Grand Theft Auto IV offers a robust list of achievements and trophies for completionists and dedicated players to pursue. Whether you are playing on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, unlocking every achievement or trophy requires a thorough understanding of the game's mechanics, missions, side activities, and hidden challenges. Some are straightforward and unlock naturally through story progression, while others demand careful planning, exploration, and skill.

This comprehensive guide covers every achievement and trophy available in the base game of GTA IV. We will organize them by category, explain exactly how to unlock each one, and share valuable tips to help you earn that coveted one hundred percent completion. Let us get started on your journey to becoming a true Liberty City completionist.

Table of Contents

  1. Overview of the Achievement and Trophy System
  2. Story Progression Achievements
  3. Mission Related Achievements
  4. Activity and Side Content Achievements
  5. Combat Achievements
  6. Exploration and Collection Achievements
  7. Friend and Relationship Achievements
  8. Multiplayer Achievements
  9. Miscellaneous Achievements
  10. Tips for Earning Every Achievement and Trophy
  11. Conclusion

Overview of the Achievement and Trophy System

Grand Theft Auto IV features a total of 50 base game achievements on Xbox 360 and their equivalent trophies on PlayStation 3. These range in difficulty from extremely easy unlocks that happen automatically during normal gameplay to challenging feats that require dedication and strategic planning. The total gamerscore available from the base game achievements is 1000 points on Xbox 360.

How Achievements and Trophies Are Categorized

The achievements in GTA IV can be broadly categorized into several groups. Story progression achievements unlock as you complete key missions in the main storyline. Activity achievements require you to participate in and complete specific side activities like bowling, darts, and racing. Combat achievements test your skills with weapons and vehicles during fights. Exploration achievements reward you for discovering hidden items and visiting specific locations. Multiplayer achievements require you to participate in online game modes. Finally, miscellaneous achievements cover a variety of unique tasks that do not fit neatly into other categories.

Tracking Your Progress

You can track your achievement progress through your console's achievement or trophy menu. GTA IV also provides in-game statistics accessible through the pause menu that track various gameplay metrics like missions completed, enemies killed, distance traveled, and activities participated in. Checking these statistics regularly helps you identify which achievements you are close to unlocking and which ones still need significant effort.

Story Progression Achievements

These achievements unlock automatically as you complete key missions in the main storyline. You cannot miss them as long as you finish the game. They are worth a significant portion of the total gamerscore and serve as milestones marking your progress through the narrative.

Off the Boat

This achievement unlocks after completing the introductory mission "The Cousins Bellic." This is the very first mission in the game where Niko arrives in Liberty City and meets his cousin Roman at the docks. It is worth 5 gamerscore and is essentially impossible to miss since it is required to begin the game.

One Hundred and Eighty

This achievement unlocks when you score 180 with three darts in a game of darts. While darts is technically a side activity, many players encounter it naturally during the early storyline when hanging out with friends. Aim for the triple 20 section three times in a row to score a perfect 180. This takes practice but becomes easier once you understand the aiming mechanics.

Pool Shark

Beat a friend at a game of pool to unlock this achievement. Pool is available at several bars throughout Liberty City. The mini-game simulates realistic pool physics, and beating your opponent requires strategic shot placement and careful cue control. Play against Little Jacob or Packie for the easiest match since their AI difficulty is manageable.

King of QUB3D

Achieve the highest score on the QUB3D arcade game to unlock this achievement. QUB3D machines can be found in various locations throughout Liberty City including internet cafes and bars. The game is a puzzle game that requires quick thinking and pattern recognition. This achievement requires patience and multiple attempts to master the mechanics.

Finished the Story

Complete the final mission of the main storyline to unlock this achievement. GTA IV has two possible endings depending on a choice you make near the end of the game. This achievement unlocks regardless of which ending you choose. It is worth a substantial amount of gamerscore and represents the culmination of the entire single-player experience.

Several achievements are tied to completing specific missions or reaching particular milestones within the mission structure of the game.

Dial B for Bomb

Unlock this achievement by unlocking the car bomb feature from Packie McReary. This requires building your friendship with Packie to approximately 75 percent. Once his friendship is high enough, he will offer to plant car bombs for you. Hang out with Packie regularly and take him to activities he enjoys to build the friendship quickly.

Courier Service

Complete all 10 package delivery missions offered by Little Jacob to unlock this achievement. These delivery missions become available after you have progressed far enough in the storyline and built your friendship with Little Jacob. Each delivery involves driving to a specified location within a time limit and dropping off a package. Complete all ten deliveries to unlock the achievement.

Retail Therapy

Unlock this achievement by purchasing any item from a clothing store. This is one of the easiest achievements in the game. Simply walk into any clothing store in Liberty City, browse the available outfits, and purchase one item. The Russian Shop in Hove Beach is the earliest available clothing store and can be visited within the first hour of gameplay.

Chain Reaction

Achieve a chain of explosions that results in the destruction of at least ten vehicles. The easiest way to accomplish this is to find a busy intersection or highway where many vehicles are stopped close together. Use a rocket launcher or grenade to destroy one vehicle and let the resulting explosion chain to nearby vehicles. Busy areas of Algonquin during rush hour provide the best opportunities for chain reactions.

Activity and Side Content Achievements

GTA IV features numerous side activities that provide their own achievements. Completing these activities adds variety to the gameplay and rewards you with additional gamerscore.

Gobble Gobble

Score three strikes in a row during a single bowling game to earn this achievement. This is called a turkey in bowling terminology. Bowling alleys are located throughout Liberty City, and you can bowl alone or with a friend. Practice your timing and aim by targeting the center pin with a straight throw. Consistency is key to getting three consecutive strikes.

Dare Devil

Complete all unique stunt jumps in Liberty City to unlock this achievement. There are a total of 50 unique stunt jumps scattered across the map. Each jump requires you to hit a specific ramp or ledge at high speed and land successfully. Use a fast motorcycle for the best results since bikes provide the speed and airtime needed for most jumps. Some jumps are tricky and may require multiple attempts to complete successfully.

Endangered Species

Collect all 200 flying rats hidden throughout Liberty City. Flying rats are pigeons perched on various surfaces across the map. You must shoot or destroy each pigeon to collect it. This is one of the most time-consuming achievements in the game and requires thorough exploration of every borough. Using an online guide or map to locate all 200 pigeons is highly recommended since many are hidden in obscure locations that are easy to miss.

Under the Radar

Fly a helicopter underneath all major bridges in Liberty City to complete this achievement. You need to fly under every main bridge connecting the islands. Use a helicopter with good handling and fly low and steady under each bridge. Be careful to avoid crashing into the water or bridge supports. Counting and tracking which bridges you have completed helps ensure you do not miss any.

Combat Achievements

These achievements test your combat skills and reward you for achieving specific feats during fights and confrontations.

Warm Coffee

Successfully date and have a positive outcome with a girlfriend. This achievement involves pursuing one of the available girlfriends in GTA IV and maintaining a strong relationship. Take your date to activities she enjoys, drive safely, dress appropriately, and respond positively to conversation options to build the relationship to the required level.

That Special Someone

Complete the mission of the same name. This mission occurs late in the storyline and involves a significant narrative moment. It unlocks automatically as you progress through the main story and is worth a generous amount of gamerscore.

No More Strangers

Meet and complete all random character encounters throughout Liberty City. Random characters appear as small icons on your minimap and offer unique mini-missions when you approach them. There are multiple random characters spread across all boroughs, and each one has one or more encounters to complete. Some random characters only appear at specific times or after certain story missions have been completed.

Exploration and Collection Achievements

Exploration achievements reward you for thoroughly discovering and interacting with the world of Liberty City.

Walk Free

Successfully evade a four-star wanted level to unlock this achievement. Build up a four-star wanted level by committing serious crimes and then escape the police search radius without being arrested or killed. Use fast vehicles, hide in alleyways, switch cars to lose visual identification, and stay outside the police search zone on your minimap until the wanted level disappears.

You Won

Complete the final story mission and watch the credits to earn this achievement. This is tied directly to finishing the main storyline and watching the end credits. It unlocks alongside the story completion achievement and confirms that you have experienced the full narrative of GTA IV.

Liberty City Minute

Complete the main story in under 30 hours of gameplay time. This achievement requires efficient progression through the storyline without spending excessive time on side activities or free roaming. Skip optional activities, drive directly to mission locations, and minimize unnecessary exploration. Check your total playtime in the statistics menu to track your progress toward this time goal.

Friend and Relationship Achievements

Building and maintaining relationships with friends and romantic partners unlocks several achievements in GTA IV.

That's How We Roll

Unlock the ability to call for a car from Brucie by building your friendship with him to the required level. This requires reaching approximately 70 percent friendship through regular outings and activities. Brucie enjoys bowling, drinking, eating at restaurants, and helicopter rides. Take him to his favorite activities consistently to build the friendship quickly.

Lowest Point

Complete the mission for Dwayne Forge called "The Holland Play." This mission presents you with a significant moral choice. Regardless of which option you choose, the achievement unlocks upon completion. This is a story-related achievement that cannot be missed as long as you progress through the main storyline.

Order Fulfilled

Complete all missions for Little Jacob throughout the game. This includes both storyline missions and the package delivery side missions. Maintain your friendship with Little Jacob and complete every task he assigns to unlock this achievement.

Multiplayer Achievements

Several achievements in GTA IV require you to participate in online multiplayer modes. These can be challenging to obtain, especially now that the online player base has decreased significantly since the game's launch.

Fly the Co-op

Complete all cooperative multiplayer missions with a partner. GTA IV features several co-op missions that require two players working together online. Coordinate with a friend or find a partner through online communities to complete these missions. Communication and teamwork are essential for success in co-op missions.

Taking It for the Team

Win five multiplayer team games to unlock this achievement. Team game modes include team deathmatch, team car jack city, and other team-based variants. Play aggressively, communicate with your team, and focus on the objective to secure victories. Five wins should come naturally with regular multiplayer play.

Top of the Food Chain

Kill 100 players in multiplayer deathmatch mode. This cumulative achievement tracks your total kills across all deathmatch sessions. It does not need to be completed in a single session. Focus on free-for-all deathmatch modes for the fastest kill accumulation. Learn the weapon spawn locations on each map to gain an advantage over other players.

Cut Your Teeth

Earn a personal rank promotion in multiplayer by gaining enough experience points. Simply playing multiplayer matches and performing well earns you experience points that contribute to your rank. This achievement should unlock relatively early in your multiplayer career after just a few matches.

Join the Midnight Club

Win a ranked multiplayer race without any damage to your vehicle. This is one of the more challenging multiplayer achievements. You need to complete an entire race in first place without hitting any obstacles, other vehicles, or walls. Choose a track you are familiar with, drive carefully, and focus on clean racing lines rather than aggressive speed.

Miscellaneous Achievements

These achievements cover unique and often quirky tasks that add fun and variety to the achievement hunting experience.

Wheelie Rider

Perform a wheelie on a motorcycle lasting at least 500 feet. Find a long straight road with minimal traffic, get on a fast motorcycle, and pull back on the analog stick while accelerating to lift the front wheel. Maintaining balance during a wheelie requires subtle adjustments. The highways in Alderney and the airport runways in Dukes provide the best straightaways for this achievement.

Half Million

Accumulate a total of 500,000 dollars throughout the game. This is a cumulative achievement that tracks all money earned, not your current bank balance. Money earned from missions, robberies, and other activities all count toward this total. Focus on completing high-paying story missions and side jobs to reach the half million mark. Most players will unlock this naturally during the second half of the game.

Impossible Trinity

Complete the mission "Museum Piece" to unlock this achievement. This is a storyline mission that involves a tense deal inside a museum that goes wrong. Complete the mission successfully to earn the achievement. It is a story-related unlock that cannot be missed through normal progression.

Genetically Superior

Win all street races available through Brucie. Brucie offers a series of illegal street races throughout Liberty City. You must win every race to complete this achievement. Use the fastest vehicle available for each race and learn the routes through practice. Cutting corners and using shortcuts can give you a decisive advantage over AI opponents.

Tips for Earning Every Achievement and Trophy

Pursuing every achievement in GTA IV is a significant undertaking that requires planning, patience, and persistence. Here are essential tips to help you along the way.

Save Frequently on Multiple Slots

Use multiple save slots to protect your progress. Some achievements are tied to story choices that lock you out of other options. Having saves at key decision points allows you to reload and make different choices without replaying large portions of the game. This is especially important for the branching ending of the storyline.

Tackle Collectibles Early

Start collecting flying rats and completing stunt jumps as early as possible. Spreading this work across the entire game is far less tedious than trying to find all 200 pigeons or complete all 50 jumps in a single marathon session at the end. Use printed or online maps to track your progress and check off completed collectibles.

Maintain Friend Relationships Consistently

Building friendships takes time, and letting relationships decay means wasted effort. Schedule regular outings with each friend throughout the game to steadily build their friendship percentage. This prevents you from needing to grind friend activities at the end of the game when you could be focusing on other achievements.

Practice Multiplayer Early

Multiplayer achievements can be time-consuming, especially if you are not experienced with online play. Start participating in multiplayer matches early in your playthrough so you can accumulate kills, wins, and experience points over time. Finding a dedicated partner for co-op missions makes those achievements much easier to complete.

Use the Statistics Menu

The in-game statistics menu is your best friend when tracking achievement progress. It shows detailed information about missions completed, activities participated in, enemies killed, money earned, and much more. Check this menu regularly to identify which achievements you are closest to unlocking and which ones need more work.

Conclusion

Earning every achievement and trophy in Grand Theft Auto IV is a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. The diverse range of achievements ensures that you engage with every aspect of the game, from the gripping main storyline to the entertaining side activities, intense combat encounters, thorough exploration, and competitive multiplayer modes.

By following this guide and applying the tips and strategies provided, you can systematically work through every achievement on the list. Start with the story progression achievements that unlock naturally, build your friend relationships consistently throughout the game, tackle collectibles early and often, and dedicate time to multiplayer achievements whenever possible.

The journey to complete achievement mastery in GTA IV will take you across every corner of Liberty City and push your skills to their limits. But the satisfaction of seeing every achievement unlocked and knowing that you have truly experienced everything this masterpiece has to offer makes every moment of effort worthwhile. Good luck on your path to one hundred percent completion in Grand Theft Auto IV.