Grand Theft Auto V: A three-man chaotic jaunt through the high definition sights and sounds of Los Santos and Blaine County

Rockstar has truly returned to its epic and chaotic roots with the newest addition to their long-running series Grand Theft Auto. The game is a true spectacle through and through. It blows away the rest of the franchise and is easily a contender for game of the year. Here are my thoughts on this jaw-dropping crime epic.

I absolutely loved the story Rockstar wrote for GTA V. In a series first, the game centers on three main characters. This was a huge selling point of the game and does not disappoint. Michael is living large in Los Santos with his unfaithful wife, Amanda and two disrespectful teenagers, Jimmy and Tracey. Trevor is a psychopathic pilot who has a history with Michael and is basically GTA the character in terms of violent outbursts. Finally there’s Franklin, a two-bit gangster described by some as a gangbanger in a post-gangbanger world. The three come into contact with each other throughout the storyline and decide to pull of heists in order to pay off debts and make it big in the sprawling city of Los Santos.

I loved these characters from start to finish. Each one is flawed in their own way and grows exponentially by the time the credits roll. They each feel extremely fleshed out and believable. Michael takes the cocky wise cracking role, Trevor the insane but loveable mad man route and Franklin the cool and collected gangster. I also felt that story this time around was very well written. The goal of these three men is to pay off their debts to corrupt government agents and finally get that big score. There’s actually quite a few twists in the plotline that threw me for a loop. The tragic history between Michael and Trevor takes center stage but franklin never feels left out. Each character gains something and suffers losses by the end of the game. The story in the Grand Theft Auto is some of Rockstar’s most well written stuff to date.

I was also blown away with the many gameplay enhancements in Grand Theft Auto V. Taking center stage is of course the intuitive aiming and shooting controls along with character swapping. Many fans were unhappy with the shooting mechanics and aiming in GTA IV and it’s changed drastically. You’re able to take cover and blind fire this time around. You can also pop behind cover and pop out aiming auto aiming at anyone unlucky enough to be caught in your crosshairs. Each character is able to switched to on the fly. Although you can’t do this from the very start of the game it isn’t very long before you’re off and running. Rockstar also implemented different paths to take on certain missions depending on who you choose to play as. Choose Mike and you’re sniping guards, choose Trevor and you’re flying a plane to pick up your comrades, choose Franklin and you’re sniping reinforcements on their way.

Each character also has their own special ability activated by clicking the sticks together. Franklin slows down time whilst driving, Trevor goes into berserk mode and deals out double damage while taking little to none, and Michael slows down time on foot to make precise shots on your enemies. Each character feels both unique from one another yet familiar. They each play very well and have a cavalcade of remarks to spew once in a wild firefight. Another high energy event added to the game is the inclusion of heist missions. These range from robbing jewelry stores to -SPOILERS- a jaw dropping bank heist late game. Each heist is loads of fun to play through and has many different ways to tackle them. The game is of course riddled with customization and property purchasing as well. By end-game all three of my characters owned at least one business and a fleet of decked out vehicles.

Grand Theft Auto V is also one of the most visually stunning titles in the franchise to date. It’s easy to see this as Rockstar trying utilize the PS3 and 360 to their fullest capabilities. The game of course brings players back to the sunny streets of Los Santos and the desert trails of Blaine County. Although San Fierro and Las Venturas aren’t present; Los Santos is a titan in terms of sheer depth and detail. The city and its surrounding desert county are filled with loads of people, vehicles and even animals (taking a cue from Rockstar’s incredible cowboy story Red Dead Redemption). The environments range from city streets and buildings to golf courses to offshore government facilities and the larger than life wooded and desert areas. The world you play in actually feels alive and thriving. San Andreas has never looked this good before. I thought that GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption were huge in terms of map size but they all pale in comparison to the majesty that is San Andreas.

There’s also the inclusion of a very well thought out and produced soundtrack for the game. Whether it’s hearing the dulcet tones of Aesop Rocky or the talk show stylings of Lazlow the music does not disappoint one bit. There’s even bits here and there clearly parodying current American trends. One such parody is the use of your phone to take selfies and a radio ad for a book that sounds very similar to a certain hot topic book about the color grey. The inclusion of this into the overall feel of GTA makes it loads of fun to play through. I literally found myself pulling over during missions just to soak in a hilarious advertisement or billboard. This coupled with the overall expanse of Los Santos ready to be explored is a once in a lifetime experience for gamers.

This title also has an exorbitant amount of replay value and longevity present. Every mission has a ratings system that allows for repeat playthroughs to get that gold medal rating. You can also participate in a plethora of side missions ranging from helping random people on the street to bringing unsuspecting civilians to a cannibalistic cult for money. There’s also the inclusion of cheats that have gone back to the old school button press fare. This brought an instant smile to my face and I’m sure the faces of many players once the cheats were mad available. There’s also the inclusion of GTA Online which allows players to create a character (down to what their parents and grandparents look like) and then be set loose in Los Santos to take part in missions, car races, parachute races, death matches and eventually heists once Rockstar updates the game. You’re able to make money in this mode and even buy clothes, vehicles, houses, weapons and masks to truly make a mark on the world. The player can choose to join a crew and do missions in tandem with crew members for added fun and reputation points. These points level up your character and allow them to unlock new weapons and modifications. You can also just screw around mindlessly killing people and doing silly things if you choose to. I’m a testament to the fact that GTA Online is extremely well crafted and a blast to play for hours. My level 25 Mexican Macklemore-like character with a green and white Dia De Los Muertos mask is the image that comes to mind.

Grand Theft Auto V is Rockstar’s magnum opus in terms of scale, gameplay, story and plain old fun. It’s a blast to race through the streets of Los Santos after nearly nine years of being away. This is how you make a sequel that’s not only fun to play but a true testament to the power of consoles. Here’s to you Rockstar! Now get your asses to work on GTA VI!