Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V Review

Grand Theft Auto V Review

GTA V is Rockstar’s newest entry in their open world crime series.  You play as three different characters, each with their own skills and personalities. The setting: the city of Los Santos, and the countryside surrounding it. Playing through the story and exploring the world is a unique experience. Note: GTA V also has an online mode. I will do a separate review for this mode, so stay tuned.

Gameplay

GTA V handles like a normal cover-based shooter. The controls get clunky when navigating tight spaces and when trying to navigate cover. Auto-aim is a little too helpful, practically eliminating any challenge from shooting. But, when turned off, aiming is dreadfully difficult to control, and becomes frustrating.

Driving in the game is really good, but fast vehicles are incredibly (and realistically) hard to control. Cars become progressively more difficult to control depending on the condition of the car. This is a great incentive to drive both quickly and safely.

Customizing cars is more addictive than ever, even though in missions you will end up driving each character’s default car. Still, driving around the open world in a pimped-out vehicle is very satisfying. You can also purchase property for each character. Properties provide a steady source of income every week and allow the owner to participate in more side missions.

Speaking of side missions, Grand Theft Auto V has an unrealistic amount of side activities. Too many. Many of these activities are standard races and side quests, but many of the activities are gimmicky and pointless. These novelty activities include: golf, tennis, walking the dog, watching a movie, and more. You will maybe participate in these activities a few times each. They are generally unengaging, but don’t give or take anything from the game as a whole.

My favorite addition that Rockstar made to the newest iteration of GTA were heists. Throughout the story, you, the player will participate in 6 customizable heists. These elaborate robberies are your main source of cash throughout the game. Each heist is different in its own way, whether it’s picking your entry route, hiring a custom crew, or securing a getaway car. Each heist also requires a few “setup missions” before it takes place. These exciting thefts are by far the most interesting aspect of GTA V. Rockstar has found a feature in the form of heists. They are sure to make a comeback in future games.

Story

Few games have a plot that is as intricate as Grand Theft Auto V’s. With three protagonists, three possible endings, a multitude of bad guys, and internal and external conflicts, GTA V’s story is engaging, controversial, unpredictable, and fun. Yes, yes controversy. The general goal of the game is to make as much money as you can while also tying up any loose ends created along the way. Well, along the way, some pretty nasty things happen. Note: The game (like the ones that came before) received hate upon its release because of the foul language, violence, drugs etc. But the game is rate M for mature that exact reason. Any problems that people experience with the “inappropriateness” of the story is due to their own disregard of the ESRB rating. Rant complete. Anyway, I hate spoilers, but I will end by saying that the three possible endings all seem rushed and left me feeling unsatisfied.

Audio/Graphics

GTA V looks pretty good on console. The city looks, and therefore feels real. Be prepared for some pop-ins, however, especially if you are driving really fast. The great thing about the game’s visuals is that they are consistent on a 3-D level. When soaring through the sky in a plane, the white clouds give a sense of tranquility and look beautiful. Driving around the city looks great as well, particularly at night, and indoor spaces look good too. Even the underwater scenery is beautiful in its own way.

As usual in a GTA game, dialogue and voice acting is incredible. All the characters sound and act real, and this really helps define each protagonist and push the plot. Rockstar accomplishes their goal of providing a great plot, and they do most of it through cutscenes, which, unlike other games, are hard to skip.

Grand Theft Auto V has a brilliant soundtrack. Radio stations pour out real songs to listen to when driving, and the beginning and ending songs were applied so well that they gave me chills.

Appeal/Replay-ability

The ability to replay missions (including side missions) is a great mechanic, especially if you want to go back and see “what would have happened” if you made different decisions throughout the game. A maximum of 15 save slots are available in the game, so players can come back over and over again to experiment with play style.

Conclusion

Rockstar has once again made an instant classic. Like its predecessors, GTA V will go down in history as one of the best games of this generation. I give GTA V a 9.5/10 for its stellar gameplay, incredible story, and its overall appeal. I loved it; you will love it. Play it now (if you’re old enough. If you’re not, wait and get it later).