online in a host of game head-to-head modes, like "Cops & Crooks," or cooperative missions like "Hangman's NOOSE." Xbox 360 gamers will also be able to download bonus missions and other content later this year, via the Xbox Live service.
Of course, the controversy this game will garner is unavoidable. As with past GTA titles you can shoot at cops, drive into pedestrians, or request "services" from a prostitute and a lap dance from a stripper. This sequel is also laced with plenty of foul language and you can drink and drive, though your cousin calls you a "bloody idiot" for doing so. Again, take heed of the "M"-rating. Aside from a slightly choppy frame rate at random times, where the action stutters for a bit, and hard-to-read green GPS directions on your mini-map, there is little to complain about with the gameplay mechanics of Grand Theft Auto IV. Adult gamers will find a single-player story that can easily last a month, not to mention the ability to hop online and play with friends. In short, this highly-polished sequel will gratify adults who will get a long "bang" for their buck. But don't let your kids anywhere near it.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 4/29/2008, price $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: M (for Intense Violence, Blood, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Partial Nudity, Use of Drugs and Alcohol)
ESRB rating: M (for Intense Violence, Blood, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Partial Nudity, Use of Drugs and Alcohol)
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
For Mature Individuals Only
I love this game, I think that it should be looked at in the context of society today. If an individul walks into the bathroom at school, depending on where in the country they go to school, they are likely to see some of these things. I went to a small rural school, and can't count the number of times that I went into the bathroom and witnessed cocaine use. I've been bragged to about it. This game when used in the proper context can be used to educate teens about the dangers of substance abuse. If you feel your child is mature,then this could be a great teaching experienc.
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
I love this game but the content in it is a little to much sometimes.The main things I'm worried about are the drug content,sex,language. The violence isn't that bad not to graphic for a M game. The language is to strong I've only had the game for a little while and I've heard over 250+ f*** words alone. The sex in the game is very graphic players can go to various strip clubs, and they can hire prostitutes.Drug content is strong you can witness people snorting cocaine,some levels involve heroine as well.This game is good for mature teens who understand all the content in this game.
- I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
- Easy to play
to start, I highly doubt this person was a parent due to the fact that absolutely nothing in this users post was true...[just in case someone fell for that] ....now for my 2 cents on the game. My parents do not allow me to play it but they did let me rent it for a couple of days (before returning it themselves). In that short experience, I had to say that the controversy surrounding the game was well warranted, but it wasn't as bad as I had heard, or as my mom had insisted. In terms of violence...nothing special, but then again I've played through THE MOST violent games out there. The violence in the game is more a moral issue than an issue of how graphic it is. The game is somewhat cartoony and violence/blood is semi-realistic, but NOT GRAPHIC... I honestly loved the game, but even then I felt uncomfortable trying to ignore the moral realities of what was taking place in the game. I've never played any of the previous ones, but this one certainly didn't encourage drug usage or drinking and driving. At one point in the game NIKO (you) is offered drugs in a car and he turns them down (no option). If you get drunk with a friend at a bar, and then head towards your car afterwards, you're friend remarks on how you're crazy and going to get them killed. I rode my motorcycle anyway, and guess what, I practically killed myself, which is saying a lot. To give a little backstory, if you get in a car and wait a second, your character will automatically put on a seat belt, if you just drive away, he won't. And if you crash without a seatbelt, you fly through the window and end up almost dead. It's even worse if you crash on a motor cycle on a busy street. Apparently I hit something I didn't see (screen gets distorted), and I flew threw the air and got ran over, I can't remember if I lived or not...anyways....the reason it's a big deal in the game is because if you die, or get arrested, you lose out, big time, in terms of certain possessions.... anyways, the main problem with the game is sexual content, language, and the crime factor. The developers went overboard with the language but the other two fit the setting, sort of how swearing fits the setting of a war movie like "Saving Private Ryan". The Violence, besides it's moral implications, is nothing significant in the gaming world.
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
Great game, but not for a young audience.
As of right now, I am 14, and I have recently played through this game. The game's storyline and graphics were great, don't get me wrong, but it is NOT recommended a young kid play it. 15+ I think would be okay, but the game gives you an overdose of language, mostly. Violence is also a problem, but some games are much worse in terms of blood and gore. I personally love the game, as I do all of the GTA series. The game follows a Russian man named Niko Bellic around through Liberty City, a spoof of New York. Niko is involved in all kinds of crime, and will do anything for money, which is obviously not a good role model for children. I did notice that Niko did not want any part of his cousin Roman's wild missions in the first place. The game has okay online game-play. Online, people can taunt you, shoot at you, steal cars, and kill you. But from what I have played, online isn't as bad from single player. One more thing I think should be mentioned is that you can call a number to find the name of the current song playing on your radio, and will give a link to buy that song on amazon.com. That is the only product placement I have seen. All in all, it's a great game, if you are willing to play a game that involves heavy language, violence, heavy sexual content, obviously terrible role models, and some marketing of products.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 70% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
| 60% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
| 50% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 50% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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