Wanted Level in GTA IV

A Wanted level in Grand Theft Auto IV and its expansions, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, is a measure of how much the player is wanted by police in Liberty City, and therefore how much force will be used in pursuit of the player. In GTA IV, like in previous games, the Wanted level is measured on a six-star scale, which measures police lethality from the non-lethal one star to the extremely aggressive six stars.

Relatively minor crimes committed within sight of the police may attract one star. Committing serious crime is likely to attract multiple Wanted stars immediately -- for example, killing or wounding a police officer with a firearm results in an immediate three star Wanted level.

Wanted level stars are cumulative -- repeatedly committing "one-star" crimes within sight of police may lead to a two-star rating, and so on.

Once the player has a Wanted level, LCPD officers give chase and attempt to arrest the player; if arrested, the player is transported to the nearest police station and released a few hours later after a fine (10% of the player's current cash balance) and the confiscation of all weapons. Police officers can arrest the player by holding them at gunpoint -- if the player is in a vehicle, they will surrender immediately, but if on foot, the player can resist arrest, running away and/or fighting back. This will, however, cause the officer to open fire (highly dangerous at that range) and escalate a one-star Wanted level to two-stars.

As the player's Wanted level goes up, law enforcement try less and less to arrest the player, instead attempting to kill the player at all costs. As such, it is almost impossible to get arrested at a Wanted level of 4 or higher, although police will attempt vehicular arrests if the opportunity arises.

Search radius
Police are in constant radio contact with one another, which is reflected in the 'search radius' system -- when the player attracts a Wanted level, a 'search radius' will appear on the map, in the form of a flashing red and blue circle centred on the player. While within this radius, the player's Wanted level will not decrease; the goal is to move outside of this circle without the police catching sight of the player again -- if they do, the circle will re-orient itself around the player again. If the player escapes the circle and avoids the police for several seconds, they will lose their Wanted status.

Pay 'n' Spray
Unlike GTA III era games, Wanted levels cannot be lost by picking up police bribes, as these no longer exist; the Pay 'n' Spray service is, however, still available. Unlike in previous games, Pay 'n' Sprays cannot be used in sight of police, even for vehicle repair; visibility to police is indicated by whether the Wanted stars on the HUD are white (visible) or grey (out of sight). Pay 'n' Sprays instantly remove the player's Wanted level, and their use advances the in-game clock three hours.

Police behaviour
Police in GTA IV are better-equipped, smarter, and more lethal than in previous GTA games; they can even respond to crimes committed out of their sight, as civilians can call police on their cell phones to report crimes. Police use their available weapons intelligently -- an officer with a Pump Action Shotgun will move in closer to the player to compensate for the weapon's short range, while a NOOSE agent with a Carbine Rifle will hang back to take advantage of distance. Police can commandeer civilian vehicles (parked or occupied) if their vehicles are destroyed, or if a police car is unavailable; they may even commandeer the cars parked in front of the player's safehouses.

Police radio messages are an additional audio indicator of a player having one or more police stars. These messages reflect the crimes being committed by the player; for example, firing a pistol will lead to mentions of "firearm discharge" over the radio, and firing an assault rifle (or successfully hitting an individual with any gun) is described as "a shooting".

In-Game Help
When the player attains their first Wanted level, the game displays information to briefly explain the Wanted level system. "The area cops search is shown by the flashing red and blue zone. Cops are shown by the flashing red and blue icons. To lose your wanted level, escape the flashing zone. The cops are less likely to identify you if you swap vehicles or run through alleyways and side streets. If the wanted stars are grayed out then the cops have lost sight of you."

One Star
At a one star Wanted level, any LCPD police patrols will give chase and attempt to arrest the player on sight. Officers only shoot at one star if they feel threatened (for example, if the player aims a firearm in their direction), and most commonly attempt to arrest the player. Police cars follow the player at relatively lower speeds. The search radius for one star is approximately two city blocks wide. The player is unable to buy any items (weapons, clothes or food (except from vending machines)), enter a taxi as a passenger, enter bars or clubs, or partake in activities like TV, darts, bowling, etc..

A one-star Wanted level is attained by committing the following crimes:


 * Attacking a police officer unarmed or with a melee weapon
 * Attacking and/or killing bystanders (explosives may lead to higher levels)
 * Damaging or destroying a vehicle (explosives may lead to higher levels)
 * Attacking or crashing into a police vehicle
 * Firing a weapon in a public place
 * Pointing any weapon at a police officer
 * Hitting a citizen or police officer with a vehicle
 * Carjacking or stealing a parked vehicle
 * Driving a car with its alarm sounding
 * Breaking through a toll booth in a civilian vehicle without paying (emergency and law enforcement vehicles are exempt from the toll)
 * Being seen drunk-driving
 * Pushing a police officer repeatedly by running into them
 * Spraying cops or pedestrians with a water cannon when driving a fire truck
 * Standing on top of a police car occupied by police
 * Stealing money from a cash register in any accessible store
 * Starting fires, or getting caught on fire
 * Obstructing justice when a officer is chasing or making an arrest on an NPC

Two Stars
Officers now shoot to kill more often. Officers in cars now chase the player, rather than simply following behind, and often try to overtake the player or run them off-road.

Two Wanted stars are attained by:


 * Attacking, but not wounding, a police officer with a firearm or explosives
 * Destroying many vehicles at once
 * Killing many people in a short space of time
 * Destroying a fuel pump
 * Evading an attempt to arrest while on foot or in a vehicle
 * Destroying a Securicar or Police Stockade with firearms or explosives
 * Flying over restricted airspace in a helicopter (FIA Runway or CC Complex)
 * Stealing certain cars for Brucie's Exotic Exports

Three Stars
At a three star Wanted level, police vehicles become more aggressive in their pursuit, attempting to pin the player's vehicle against buildings and ram them off the road. NOOSE now begin to assist the LCPD in setting up roadblocks on main roads and bridges; they also send NOOSE Cruisers and NOOSE Patriots in pursuit of the player. NOOSE Patriots may attempt to ram the player from the front, putting the player at risk of a windshield ejection from their vehicle.

A police helicopter is called in; it will shine a spotlight on the player at night, and open fire if they get a clear shot. The helicopter, however, has limited fuel, and will periodically break off from pursuit (it will also do so if the player enters a tunnel or kills its two riflemen). Predator police boats are dispatched in waterways. Officers on foot now use Pump Action Shotguns against the player. The player is now unable to board the subway.

Strong, fast vehicles are recommended -- motorcycles are not suggested, due to the aggressive driving of the police.

Three Wanted stars are attained by:


 * Killing or wounding a police officer with a firearm
 * Continuing to cause collateral damage (killing civilians and destroying vehicles)
 * Entering the Alderney State Correctional Facility (only in The Lost and Damned)

Four Stars
At four Wanted stars, the FIB and NOOSE's Tactical Response Unit join the fray, and the player is confronted by NOOSE Enforcers and FIB Buffaloes in addition to the previously mentioned forces. NOOSE T.R.U. officers and FIB agents come four to a vehicle and are typically armed with Carbine Rifles, although some agents carry SMGs and Pump Action Shotguns, and wear body armor for protection. It is speculated that a player's vehicle of choice will dictate the police vehicles spawned -- FIB Buffaloes dispatched when the player is in a small, quick car, and NOOSE Enforcers dispatched when the player is in a larger vehicle. None of this speculation is confirmed; sometimes, both services chase the player.

The player can earn the "Walk Free" Achievement/Trophy by successfully escaping the search radius while on four stars, however the use of certain cheat codes disables this Achievement/Trophy.

Four Wanted stars are attained by:


 * Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement (killing officers, destroying police vehicles, and/or attempting escape)
 * Continuing to cause collateral damage
 * Entering the runway area at Francis International Airport
 * Entering the grounds of the Civilization Committee in Algonquin

Five Stars
At five Wanted stars, the Police Maverick is accompanied by a NOOSE Annihilator. All law enforcement fire upon the player while in pursuit, making getaways difficult -- FIB or NOOSE are particularly perilous to engage, as their SMGs are likely to make short work of the player's getaway vehicle. All officers will employ more advanced driving techniques, such the PIT maneuver, as they try to make the player spin out of control and crash. NOOSE/FIB cooperation is more apparent at this level, both forces spawning and pursuing the player in equal numbers.

Due the increased risk of being shot to death, use of a motorcycle as a getaway vehicle at this level and beyond is especially not recommended.

Five stars are attained by:


 * Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement
 * Continuing to cause collateral damage
 * Visiting "www.littlelacysurprisepageant.com" on the in-game Internet

Six Stars
At six Wanted stars, the Police Maverick is replaced with a second Annihilator, making escape from the search radius extremely difficult. More NOOSE Cruisers, Patriots, Enforcers and FIB Buffaloes will pursue the player, with only a smattering of LCPD cruisers and patrol cars. Survival and escape is most difficult, and a very fast and/or durable vehicle is recommended. All law enforcement vehicles fire upon and ram the player relentlessly with very little regard for collateral damage. On foot, the player must move and/or retaliate quickly to avoid being cut down by gunfire.

The player can earn the "One Man Army" Achievement/Trophy by surviving (not getting busted or wasted) for five minutes on six stars, however use of certain cheat codes disables this Achievement/Trophy.

Six stars are attained by:


 * Continuing to retaliate against law enforcement
 * Continuing to cause collateral damage
 * Crossing police barricades or flying into areas of Liberty City that the player has not yet unlocked

Glitches

 * If the player crosses a bridge and obtains a Wanted level (even a one-star level), any nearby helicopter will give chase, including even Helitours Mavericks, other civilian Mavericks, or even an Annihilator. Mavericks will shout to the player through a loudspeaker; fortunately, there are no riflemen in civilian Mavericks to fire upon the player.
 * If the player drinks a can of soda, the police will temporarily cease fire while the player is drinking; they will, however, resume attacking immediately afterwards.
 * If the protagonist is drunk and on foot with a one-star Wanted level, the police will merely follow him around, pointing their guns at him until he 'sobers up'.

Tips

 * At lower levels, prioritize escaping from or killing officers with shotguns, as they can kill a player with 1-2 shots at close range.
 * At higher levels, the best way to escape is to shoot down the police helicopters, and sneak into a Pay 'n' Spray before they respawn. Another good strategy is to enter the subway system with a vehicle and follow the underground routes until out of the search radius, but the player must be careful not to get lost in the system.
 * The player can listen to the police radio while being chased; it will indicate which vehicles the police are sending after the protagonist, although the "dispatched from [location]" messages do not reflect their true spawning points, and are randomly generated.
 * If an officer commandeers a vehicle in the player's parking space and the player uses the "Wanted Down" cheat, stealing the car back from the officer doesn't earn the player a Wanted rating.