Nearly two decades after release, Grand Theft Auto IV is still packed with details that most players never noticed. A new collection of one hundred secrets shows how Rockstar turned Liberty City from a backdrop into one of the story’s most important characters.

While attention is now fixed on Grand Theft Auto VI, many players are returning to Niko Bellic’s rain-soaked city. The 2008 game was one of Rockstar’s most ambitious productions, and its technology, writing and atmosphere continue to hold up remarkably well. Much of that staying power comes from the discarded ideas, tiny animations and layered references hidden throughout the map.

One hundred secrets from Niko Bellic’s story

The compilation ranges from cut content and callbacks to earlier GTA releases to voice-acting trivia, Easter eggs and design decisions that shed new light on Niko, Roman, Michelle, Playboy X, Vlad and Mikhail Faustin. Many of these touches only become apparent after repeated playthroughs or careful observation.

Among the stranger discoveries is the opening theme concealed in Cherry Poppers ice-cream trucks. The project involved more than 800 internal employees and external collaborators, while Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov was once considered for Niko before Michael Hollick ultimately provided the performance.

Liberty City is a living satire

The city is filled with cultural references. The Statue of Happiness twists the symbolism of the Statue of Liberty and the American Dream, while the game nods to Casino Royale, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita, and Rockstar titles such as San Andreas, Vice City, Manhunt and Bully.

GTA IV remains special because every district, pedestrian, overheard conversation and occasional bug reinforces the same bitter joke: Liberty City promises opportunity at every corner, but rarely allows its inhabitants to grasp it.

Source: 3DJuegos