Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition Tier List: Current Rankings

Q: What does The Complete Edition include?

Grand Theft Auto IV plus both episodes, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, in one purchase. That is 88 story missions for Niko, 22 for Johnny and 26 for Luis, all set in the same Liberty City.

Q: Is multiplayer still playable?

No. The March 2020 update removed Games for Windows Live and the original online multiplayer along with it. The same update added Steam achievements and moved copy protection to the Rockstar Games Launcher, which the game now requires.

Q: Why are some radio stations missing?

Music licences expire. RamJam FM, Self-Actualization FM and Vice City FM were removed from the Complete Edition, and a batch of licensed tracks was pulled from Vladivostok FM in 2018 before most of them were restored in 2019.

Q: Do the three stories connect?

Yes. All three protagonists are present at the same diamond deal, and several missions show the same event from a different side. Playing Niko's story first makes the episode crossovers land, since they assume you already know what happened.

Q: Which borough should I explore first?

Broker, since it is where Niko starts and where the bridges keep you until the story opens the rest of the map. Dukes follows, then Bohan, Algonquin and finally Alderney, which is roughly the order the campaign unlocks them anyway.

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition tier list ranking every role and weapon. Updated rankings with detailed reasoning.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

This Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Characters Rankings

Tier	Role	Rating	Playstyle
A	Niko Bellic	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Johnny Klebitz	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Luis Lopez	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	The Lost MC gang wars	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Drug wars and club management	8.5/10	Balanced approach

Detailed Characters Analysis

Niko Bellic (A-Tier)

Niko Bellic is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Combat Pistol. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Johnny Klebitz (A-Tier)

Johnny Klebitz is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Carbine Rifle. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Luis Lopez (A-Tier)

Luis Lopez is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Combat Shotgun. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

The Lost MC gang wars (A-Tier)

The Lost MC gang wars is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Grenade Launcher. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Drug wars and club management (A-Tier)

Drug wars and club management is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Sticky Bombs. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Weapons Rankings

Weapon	Best With	Notes
Combat Pistol	Early missions and any fight where you cannot carry a rifle	The heavy sidearm, effectively a Desert Eagle, with enough stopping power to end most fights in one or two hits.
Carbine Rifle	The bulk of the 88 story missions once free aim is enabled	The M4 style rifle and the best all purpose weapon in Niko's campaign, accurate enough for headshots at range and controllable in bursts.
Combat Shotgun	Indoor shootouts and clearing rooms quickly	The semi automatic shotgun, devastating in interiors and useless past a few metres.
Grenade Launcher	Johnny's gang wars and clearing grouped enemies	Exclusive to The Lost and Damned, with a lobbed arc that takes practice and enough damage to end a gang war in two shots.
Sticky Bombs	Luis missions with vehicle targets and ambush setups	Introduced in The Ballad of Gay Tony, thrown explosives that adhere to surfaces and vehicles and detonate on command.

Check our weapons guide for in-depth stats and comparisons.

Weapons Analysis

Combat Pistol: The heavy sidearm, effectively a Desert Eagle, with enough stopping power to end most fights in one or two hits. It stays useful the entire game because it is accurate at ranges where the Micro SMG sprays.

Carbine Rifle: The M4 style rifle and the best all purpose weapon in Niko's campaign, accurate enough for headshots at range and controllable in bursts. Little Jacob sells it at a discount once his friendship is high enough.

Combat Shotgun: The semi automatic shotgun, devastating in interiors and useless past a few metres. It is the correct answer to the several missions that funnel you through apartment corridors and stairwells.

Grenade Launcher: Exclusive to The Lost and Damned, with a lobbed arc that takes practice and enough damage to end a gang war in two shots. Aim short and let the bounce carry it rather than trying to hit directly.

Sticky Bombs: Introduced in The Ballad of Gay Tony, thrown explosives that adhere to surfaces and vehicles and detonate on command. Attaching one to a target's car before a chase begins removes the chase entirely.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition centers on Euphoria ragdoll physics and Friend like percentage and favours. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one. Our combat guide explains these interactions in depth.

What's strong right now:

Niko Bellic with Combat Pistol is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
Branching story choices builds are gaining ground as players find new combinations.
Luis Lopez remains essential for learning hard content. See the boss guide.

What's underrated:

Johnny Klebitz is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
Combat Shotgun offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

Pure Drug wars and club management builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

Situation	Best Role	Best Weapon	Why
Overall best	Niko Bellic	Combat Pistol	Highest consistent performance
New player	Johnny Klebitz	Carbine Rifle	Most forgiving, teaches mechanics
Hard content	Luis Lopez	Combat Shotgun	Survivability when you need it
Group play	The Lost MC gang wars	Grenade Launcher	Utility and team support
Experienced player	Drug wars and club management	Sticky Bombs	Unique challenge and high ceiling

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