For the best experience, it is generally recommended to use the official Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition and use community performance mods instead of risky compressed installers.
: While some projects have reportedly compressed GTA IV from its original 20 GB down to as little as 684 MB, this often comes at a massive cost. These "highly compressed" versions typically remove almost all missions, use extremely low-quality textures, and strip away large portions of the map to save space. gta-iv-highly-compressed-link
: Be cautious when downloading files from unofficial links labeled "highly compressed." These sites are frequently flagged for hosting malware, adware, or non-functional installers. For the best experience, it is generally recommended