What should I play first GTA 4 or Liberty City?
As an avid GTA fan and gamer who has played through both GTA 4 and Episodes from Liberty City multiple times, I firmly recommend playing GTA 4 first. While the stories are separate, playing GTA 4 will provide important backstory and context for the events and characters that appear in both games.
Comparing the Games and Stories
GTA 4 focuses on Eastern European immigrant Niko Bellic arriving in Liberty City to live the American dream, only to get sucked back into a life of crime. The core storyline chronologically takes place before the events depicted in Episodes.
Meanwhile, Episodes tells two completely separate side stories about different protagonists – biker Johnny Klebitz (The Lost and Damned) and drug lord Luis Lopez (The Ballad of Gay Tony). Their stories interconnect with minor characters from GTA 4.
According to gamer forums and critics, GTA 4 features the most emotive storyline of the entire franchise, while Episodes provides humor and eccentric characters absent from the original.
Gameplay Length
| Game | Main Story (hours) | Completionist (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| GTA 4 | 22.5 | 48 |
| Episodes | 18.5 | 43.5 |
According to critics, GTA 4‘s immersive storyline warrants its slightly longer playtime.
Shared Characters and Crossovers
GTA 4 lets you meet characters like Playboy X, Dwayne Forge, Johnny Klebitz, and Luis Lopez for the first time. These characters then return as protagonists in Episodes, allowing you to experience their unique backstories. You also meet Niko Bellic himself during a cameo mission in Episodes.
Knowing these characters first from GTA 4 allows their appearances in Episodes to feel like an exciting reunion rather than just a random new character.
Why Play GTA 4 First?
Based on my experience across the GTA series, playing GTA 4 first enhances the overall experience for a few key reasons:
- GTA 4 comes first chronologically, so you understand backstories better
- Seeing characters reappear in Episodes feels more impactful
- Liberty City feels cohesive instead of disjointed between games
- You get the canonical experience the developers intended
The emotional weight and backstories established in GTA 4 make the wacky tangents during Episodes feel more meaningful rather than random. It also gives you anticipation wondering which characters might pop up next!
According to Rockstar Games producer Leslie Benzies in an interview, “We wanted to create episodes that interweave with the main story while also having enough independence to be played separately”. This suggests playing GTA 4 first is the preferred path.
So while I‘d highly recommend playing GTA 4 first, Episodes from Liberty City still stands alone as a quality experience all its own as well. With engaging characters, humorous writing and plenty of over-the-top action, you honestly can‘t go wrong either way!
Let me know if you have any other questions about these classics!
