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Grand Theft Auto V
PlayStation 3
To Live and Die in Los Santos...
4.5/5 stars
GTA has defined the "sandbox" genre since GTA III came out way back in '01. Every subsequent game has expanded on the original idea and given us bigger, better and bolder - in terms of graphics, story and character. If you have played any of the previous games, you know what you're in for, but Rockstar continues to show they're not a one-trick pony by giving us more - three separate characters to switch between - a whole world full of crazy side characters (and missions) and just the right amount of snark (a lot dealing with various pop culture) to make the trip worth it. If you are a fan of this series, it's an obvious "must buy" and let me tell you, you will get your monies' worth.
Presentation: While graphics aren't always the pinnacle in the GTA series, the fifth entry is the best-looking yet. Characters come to life and the scenery is to die for. The game takes us back to Los Santos (and a good chunk of the surrounding area) based on L.A. A lot of landmarks can be picked out (and given the GTA treatment) from Grauman's Chinese Theater to the Griffith Observatory to Whiskey A-Go-Go (which you can actually buy as one of your properties). From mountaintops to piers, Muscle Beach, airports to military bases - this is a fully-realized world and it looks gorgeous.
Besides the setting, one thing GTA has always done well with is the vehicles - and let me tell you, you won't find a better selection outside Gran Turismo to get your vehicle fix. Granted, the physics are still as wonky as hell - but tearing down the streets in an "Infernus" or "Cheetah" can't be beat. Or try your hand at drug running with a plane, take a yacht out for a cruise or bike your way down Mount Chilliad or skydive from 20,000 feet - never before has there been such a wide range of vehicles, nor more reason to explore all the aspects the game has to give.
Finally, you have the media - from the various radio stations to the "original" programming (yes, you can watch TV) and social media on your cell phone or laptop- once again GTA gives us a great mix of modern with a nice mix of old. Radio stations range from classic rap to reggae, techno to punk - and everything between. Sometime, somewhere you will find music you like and when you want to mix it up - hey, there's a country station just a click away.
The TV shows range from a hilarious take on Power Rangers and anime to GTA's take on American Idol/America's Got Talent (with GTA favorite Lazlo as the oft-put upon host). Each "show" takes about 10-15 minutes to watch - so there was some effort put in here. There are also movies you can go to - from an "artistic" European film to a sadsack British robot (who goes on a murder spree) - they also last about the same amount of time.
Finally, the social media aspect is rampant. You could literally spend hour surfing the "web" - the game has everything from their take on Facebook and Twitter (LIfe Invader and Bleeter) to takes on Apple and Android - plus various websites about the goings on around Los Santos (personalities have their own websites, and you can order everything from tanks to sports cars if you want). But the great thing is that as you progress in the game, the various sites update their content - from news feeds to the Bleetersphere - and it's just fun to check up on how people react to the mayhem you cause. There is also a stock exchange (which you can manipulate late in the game for big returns) - but I didn't get too deep into that.
Overall - the game has a lot of depth and you can sight see the entire city, surf the web or watch various shows on TV - and give the story mission a rest - it's just as much fun seeing what the developers come up with as it is the live the story.
Story: The GTA series has always had an OK story - sometimes better, sometimes merely adequate. But GTA V throws a curve by giving us three characters: Michael, a semi-retired criminal who has a family - but finds himself detached and ready to get back in the game - even if it costs him his "good" life. You have Franklin, a young African-American who is looking to go beyond his two-bit gangster lifestyle and make a name (and some serious cash) for himself. Finally you have Trevor - a one-time associate of Michael who is now a Meth kingpin and is absolutely insane. Trevor is by far the most interesting character if only because you never know what he's going to do - one of my favorite things to do in the game is switch between characters - just to see what Trevor is up to - and let me tell you, he never disappoints - from waking up in a trash can, to chasing his "twin" on a scooter to being chased by about five cop cars - oh, Trevor, you never disappoint.
The three characters often interact in the Heist missions - these main story points have you robbing various locales - from a small-scale jewelry store to getting away with a few tons of gold - these missions are in depth and great to play. Besides the three main characters, these missions also have to recruit a crew (some provided by the game, others you can find doing various side "Strangers and Freaks" encounters). These missions also usually have two routes to take - usually a more direct approach or a more subtle approach (I usually took the safer route myself) and the often also require a bit of preparation (stowing a getaway vehicle, stealing various equipment needed and the like).
The main story also concerns Michael's relationship with his family, Franklin's relationship with the 'hood and Trevor's relationship with Michael - and why he ended up in a mansion while Trevor wound up in a trailer. It's surprisingly entertaining and throws in a few unexpected revelations along the way. That's not to say some things aren't predictable, but I think compared to the last game, it's more refined.
But beyond the story - you can do so much more from finding religion (Kifflom! - Epsilon appears to be GTA's version of Scientology and it's hilarious) to solving a Vinewood mystery (a long-ago murder of a young starlet) by collecting evidence scattered around the map. The Strangers and Freaks missions show up all over - each character has their own set of people they can interact with (everything from helping a paparazzi to towing cars to torching a house). Plus you have the standard stunt jumps, flight school and street races you can take part in - should you feel like it. Heck, there is golf, tennis, yoga, triathlons - this game literally has something for everyone. Do you have to do it all? No - but it's sure fun to try everything at least once.
Gameplay: Not a lot of innovation here - you run, drive, fly or boat around as you see fit. The aiming is still subpar and, as mentioned before, the driving physics aren't going to earn it any points for being realistic (but I think it makes things a lot more fun). They've taken away girlfriends, but at least left you with prostitutes and strippers to fill that void in your heart with fake boobs. Pretty much the only big advance is the ability to switch between characters (both in missions and on the fly) - and each has their own "special" ability (which, I admit, I hardly ever used). Trevor goes crazy made and essentially becomes temporarily invincible, Franklin can slow down time while in vehicles (cars only) and is best used when making a hairy escape or trying to land the perfect stunt jump and Michale also slows down time, but he does it on foot entering a kind of "bullet time" that allows him to take down enemies with ease. I probably should have taken advantage of them much more than I did - as they are useful in certain situations. The point is - if you've played GTA IV, you know what to expect.
Replayability: Because this is a "sandbox" game - once the story is over, that doesn't mean the game is over. Depending on your ultimate decision during the final mission, you will still be able to switch between all or some of the characters. If you didn't complete all the side missions/strangers and freaks/stunt jumps/races, etc. etc. - all that will still be available following the "final" mission. Or you can just run (or drive) around and murder/kill everything in site - and, of course, there is a thriving online community where you could spend hours upon hours on its own. So, yeah, once the main game is over, it doesn't mean the game is over by any stretch.
Overall: This game is a time sink - but in a good way. There is so much to do, you'll spend less time on the story missions than just doing various side missions or helping out random strangers. Some may think that's a detriment, but with so much to do (and see and kill) this is as "sandbox" as a sandbox game gets. I always wonder how Rockstar is going to top themselves and, as of yet, they haven't disappointed me.
Presentation: 4/5
Story: 5/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replayability: 5/5
Overall (not an average): 4.5/5
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