isn't it crazy how putting soft jazz tones over the landscape of Liberty City its perfect, but if you use Los Santos it's out of place lmao

@DoomJoy666

4 ай бұрын

Each city has their own vibe. NYC is associated with the rainy, gloomy, dark, sometimes sunny but cold still, jazz hits of the 90s with turtleneck sweaters. When I think NYC or gta4 I think of something like 'friends' where as Los Santos or LA is more hyper and sunny and young and modern and mainstream so you get hit with whatever is modern at that time. Whether it be the bright neon jackets and flashy colorful cars and signs and buildings of LA noir, or it's the bright flashy and totally whacko looking outfits of modern day LA in Los Santos with 808 and hihat beats.

@epochrisy

4 ай бұрын

@@DoomJoy666 100% because when you have Stevie Wonder blasting down Del Perro Freeway it hits just right. But you can easily have Codeine Crazy in the same place and it’s just as good. Shows you just how in touch Rockstar is with their game and the audience.

@raptorfromthe6ix833

4 ай бұрын

@@DoomJoy666 nyc is gritty whereas la is alot more optimistic and hopeful even in music you can notice the difference between dr dre the chronic and nas illmatic

@SilverXTikal

4 ай бұрын

Ever play Mafia 2? That will deff hit

@jamesschmidt302

4 ай бұрын

Honestly, its because soft jazz tones originate from NYC. Listen Billy Joel, New York State of Mind lmao.

As a son of immigrants and a first-generation American, this game meant everything to me as a child. I grew up in a rather crime ridden area of NYC, not the worst but not the best. My father worked in a taxi business the same as Roman and his business and this game encapsulates pretty well the immigrant experience. The concept of the American dream and a new venture forth. Many of the the young boys were getting in trouble in my neighborhood selling drugs and getting into trouble harming people. I tried my best to avoid this by escaping into this world of GTA 4. I too got into trouble at times (I never harmed anyone thankfully) but it was the cause of the environment. It was almost we made little gangs to survive and stay together as young men. I also grew up with many Eastern Europeans/Serbians who escaped the Balkan Wars as a child so I heard first account details as a young boy/teenagers of their experiences which only further immersed me in this world of GTA 4. This world of GTA 4 was my escape but also my catharsis growing up in NYC in the 2000s and early 2010s. Thankfully, me and my family left this life and we are doing much better but I am glad someone pinpointed and made a video regarding the philosophy of what Liberty City means as well as the aesthetics it captures. Liberty City and the world of GTA 4 truly captured that post 9-11 and late 2010s energy of the world. Before technology and social media really took off and in a world after terrorism. Truly a pinpoint and change in culture in America. Something GTA games really capture. So once again, thank you for making this video which only continues the legacy of this beautiful game which encapsulates a generation and hope future generations can play this game as a time capsule of 2008 America.

@justhere4637

4 ай бұрын

Late 2000s instead of late 2010s I think you mean, since that is when the game came out.

@swervin8336

4 ай бұрын

@@justhere4637 🤓🤓🤓

@carlflagahornlorfen9069

4 ай бұрын

You have to go back

@justhere4637

4 ай бұрын

@@swervin8336 I know. I thought this "meme" died out though, since it came from the summer of 2023 I think.

@swervin8336

4 ай бұрын

@@justhere4637 this meme died out but ur still dorky as fuck

I can’t wait to go back to Liberty City in 20 years

@sterlok2283

4 ай бұрын

I hope they'll do something with Las Venturas or San Fierro too

@superdonk

4 ай бұрын

I always hoped that GTA 5 would get dlc with modern San Fierro and Las Venturas

@codumus

4 ай бұрын

​@@superdonk*I always hoped gta5 would get dlc

@Light_2461

2 ай бұрын

@@codumusIt did have planned DLC that never came out. All three characters had their own planned DLC.

@Etienne_H

2 ай бұрын

@@Light_2461 Studios always abandon their titles too soon smh. But I guess they realized it makes more money to sell a brand new game than to work on a DLC. A proper DLC is almost as much work as half a new game but also you can't charge as much. Where for a new game they just recycle and remaster some of the old components, wrap it all in a new story and cover and it's $60-80. It just sucks cause sometimes you wanna spend more time in the game you already like and established your character in.

Interesting. For me I actually felt the opposite feeling. When the game starts off Nico is on the bottom with no one but Roman. As the story progresses though it feels like Niko gets more and more friends that become loyal to him to the point that they're even willing to stick their necks on the line to help you get revenge at the end of the game. After the end of the story there's literally hours of content in the game that just involves just hanging out with the friends you've made. For me it actually felt relatively wholesome.

@andojo4747

4 ай бұрын

Awesome comment, never looked at it that way before

@icarus313

4 ай бұрын

I was blown away by the fact that you could play darts, go bowling, play pool, AND go to the cabaret show (multiple times with multiple different shows). GTA IV created friendships that were more vivid and rewarding than what you get in many story-driven RPGs!

@weplo1597

4 ай бұрын

@@kazcav After going on amassacre of like 600-700 people lmao

So far you’re the only KZreadr I’ve seen talk about the vibe and design philosophy of GTA IV’s Liberty City and this is what I’ve been trying to tell people about what makes this entry in the series special. It’s not just the physics and Euphoria ragdolls or the enterable interiors, it’s every clockwork of the city that work in tandem to create this environment of impersonal connections and bleak routine lifestyles of its citizens, and this is reflected in Niko’s journey in the plot and the dull grey color palette that many have complained about. This is still the most grounded and artistically objective GTA in the HD series. Thanks for this video, you put to words exactly what I thought about this depiction of NYC, which is apparently accurate to your experience there 😂 TLDR; Liberty City is dark and gritty

@circleinforthecube5170

4 ай бұрын

i always wanted to see the dreary northeastern suburbs aswell, liberty city is in a constant state of october/september aswell, the leaves are still here somewhat there but the cold and dreary winter is setting in

@ketaminepoptarts

4 ай бұрын

something else that adds to the atmosphere is how the sky is never clear, even on the brightest days its still somewhat overcast

@poogmaster1

3 ай бұрын

You should check out badger goodger he has some good videos on GTA IV

@courier_06

3 ай бұрын

dark and gritty just like the half life 2 beta!!!!

@Shimlarian

21 күн бұрын

Tbh GTA 3 was like too

GTA 4 takes place in Fall 2007 so that's why it has the weather it has and that feeling, that's how NY is in the Fall IRL, GTA 4 was meant to release in Fall of 2007 but was delayed to Spring 2008 for technical reasons.

@AMV12S

4 ай бұрын

Nope, could start in 2007 but ends in 2009, you can see on the stats that 3 years past in the end of the game. Also Liberty City is not New York City, is inspired, but is not the same city. NYC does exists on the GTA universe too...

@alvzcizzler

4 ай бұрын

@@AMV12S Never said Liberty City was New York, it's so obvious it's not and it's heavily inspired hence the weather, that's what I meant, idk about the stats but the season is Fall and intended to be year 2007 when the game was supposed to release, I wouldn't pay much attention to the stats since it's evident that the game stays in the Fall during the events including the DLCs which happen around the same time and it's all connected to the story.

@warpdarkmatter

4 ай бұрын

@@AMV12S "NYC does exists on the GTA universe too" wtf are you talking about? LMFAO

@rekius328

4 ай бұрын

@@AMV12S NYC does NOT exist in the GTA Universe, Liberty City IS New York City in this universe.

@diegomorales7419

4 ай бұрын

It cannonically takes place in 2008

GTA IV is like time vault, mid2000s experience which I lived thru as teenager. Absolut masterpiece, dark thriller, great story. Very replayable,

to be completely honest this is so good i’d expect this from a youtube with a few million subs but you’re going somewhere

@Puxi

5 ай бұрын

I can change that. I got money and it can buy 🤖. I do this for all my fav youtubies.

@suki_2.0_

5 ай бұрын

Hope it's not Liberty City 🗽 😂

@brunoactis1104

4 ай бұрын

Weird. The sweet spot has been 50k-500k for some time now. I know close to no truly great channel that has more than that. In this case, he will get there quickly if he maintains the quality.

@Zachjk123

4 ай бұрын

@@PuxiThat’s how you get people banned

@Puxi

4 ай бұрын

@@Zachjk123 Bro, I got some youtubers playbutton this way. People got fame because of me. I can help yous too! All the transwomen will fall in love wit you

I'm only a few minutess in but I just wanted to say, I have lived in NYC my entire life, and after 22 years I still struggle to meet people, have never formed a relationship, and have overall spent the majority of my life incredibly alone, which has really taken a toll on my mental health. In a few months time, if things go right, I'll be moving to a new state to pursue new career opportunities, and while I enjoy NYC and honestly still can't imagine living anywhere else, this video so far has given me hope that a change of pace and a new life might be just what I need to lose the hopless sense of loneliness I've grown accustomed to. New York is my identity and has been my life, and it will always be, but I'm glad I finally found someone who shares my thoughts on just how alone you can feel living here. It may not be exactly what you were going for with your overall theme of this video, but its good to feel sort of represented in a way. Edit: "That either the first person you try to date would turn out to be an FBI informant" yea I'm convinced this is my problem with dating too at this point

@circleinforthecube5170

4 ай бұрын

just don't move to suburban sprawl, all the dreariness but none of the benefits of midrise density. the rest of the country is AWFUL with public transportation of any kind

@MrJohansen

4 ай бұрын

Wherever you go, just make sure you assimilate and don't bring your NYC ways and mannerisms with you. Many things that are acceptable in NY will get you beaten up and despised in the rest of the country.

@xxedgelord420xx4

4 ай бұрын

​@@circleinforthecube5170 there's boston, chicago, sf... not as good as nyc but they're far from la levels of bad

@themarlboromandalorian

4 ай бұрын

Go pursue your passions. Frequent a place. You'll find somebody who's into your kinda shit. It'll be ok. Or you'll at least be enjoying your passions. Either way, it's a win. Safe travels, land-strider.

@JackDaniels-tx4qx

4 ай бұрын

@@circleinforthecube5170 Literally this. I moved out of NYC, and after living in suburbs or areas that had all the markings of suburban sprawl, I find myself going back to NYC every other opportunity I can get.

For starters, I'm so glad you got around to playing GTA 4. That game holds such a special place in my heart and it always seems to be the one that gets overshadowed by the rest of the series. Its a game that brings me right back to high school and all the pleasant memories of getting it early from a store that broke street date, playing it alongside my best friends, obsessing over the soundtrack and the story DLC that followed. A game that let me explore a city so close to the one that I considered my second home. Its a gritty game with a vibe that other open NYC games seem to ignore. Its wild how comforting I find Liberty City and crazy that I never considered the flipside of it. Hearing your perspective was amazing. The way you weave your real life experience into your virtual experience and compare and contrast the two was masterful. The visuals, choice of music and overall flow worked so well together and honestly got me a little emotional. Thank you for sharing this. And I hate you for making me want to play GTA 4 again. I've got a backlog of 2023 games to work through man!

@superdonk

5 ай бұрын

This is incredible, thank you for sharing your experience with the game! I’m so surprised it doesn’t get talked about more because anyone I talk to about GTA 4 always has an intense emotional real world connection to it. It’s such a special experience to play and to think back on too. I love that Liberty City is such a comfort to you, and speaks to the strengths of how well this virtual NYC and Jersey are designed.

Im a native New Yorker from Brooklyn And I gotta say, great video. Really touched some key points on how it really is to be a New Yorker and how GTA 4 drills that in. Its a shame its somewhat overshadowed by GTA 5

@Loquacious_Jackson

4 ай бұрын

Be quiet, you might trick people into thinking you're not an idiot

@reez1728

4 ай бұрын

You’re not really a “native” of New York unless you’re Indian.

@travistreadway3180

4 ай бұрын

⁠@@reez1728stop just stop that was the dumbest shit I’ve read all day they’re called Native Americans first and 2nd if you were born there you’re a Native lmao lord ignorance is blissful

@skatingCi

4 ай бұрын

@@reez1728Obviously he meant he was born and raised in NYC. Please shut up. You’re probably not even a Native American. “Ackshually” 🤓🤡.

@planescaped

4 ай бұрын

@@reez1728 Well this is certainly a dumb statement...

watching this from my tiny 1,000$ a month bedroom in nyc after moving here a year ago...

The first time I visited New York I fell in love with it like no other place I had been. I was OBSESSED and went back every chance I got and fully planned on moving there. This last time in 2023 when I went there, I sat down with an old friend who had been living there for 3 years, who I hadn't seen in around 8. They inoculated me. They said when you live here the vail comes off and you realize that to survive in a place like this you have to sacrifice a lot. They talked about how lonely, exhausted and overworked they are constantly. It really made me rethink where I was planning my life. I still love NYC, but I'll let it stay a friend.

@lavenderllamamusic

4 ай бұрын

I felt the same when I was in NYC (Manhattan) for a concert. Stayed overnight at a hotel, walked around a bit during the day. We didn't get to see much because my dad isn't keen on exploration/adventure, but i still loved the environment and atmosphere. The way the city feels alive at all times. I can't see myself living there though, for the reason your friend mentioned. I see it how I see LA, like a place worth visiting several times a year, but not a place you should make your home (Unless you're well off). I could only see myself living there if money weren't an issue. Even then, i would get an apartment there as a second home, not even the primary lol

@nycapple

4 ай бұрын

as the saying goes, if you can make it here you can make it anywhere. nyc chews and spits out transplants daily; only the most thorough can forge dreams here

The music, extensive b-roll (I’m guessing took countless hours), and the personal, vulnerable writing. GTA 4 is a masterpiece and so is this video. Kudos bro ❤🎉

@superdonk

4 ай бұрын

Coming from the GOAT himself this is high praise, thank you Jeremy!

I felt this loneliness when I came back to the United Stayed after living in Mexico for a couple of years as a kid. Came back, had no friends, the culture was different and couldn’t relate to people. Time has passed I’ve gotten used to it, but that sense of community ain’t here.

@squanchysquanch1840

8 күн бұрын

It is, but not in the urban areas. You have to live in more rural areas to experience that sense of community. But rural areas are just generalized as racist or whatever, when that really hasn’t been the case in my experience at least. People are way friendlier, it’s easier to make friends, and everyone pretty much knows eachother. The downside is lack of employment opportunities and having to travel 30+ mins to go see a movie or to go to the mall. Having lived in urban areas and rural areas, I’d take living out in the country any day. There’s a depressing hopelessness I feel when I live in larger cities (currently in Vegas). It’s just, kind of awful lol. Urban decay, rampant homelessness, impatient folks rushing to get to work, etc. it’s just bad vibes. I don’t think it’s exclusive to NYC, but most urban areas in general. We lose that connection to others and to nature when we are all packed together like sardines. Maybe it’s just me, but I think a lot of people share this sentiment.

gta4 perfectly encapsulates the dichotomy of loneliness in a highly crowded area. while i couldnt see myself living in a city like this, at the same time i love taking in liberty city. i dont know what it is about the grey oppressing atmosphere and wandering around the streets while feeling this strange sensation of exploration and calmness once the night settles in. gta games always been my comfort food and this game is no exception. doesnt matter for how long you already played the game, theres always something new to discover.

As someone watching this while hunched over a bowl of instant noodles at 3:40am on my break I appreciate what you said about the bonds you make with the people you work with on your graveyards, and struggle to keep up with your non-work relationships. Cheers from the break room, Vancouver International Airport, Canada

I visited NYC in 2009 and i was amazed at how secure it was. Even at night i didnt feel like someone could rob me. It wasnt like Liberty City at all. It was clean and the people were very nice. I expected the city to be like inTaxi Driver or The Warriors but it the opposite. I wonder if today is the same

This is genuinely so well made. Great video :)

@dill_o_n

5 ай бұрын

Amazing video g, love the concept ❤

This video ticked a lot of boxes for me. There’s this ineffable quality to rockstar worlds that somehow gives the impression of a real place in a way few open worlds do for me, and I think a big part of it is the way you uncover the world. I’ve never lived in Compton, or Beverly Hills, or out by Salton Sea. But in GTA V I spent a lot of time in Davis, Rockford Hills, and Sandy Shores until they became second nature to navigate. And that’s been my experience whenever I’ve moved somewhere new too. It’s a rare and fleeting feeling you get that can only last as long as you don’t know the entirety of the map. Anyway loved the video and subbed pretty much instantly.

9:09 I like that you said you’re grateful for the loneliness you experienced. I experienced profound loneliness for years when I moved to a different state and didn’t know anyone, and yeah, it gave me a lot of time to step back and examine myself and life in general and I need to be grateful for that.

I really enjoyed this video. It made me think about this one time in the middle of Manhattan late at night, I was watching this group of people, probably coming back from a party, arguing about how to get home. Right next to them were two young immigrant brothers, cleaning up in front of their family's small restaurant while their dad handled things inside. Despite being at an age when most folks are out partying, these brothers were all about their work, not bothered by anything. It got me thinking about how life's choices don't have a clear right or wrong. Kinda like when people decide to have kids - some have them early and regret not having more fun before, while others regret having kids late and feeling old when their kids hit their 20s. Life's full of choices, and there's always some regret no matter what you pick. Feeling lonely because you're focused on your goals is completely ok. You could be out partying more, but that might slow down your progress. Personally, I try to balance work and hanging out with friends when I can. I could be like some friends of mine who post party stories every night, but that's not my style; it would mess with my life goals. And I think unconsciously, most people are doing what's best for them or what suits them best even if sometimes they contemplate doing it differently. In NYC, I love that I find people making similar choices all around. Sometimes after work, I find myself on the subway with folks who obviously are super tired and will just head home while others are getting ready to spend the night out. And sometimes, I'm on the subway late at night, coming home from a party with strangers who did the same thing. Big cities like New York make you realize you're not alone - lots of people are living similar lives. It creates a sense of community even if we don't interact much. Contrary to what some might think, most New Yorkers aren't rude or just about themselves. Many are ready to help if you've got a problem. Being surrounded by others, even if we don't interact makes us feel less alone. We share something in common, and it makes us wish that the city gets better for everyone living there, and so in the end we're nice to each others. And videos like yours makes us all realize that all humans everywhere are way more similar than what we all think. Since I believe many people will relate. I hope you continue making videos about stuff you want to talk about. Personally I love it when we can learn life lessons from movies or video games and your commentary was thought provoking for me. I'm definitely subbing. BTW I really recommend the movie Taxi Driver (1976) for those who have not seen it as it really did a great job of depicting the loneliness of Robert de Niro's character in New York. Even if his loneliness was absolutely extreme.

@superdonk

4 ай бұрын

Damn George Washington came back from grave to watch this video?!? Haha Thank you for your thought out and lovely response. I’m so glad that it was able to spark the conversation about how we all interact with each other and what it means to be in community. Thank you again for watching!

You don't see videos as beautiful and deep like this with such small views everyday, you deserve alot more then what you're getting.

Is that really how most people play GTA 4? I mean yeah, fast travel here and there, but almost exclusively? Also huge respect if you actually use the subway as a means of transportation and not as a novelty that you indulge in once or twice. I remember this game having quite a lot of driving actually.

@Peter-mj6lz

4 ай бұрын

I think the subway may have been faster than driver although I mostly drove on gta 4, the train was really efficient.

@lavenderllamamusic

4 ай бұрын

i remember driving everywhere myself. i never thought to use taxis/public transport during missions unless i was supposed to. I'd usually save that for outside of missions. Plus driving felt like the best way to familiarize yourself with the map and how to navigate it when needed. Although driving would start to feel like a chore sometimes

@a-tv1428

4 ай бұрын

@@lavenderllamamusic That mirrors my experience as well and I would bet that of most players. Since driving is more often than not absolutely required.

@acenine8149

3 ай бұрын

Admittedly I played this game when I was like 12 so I didn’t pay much attention to details, but I legitimately did not know there was a subway system in this game.

I’m glad to hear from someone who actually lived in NYC, esp with so much misinformation on social media about NYC these days. I lived in LA for two years for college and felt the same “loneliness in a crowd” that you described in NYC. I’m glad I went to LA, but I don’t miss the feelings of isolation. I visited NYC as a kid and it was a dream come true, but somehow I felt that living there would be overwhelming for me. I recently got a job offer in NYC but chose a different opportunity in a smaller town in the Pacific NW. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong choice about where to live, but I do think it’s important to try to make genuine connections wherever we go.

Cabs and fast travel in GTA4 is actually sacrilege

Man, such a great video, didn't expect this quality level from a non million subs channel. Don't stop!

Delightful video. I don't think I'll witness a true "life sim" in my life time, nor do I have much interest in one, but do I love it when games evoke all the feelings and emotions you get from a life experience, in this case, living in New York; visiting Manhattan for the first time just last Summer but not living there, it was both refreshing and fascinating to hear how and what GTA IV brought out for someone who spent more time there than me. Keep up the great work!

@superdonk

4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

Only here can you walk pass literally 1000s of people a day, and never feel more lonely

@nycapple

4 ай бұрын

try talking to some

Literally watching this, in a cab, in a cab in gta 4, this is where I am at in life. In a cab, in gta 4, no longer do I skip the trip.

I think the dark brown grayish overlay really creates a lonley, grim vibe that fits with the dark story. Even the sunsets in the game are a dull yellow.

Moving to Boston for my first year of university from a small suburb in New England felt a lot like this. Lots of relatability in learning the map of the city by head, having a different outlook on the people around me and the work I was doing, especially being an engineer with practically no free time at all. I know plenty of people have the same struggles and adaptation that I do but it's interesting to see the connection to a game I haven't really looked into at all yet.

I remember back in GTA 4 online if you ever went into a free mode lobby by yourself it felt so depressing and lonely on a level i can't properly exllain. In gta 5 however there is no such feeling. Theres a lot of reasons for that but i think alot of it does have to do with how lonely the city in general feels

GTA IV is absolutely one of my beloved games of all time. I bought a PS3 about a year ago JUST to replay the story again and listen to the characters dialogue during hangouts. I've legit beat the game like 3 times. And somehow it STILL feels like an amazing game. This game is 16 years old and yet it still feels relatively modern due to the great engine. It was ridiculously ahead of its time. Because to this day there are still brand new "open world sandbox" games that have not been able to replicate the realism and atmosphere of Liberty City in IV. I genuinely want to thank you for crafting this video. The way you intertwined your own experience with NYC into the likeness of Liberty City. I literally just stumbled onto this video and channel. And I have to say this is fantastic content. I have a big soft spot for IV and the way you shared your own story along with it was very endearing to me. Thank you. 🙏🏾

This resonates very closely to my experience post-university, the only difference is that I moved to London. Overworked, lonely and broke are the three terms I'd use to describe my experience there, but since I left last year after having lived there for 2 years, I feel better for myself, but also wiser and grateful for the experiences the city put me through.

Really glad I clicked on this video! The script you have written is superb, the cinematic shots of the city itself in the background are also just perfect, as they help with establishing the tone of the monologue without distracting me from listening to every word of it. And the reading these comments that other viewers have left about their relationship to the city of New York or the video game GTA IV just makes this whole experience extra special. You've earned yourself a sub. I hope this channel blows up soon. All the best!

This video is amazing… I’ve lived in Clinton hill my whole life and ur explanations of life r crazy detail 😂😂😂

I haven't been to NYC but have played GTAIV before, and my word does Rockstar do an excellent job of displaying what NYC looks like 😮👏👏

Man, I feel so lucky to have found this video. I'm planning to move to NYC this year and love the GTA series. I really enjoyed your style of video editing here and all the slice of life shots you took the time to grab, and the points you made about a sort of overwhelming loneliness that you begin to sort of crave in an odd way (maybe as it turns to independence?) really resonated with me. This definitely felt like a big channel video, great work.

Feels kinda funny that I relate a little. I live in New England, but not any of the hoighty toighty parts. It's a suburb, but all shaken up, some parts more urban and some parts more rural. Cities are small. Downtown areas are small. The wealthy parts of town are small, and the poor parts of town are small. But the forests? The forests are everywhere. I grew up on the internet. Sure, I had some friends in school, but we never spoke about much. School didn't give us time to get to know each other, really. My family was a complicated situation. Long story short: after a medical accident, my mother, playmaker of the family, lost her memory and some cognitive awareness. That left my dad. He worked. I can't say what he did exactly, but he took home 30k a year. All of that's to say, it made it hard for me to relate to most kids, and I never wanted to do anything that felt like a pain in the ass to explain to my father. So I repressed my desires. Thankfully: video games and computers existed. But it kinda fucked with me, y'know? Going around in my house like I had a stick up my ass, then going online and bein' a fool. Only now do I feel like I'm really in touch with both these parts of myself at the same time. Took long enough. Only in the past few years have I walked around this town I apparently grew up in. It's cathartic. Seeing the seasons change. Hiking in the snow. Even just doing daily transactions. Free of guilt. I get an innocent feeling when I stare at advertisements and billboards. I can look at myself and go, "At least I ain't as desperate as that." I've had my fill of drama, though. I've surrounded myself with people with self-worth issues all my life. It was subconscious at first. They were interesting and funny and I never read into it much. If they ever stepped on my toes, I turned the other cheek and would say to myself, "They'll have to live with themselves someday." I always knew that a deficiency in self-worth was almost like a disability in some ways. It killed curiosity, it killed creativity, it was the basis for many symptoms which people would go on to rationalize in all kinds of different ways. So, yeah, I was a master at escaping from any feelings I didn't like. The resulting confidence magnetized people. My vulnerability did too, but only because it was actually a show of ironic confidence. Real vulnerability doesn't exist when people only deal in self-esteem. That self-esteem focused perspective is where envy is born. And I thought that envy was just hilarious. Kinda just instinctively. What was there to envy about me? Like, I wasn't doing poorly, but I wasn't some genius savant or anything. I was and have always been some dude. It took time for me to learn things like everyone else. Anyone could be me if they spent time the way I did, and knew what I went through. But I know if any a' those clowns could hear me right now, they'd say, "Damn, I wish I was you. I wish I could feel as sorry about all of that as you. I wish I'd suffered the way you did. I wish I had the thoughts you had." And what do I say to that? Do I laugh? Do I just stare 'em down? 'Cause I'm not really sorry about it all, nor am I proud of it. It just is. It's an explanation. It's not a fuckin' social bargaining chip, it's my life. They'd probably have a heart attack and die if they had to really know the way I felt. Or maybe they'd just refuse to believe it, 'cause it'd just be too much. All that's to say, I think there's a lot of places suffering the way New York is. Lots of places are transaction-driven and empty and full of broken people running away from their problems. Or maybe New England is just as cursed as New York, I dunno.

This was tremendous. GTA4 is a game i go to when im feeling super lonely, even though im from a very small town, it still can be lonely and Niko Bellic always felt like that one friend who may do bad things, but understood those things and understood the loneliness that comes with life at times. Great video, gonna definitely check out the rest of em

My eyes were glued to the screen, incredible video!

@superdonk

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

I got chills from this video multiple times, NYC and GTA IV both hold special places in my heart, and this got me in my feels. Really well done. Subbed and can’t wait to see what else you put out!

I watch a lot of KZread videos, but rarely feel the need to comment. However, after watching your video, I have to say that your writing and production is fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you :)

I got a decade old synchronicity jolt when Color of Autumn hit. I was playing IV with the Nujabes discography in the Independence Radio folder back in the day and was always bumping it in LC. I specifically remember listening to a lot of Spiritual State because it had come out recently. Those instrumental jazzy tracks have hardcoded themselves into the GTA IV directory of my brain, alongside 20fps averages and countless reinstalls from messing with mods. Thanks for excavating all that 4 me.

Came into this video just expecting an analysis of the city of GTA III and IV or something like that but i came out with a new understanding of what moving to a new city is like and how your circumstances in said city can change a person. Great video :D

i love how the camera angle / perspective shifts when you look at the sky

The intro and outro, the framework for the whole video is all pretty well done, I needed to watch this twice, once with an occupied mind and once without an occupied mind to truly understand the quality of work this is and what this video is actually talking about. Keep more videos like this coming!

@superdonk

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!!!

GTA IV is the best game of the franchise. Liberty City truly feels like a character itself, which is not an easy feat to do, especially when so many of the characters are fantastic already. The game is a masterpiece and it has the greatest protagonist in the franchise. Great video man, take care!

I went true the same exact thing living in New jersey and going back and forth to New york on a daily basis for as little as 1 year,thats why I still play to this day GTA4 because it give so much nostalgia and funny enough small places that I have been in New york are in the game😂

This video has got to be one of the best Grand Theft Auto and just story telling video I’ve seen. I’m on the opposite side of the state near Buffalo and it feels way different then how it is NYC.

This game also connected with me in a certain level. I grew in a third world country as a small town kid where everyone basically knows each other and exactly in 2008 I moved to the capital city to study in an American certified school. My father spent a lot of money to get me there and while the experience wasn't bad, the complete change in language (we were forced to speak in English only while at school) , the location , transport method and the new people were slightly overwhelming. I disconnected with my parents and old friends, had a hard time making new friends and I went out more often but to the detriment to my mental health. I had a ps3 but no more money for games, at the start of 2009, that's when a kid in school lent me GTA IV and the episodes of Liberty city. I completed the game with the achievement finishing the game within 36 hours. It sounds to me at a certain level, connected with Niko and his struggles just to fit in, the language barrier and finding a purpose beyond making money. Gtaiv is the best game in the series no bar.

Masterpiece of a video, I felt it very deeply. It was painful, but comforting

Yo this is so good. Great execution, narration, poetry

Thank you. This is a masterclass on video essay editing and narration.

very high quality video, i expected it to be around 3 years old and 10m plus views and i loved the commentary, keep this up im the 920th sub❤

So this ís what the dream feels like This is the victory we longed for

This was a remarkably well written and thought out video. You drew some parallels that I didn’t even think of.

Fascinating analysis. And it really got me intrigued about your life there in NY. Personally I've never been there but as an actor I know it is a place where everyone dreams to go.

I appreciate and love this game so much as im older because it takes me back to the old NYC. NYC in the 2000s was the best time to grow up in NYC. Thats when New York was NEW YORK. Rockstar was on point with the radio stations. The Hot 97 parody station was genius. Also just seeing the fashion, the Internet cafe’s, the trains , and the old taxis just gives me straight up nostalgia

We need a liberty city agin with gta 5 level customization … the best video I’ve watched ever and I feel this in my life as well

As an immigrant who lived and worked in NYC, I know that feel so deeply

this was an amazing experience you put together for us !!! i was checking views/subs after the video and was shocked for how low it was. You will go somewhere if you keep this quality up

As someone about to embark on a solo move to new york myself, this was a real nice comfort and validation of the fears and hopes that I have. Thank you

There is a mod on nexus that increases the number of cars and npcs to the maximum. With this mod, Liberty City becomes truly overcrowded, almost like a real New York. Ive never been to NY or USA but ive been to big cities and LC with this mod becomes so noisy and tightly packed. Rockstar really nails the atmosphere only to be limited by console limitations. Also, I really wish they had added country side near Alderney but maybe the map with urban area only enhances the experience.

Great video. Very relatable. I have spent every decade of my 4 decades alive in different countries, most recently in Toronto, also an incredibly lonely city. Hope you find success with your channel.

5:44 one of the most enjoyable and peaceful activities in the game

This is my life as an adult atm. My life is work, for 5 years, with no close friends relationships for some years now. This for me is normal, and I see it happening around me, when going gets tough, and you need to put your head down and go full commitment into a specific career choice, or its dependencies (like working at a supermarket at day to study at night). I think sometimes people tend to focus on the differences and very specific context, and forget the things, good and bad, including the life alienation that unites us all, of all races, of any immgration or non-immigration status, at some points in our lives. These things are not reserved for any specific group, or even city.

Very nice work! Don’t got much to say, but i wouldn’t be surprised to see this video gain a thew thousand views, perhaps a million.

You think Liberty City can be depressing? You should visit Carcer City.. Which interestingly according to the ingame "miles traveled" stat is only 100 miles away from Liberty City

GTA VI captured the "blahness" of NYC, but not the liveliness of many parts of it. I'm sure that has something to due with tech limitations at the time, which is why I can't wait for the inevitable return to Liberty City in GTA VII... 2035? 2040? Having lived in NJ all of my life, NYC is definitely meh in many aspects, but also super alive in many. The "City that never sleeps" thing is a bunch of BS though as I've seen it asleep and devoid of life/activity on many occasions, even in Times Square, the heart of the city.

Superb storytelling and an heartwarming throwback to the greatest of all time, LC!

I really enjoyed that. Thanks for making it!

A year can be a very long time if you're going through something like that. I remember the loneliest year of my life felt like a lifetime in itself, and now that things are better the years just fly by and I'm thankful for having had the experience and what it taught me about myself.

Just discovered your channel through the algorithm and l'm glad because l really enjoyed watching the video and for a channel of your size, it's impressive, definitely subbing!

I'm from London and this video pretty much applies to London too. This hit close to home.

Great vid! Found this on my recommended so your vid is getting out there :-)

just discovered this channel. as an iranian immigrant myself who moved to los angeles (huge mistake) at a very young age and left most if not all my family behind, your analysis of gta iv viewed through the eyes of niko bellic was nearly perfect. i may have a lot of friends and whatnot but in truth, i am still very lonely even in a big city like LA. when me and my parents first moved here we wanted to chase the american dream and left all of our belongings in the old country behind, just to find that the american dream had long been dead, and instead replaced with drug dealing and gangbanging as inappropriate substitutes to it. as a child, i shared my experiences with a lot of israeli and russian immigrants, who too, escaped their countries due to the situation back home. i moved to this country at a time where political tension was high, and faced a lot of scrutiny when i first arrived due to my iranian origins, and with terrorism rapidly on the rise, many people remained ignorantly panicked and scapegoated whoever came from the middle east. gta iv captured america's depressive, scared 2010s era nearly perfectly. when i first played gta iv, the only thing i could think of regarding the setting was how america was recuperating after 9/11. rockstar perfectly captures whatever setting it attempts to, with gta iv being an aforementioned caricature of america's panic following 9/11, and gta v being a nearly 1:1 caricature of the ridiculous consumer culture that engulfs los angeles. thank you for making this video and bringing immigrant voices, like mine, to light. in america i always felt like the odd one out due to nobody i knew sharing my immigrant background when i first came here, and always felt like i couldn't relate to anybody. you have practically put my experiences to words.

This is super well done-great look of integrating human experiences and how they’re shown, replicated, and emulated in games

I love the passion in your videos man

I love your style with story telling and using in game footage from GTA. Im doing the same but with a green screen and in shorts, but this inspired me to maybe do longform aswell, Thank you my friend!

Awesome video. Really love the perspective and personal angle in a KZread that is so focused on objective criticism. Keep it up:)

This video came at a perfect time. I have lived in NY state since around the time GTA 4 released but I have never been to NYC. That got me thinking about how accurate GTA 4's portrayal of NYC actually was. You went a step further and talked about lived experience over just geographic accuracy.

It's a similar vibe you get with urbex videos filmed in autumn/fall and winter. That feeling of stillness and desolation.

i fuckin adored this video dawg, just a great look and a unique angle in relating IV to your own experiences. i look forward to seeing more content

This really made me think about how a strong portrayal of something in media, even if only parody like GTA, can heighten our connection to the real place. I moved to Los Angeles for college recently and I can certainly understand where GTA V gets its inspiration from lol. Great video

no idea why that video was suggested to be, but it starts very well

I think the algorithm took me here because I've been playing a lot of GTA IV for the first time (and therefore googling things about it). I am so impressed by Rockstar's polish here, and I can't believe the game is from 2008. Amazing video!

As a New Yorker, this game has a special place in my heart

The shots u got for this video are beautiful, the soundtrack suits it to a T, and your story really ties it all together, brother i think u cooked with this one

Excellent video. I can relate to the vibe of Liberty City because i grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which as close to a full on concrete jungle as you will get in the "third world". Even the same social rules and in-group (we call them in-tribe) dynamics apply. Here you are what you do for work and you only know people from work. It's nothing like the rest of Brazil in that there is no "we are one big family" component nor the typical friendlyness you see in places like Rio. Everyone is only locked in their social circle and the experience for a person such as me who doesn't get along with groups has always been terrible,. I loved this game as a teenager and have played tru it 10 times or more, this is outstanding social commentary and it does a good job of keeping current day politics out of the conversation, because when we come down to philosophy, concepts are way more ethernal than we like to thing.

Incredible content, editing, and music choice. Instant sub

This is without a doubt one of the greatest yt videos I have ever seen. This is super inspiring keep up the great work

@superdonk

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

Hey, great video, these are the types of narration videos I appreciate from the gaming community. Ignore all the negative comments, us true games really do appreciate this type of content

Absolutely great vid, became a subscriber because of it, thanks a lot for sharing your story and your thoughts, a very different point of view

Very good video and cinematic keep it up!!

beautiful video bro, GTA IV is such a masterpiece looking back

Great Start to the New Year! Another Fantastic Film from Super Donk!

@superdonk

5 ай бұрын

Liam!! Thank you for watching!!!

That's an awesome video. I recently watched someone explain how lonely GTA III's vibe is, and even creepy, to them, and now this for GTA IV - perfect. Perfectly written, thoughtful video idea, great in-game camera shots. And yeah - agreed 100% - moving sucks....

Played GTA IV in a dark time in my life. I clicked on this video to reminisce about the game, but instead I listened to you nail exactly what it’s like to live here.. This hit a little too close to home