As the second best-selling title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, GTA IV is considered by many to be the best out of the five mainline games. Niko Bellic, while not the greatest person, offers the most depth and realism out of any protagonist. Liberty City is dark, grim, and atmospheric, perfectly capturing the essence of the storyline. The world feels lived in, and Niko is the vessel for the incredible exploration and experience players can have.
GTA IV’s mods have a wide range of uses that can change the game in impactful ways that offer a unique experience you can’t find anywhere else.
iCEnhancer
iCEnhancer is the most popular GTA IV mod ever created and one of the most famous in the modding community. Originally made by Hayssam Keilany, the mod has received multiple iterations over the years by different creators. The mod aims to make GTA IV more realistic with updated textures and vibrant colors. While it sounds simple, the mod took hundreds of hours to create and offers one of the most engaging experiences for the game.
The mod was surrounded by controversy after the creator decided to take a break after backlash against the mod in 2014. However, it’s undeniable that iCEnhancer is the greatest mod for the game and one of the greatest in history. Walking down the street in-game, you’d be mistaken for thinking GTA IV was released last year. Adding lights, textures, shading, and more makes the game feel alive and more dynamic.
American Sleep
After finishing GTA IV, do you ever wish there was more? American Sleep is a collection of mods that continues the story of Niko Bellic. Niko will start broke and have to climb back to the top with odd jobs, with mods making the process much harder.
Arrest Warrant adds a notoriety system, causing police to notice stolen goods or recognize your face. Weapon Weights puts a realistic limit on how much Niko can carry at once. Bank Account requires the use of ATMs as the money your character is holding is lost when they die. Those are just some of the countless mods featured in this collection and offer a fun experience post-game.
V Style
Some systems just can be beaten, including the character selection/swapping in GTA V. The multiple protagonist feature was a controversial move, with some players preferring one central character. One main character allows for greater depth and exploration, supposedly. But V Style adds the three-character function to GTA IV for those who love the system.
Players can now swap between Niko, Luis, and Johnny while also having the weapon wheel HUD from GTA V. It also adds special abilities, character interactions, guns, and more. While some may hate the addition of mechanics transferring to older games, it’s a unique way to experience the game, taking after the most popular title in the franchise.
VIVA New York
From its size to its atmosphere, it’s no secret that New York City inspires Liberty City. VIVA New York puts multiple mods together to make Liberty City feel that much more like New York. Street names are changed, the public transport system is altered to resemble the famous city, and Times Square replaces Star Junction.
When walking down the street, you may be mistaken for thinking you are in a direct copy of New York. Plus, the addition of graphical changes adds to the realism and immersion that much more. While it may not be the most technical and game-changing mod, the high level of detail is something to be amazed at.
Conclusion
Our list may be small, but a whole modding community is dedicated to GTA IV. You can get lost down a rabbit hole with countless mods, each changing small parts of the game. While some of the most famous and apparent mods will be graphical and texture changes, you can find mods for about any part of the game.
The GTA community is growing every day, and with the anticipated release of GTA 6, it will only get larger. Fans have the power to create their own vision of the game with mods and release it to the world. Mods ensure that the game never dies or gets forgotten since there will always be something new to explore in Liberty City.