Review: Grand Theft Auto V

It’s official: Rockstar Games are the masters of gaming hype. If there was ever an example of a game having a huge amount of expectation surrounding its release after months of trailers, press releases and fan baiting, Grand Theft Auto 5 might be it. Lucky then that this, the latest installment in one of gaming’s most iconic series, hits the sweet spot in nearly every aspect of its design, and is therefore difficult to stop playing long enough to review it. But, I digress…

Taking place in the dazzling city of Los Santos, GTA 5 immediately distances itself from the serious, colourless Liberty City of GTA 4, with a world that is vibrant and fun to explore. Whether it’s the deserts and ramshackle settlements to the north of the map, or the sandy beaches and skyscrapers to the south, Los Santos manages to achieve what many open-world games cannot: it feels alive. You’ll marvel at how far gaming has come just by walking down the street and seeing how much traffic is on the roads, how many pedestrians are making phone calls, taking photographs or simply relaxing. Amazingly it’s the small touches that make such a large and varied world feel populated, rather than the “empty shell” feeling you might get playing a Bethesda game.

And it’s also a world where it is hilarious to cause utter mayhem. This is a Grand Theft Auto game after all, and what would a Grand Theft Auto game be without all the crime, controversy, and crazy capers usually involving fast cars and hordes of angry police officers. The good news is that police chases have become significantly harder, emphasizing the need to either hide from the coppers down an alleyway, or somehow find another vehicle to replace the “hot” one you’ve been using to escape. It’s definitely more authentic than in past outings, in which driving in plain sight into a garage and having a paint-job was enough for police to drop all charges against you. But it does present a new challenge for veteran players, who in lieu of being “wasted” will have to gauge their stupidity (to some extent).

Were it that the same could be said for the story missions which, while not as insane as the Saints Row games, still veer towards the outrageous at times. The most interesting twist is that the player now has control of three different characters: Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Together the three prepare for and undertake a series of daring heists, which are easily the game’s highlights as they incorporate almost every mode of transport by land, air and sea, and often have you switching between characters as they carry out different tasks. Even the gunplay, which has generally played second fiddle to driving in past games, is given a boost, as often you’ll need to switch between characters to cover one another, or assault a position from three different approaches. Switching is extremely fluid and can also be done at any time when free roaming the world. You can be driving down the road as Michael, and then switch to Trevor who is passed out on top of a mountain wearing a dress. It’s seamless, often humorous, and gives the game a cinematic feel you can see the developers are striving for at every turn.

If there were to be any criticism of GTA 5’s 30-hour long campaign, it will be that you will miss all the satirical jibes, entertaining characters and madcap heists when there are no missions left to complete. Or, this would be the case if Los Santos weren’t so full of distractions; there’s activities ranging from golf and tennis to flying lessons and base-jumping. And this isn’t including the character-specific side missions you’ll encounter as you explore a city filled with unusual people with even more unusual requests.

However, the biggest distraction of them all has to be the long awaited GTA Online, which takes the experience to a whole new level. Expanding on GTA 4’s multiplayer has been a refined and well thought out affair, to the extent that it often feels more like an MMORPG than an action adventure game. Dropping you into an online server with up to 16 others, it is up to you to make money and level up to unlock more accessible items. You can do this by engaging in online missions, deathmatches and races with others, or just by robbing a fast food outlet and making a swift getaway.

Either way, the message that “crime doesn’t pay” continues to be the antithesis of the experience, although you will have to work hard to earn your keep, as unfortunately the big-paying heists of the solo story have not yet made their way across to multiplayer. Nevertheless, most of the time you will be having too much fun blowing things up with your friends to care.

And that’s the thing: it’s typically quite difficult to find a game where any real criticism sounds pedantic, easily dismissible or not worth caring about. GTA 5 is essentially the same wacky, provocative derisive experience that has defined Grand Theft Auto, but with a beautifully diverse world, exciting gameplay and an extensive online suite, it transcends that definition to have another: one of the best games of this generation. The hype is well and truly justified.