GTA IV: A Moment Please

All good games contain Moments. Points where the game gives you an emotional clout round the head or makes you feel like all is well with the world. Essentially, something that makes you think: "Wow."

And it might not always be what you think. Although Call of Duty 4 had a Moment where the nuclear explosion obliterated you and your team mates, they don't always have to be action based. For example, I had a Moment in Loco Roco the first time my happy little blob started singing along with the sun. It was the most uplifting experience I've ever had in a game.

Today I encountered my first Moment in GTA IV, although I'm surprised that it didn't come sooner, and it certainly wasn't what I had expected. After the trumped up story, revamped gameplay and the whole of Liberty City to play in, I would never have guessed it would be such a simple thing.

I was driving down a motorway in a stolen sports car. The radio was on. And as I whipped along the tarmac, weaving through traffic, the sun suddenly began to rise, bathing the screen in scarlet light. In my ears was a catchy, Russian rock song. A feeling of contentment and excitement came over me, and I realised that this was a Moment. Hopefully the first of many.

Beautiful.