Title: Grand Theft Auto 5
Release Date: September 17th, 2013
Development: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Consoles: Playstation 3, XBox 360
Genre: Third-person Action Sandbox
Multiplayer: Yes
Review:
Grand Theft Auto 5 has broken every video game sales record in existence. Not only that but it is “…the fastest selling entertainment product in history.” The first 24 hours of GTA5’s release saw the sandbox shoot ‘em up earning a whopping $800 million and a staggering $1 billion over the next three days. That’s billions! With a B! V, as the cool kids call it, has solidified its place in history as possibly the best video game of all time. While I’ve only played for a few hours now and I just now unlocked the trailer trash, dirty t-shirt-sporting, Hulk Hogan hairdo-having Trevor, I can vouch and say it’s the best in the series. Possibly the best game ever.
Ignore the sales numbers and take a look at the game itself. The cinematic cut scenes you’ve seen in the commercials are nice but they don’t give V justice. The MASSIVE cityscape of Los Santos and its surrounding counties are probably the most in-depth, expansive hunk of video game real estate in forever. Driving over a bridge in the heart of the city is like watching a movie play out. Everything you see is real and alive and actually exists in real-time instead of being a cardboard backdrop and THEN loading up with detail and activity the closer the player gets. It’s mind-blowing to see random NPCs having shootouts with police or each other without my involvement or provocation at all. In GTA 4 I used to incite police interactions by pissing off a gang banger, then running from him straight into police and watching the ensuing massacre. Now, I drive past 3 or 4 police shootouts, traffic stops, car accidents, dead bodies in the streets, etc. And it’s all randomly generated by this living world. Even the carjackings are different and more real world. Now, when you snatch someone out of that slick clone of a brand new Camaro and they happen to have a passenger, that passenger may just have a pistol. That passenger may also just unload an entire clip into you before you get the car in drive. Or there may have been a concerned citizen two cars behind your ensuing Bumblebee fantasy and they may jump out with a pistol and let off a few rounds into your new toy. This game is a living city the like that’s never been captured in gaming.
Gameplay is the tried and true mission system fans are so use to in GTA games. I’ll refer to Story mode only since I haven’t delved into Online. Friends and enemies alike give you enough missions to keep you busy until this time next year and as usually you have options. This time though, you have a few more options. After three failures you can opt out of the mission by choosing Quit. So instead of throwing your controller due to the fact that your delivery van can’t catch that seemingly nuclear-powered crotch rocket, you can cool off and come back later. Go smoke a bong in your son’s room as Michael and chill. You can come back later when you’re more relaxed. The weapons system is improved as well. You can HAS AN ATTACHMENTS now! Assault rifles and SMGs now sport flashlights, suppressors, banana clips, scopes, etc. You can also switch between each model of category weapon you own so you don’t have to keep going back to Ammu-Nation or a Safehouse to re-equip your tricked out AK47. Everything you do adds to your stats be it weapon proficiency, stamina, or a wide variety of tweaks that can be made to your characters. Also, the most innovative change implemented is the ability to switch between three characters on the fly. These three guys are complete opposites and it makes for an entertaining experience. Especially when you go from Franklin, the black guy who lives in the ghetto, and switch to Trevor, the trailer trash who lives in the desert and is busy having sexual encounters with his friends’ wife right when you switch. Or it could be something less provocative like Michael sipping a latte at a bistro. Either way, it’s real time.
The storyline is probably the best, most cohesive in the series. GTA games have never been known for their dramatic storylines but they’ve got character development and social commentary down to a rude science in V. Franklin and his friend he starts the game with remind me of Ice Cube and Chris Tucker’s characters in the 1st Friday movie. It’s pure comedy when they’re together, railing on each other. Character interaction is hilarious in general anyway and Michael and Franklin are awesome together. The old retired gangster hanging out with the young gang banger makes for some strange yet compelling moments. Trevor is unlocked later in the game than those two. I originally started out anticipating is arrival as the highlight but Franklin and Michael would’ve provided plenty of character for this game. Add in the psychotic loose cannon from the trailer park and you’ve got the most eclectic trio in storytelling in general. Michael’s family and past along with Trevor’s insanity may give them more of a rich storyline but Franklin’s gang ties along with his crazy friends, who he hates, and ghetto stories may let him shine brighter than the two obvious stars. Only more time with this game will tell. No pop culture subject is safe from GTA5 either. Everything from aging hipsters, to a privacy-violating Facebook style company is covered in this game. While the talk radio stations are ever the main go-to for comedy regarding social status quos, the game seems to incorporate a TON more references and commentary on today’s world. Be it Micheal chastising his son for playing his shooter game too much, since they’re all the same, or Franklin repeatedly telling his homeboys in the hood that they’re on a stupid cycle of murder, kill, survive, go to prison, repeat, this game is smarter than anything I’ve played in a long time. There is also a ton of references to the characters, Liberty City, and even a prominent cameo from the 4th installment. I’m hoping my favorite Eastern European thug Mr Bellic shows up.
Overall Grand Theft Auto 5 is awesome. No one doubted it and there is a reason it was the most anticipated game of all time for a while. It seems Rockstar poured in everything the older systems couldn’t handle that they always wanted to do in their games. It’s all here. Everything. That may be the games’ only downfall and that is it just has WAY too much to do. I grow tired of the massive amount of gameplay and have to put it down after a few hours. I guess that’s a good thing and I probably sound like an idiot for complaining about too much content. So I’ll stop. It’s perfect. 11 outta 10! I have to give a warning about language though. Violence is a no-brainer but the language is MUCH MORE colorful in this one. Especially Franklin and his buddies. Realism comes at a price I suppose. All in all, if you want a submersive gameplay experience with never-ending content and nonstop violence, and who doesn’t, then get V. All the cool kids are doing it.