Hands On With Grand Theft Auto V
- September 19, 2013 11:09am EST
Rockstar Games spins yet another underworld tale in Grand Theft Auto V$59.99 at RadioShack.com, the infamous developer's most ambitious crime game to date. The darkly humorous third-person shooter/driving game puts players in the role of three protagonists (the first for a GTA game) seeking a big payday by any means necessary. It's the American dream told with a MAC-10 in hand.
Crime TimeRockstar Games designed the game so that Michael (bank robber), Franklin (repo-man), and Trevor (druggie and Michael's former colleague) each have unique skills to help you complete jobs. You can jump from character to character at any time to complete a mission or just explore the massive game world. A prologue level set nine years prior to the main story lets you test drive the new mechanic before you dive into the main game. The feature sounds gimmicky, but it helps you get the drop on the cops during heated firefights if the characters are within the same area. If Michael, Franklin, and Trevor are miles apart when you initiate a switch, the game camera zooms out to a satellite-like view and then zooms back onto the new character. It's impressive, but the character switch isn't as swift as I'd like; it takes several seconds for you to gain control of the new character. It's one of the view instances where you'll detect loading.
As expected, Grand Theft Auto V's world features an insane level of detail and interactivity that make it one of the most impressive sandbox titles in the video game history. Rockstar Games designed a title that makes it feel as though the world persists even when you aren't playing the game or in control of one of the three protagonists. For exmpale, when I switched from Michael to Franklin, I took over Franklin's body while he was in the middle of a heated cell phone chat.
You can also acquire new weapons and wardrobe items, engage in leisurely activities like golf, tennis, or yoga, enjoy lapdance mini-games, and blaze up the sticky-icky in numerous locales. Grand Theft Auto V builds upon the world design that Rockstar Games has continually refined since the groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto III: Liberty City.
The City of DevilsLos Santos, a fictionalized version of Los Angeles, is the criminal hub this time out. Long-time series fans will instantly recognize it as one of the three metropolises (along with San Fierros and Las Venturas) featured in the PlayStation 2 gangsta classic, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Rockstar Games leveraged the PlayStation 3$269.99 at Sears and Xbox 360's$249.00 at Amazon power to create a beautifully rendered city with day/night cycles, miles of roadway, and neighborhoods with their own specific sights and sounds.
Although the location may be familiar, Grand Theft Auto V is no simple retread. Yes, you jack rides, dabble in crime, and wage war on rivals, but Rockstar Games has added several new gameplay elements (and updated previous beloved features) that will hopefully keep the game fresh for some time to come.
Kiss-Kiss, Bang-BangThe shooting and cover mechanics are tighter than in previous GTA games, but cars could benefit from better handling. Some cars handle better than others, but you can increase your character's in-gaming driving ability for improved results. Hand-to-hand combat is quite satisfying, as you can deliver some truly mighty haymakers that quickly drop targets. Gun-blazing, fist-tossing action isn't the entirety of the Grand Theft Auto V experience. You can use stealth to sneak up on target or ease your way through populated areas without being spotted. The more you stealth, the better your character creeps.
A GTA game isn't a GTA game without a robust radio experience. Grand Theft Auto V features over a dozen talk and music stations that put real-world terrestrial radio to shame. The game features over 240 licensed tracks from the likes of Tha Dogg Pound, Outkast, and A$AP Rocky. Celebrities such as Kenny Loggins, Pam Grier, and Bootsy Collins host themed stations. The talk channels are highly entertaining humor sources that parody American pop culture and politics.
A new online mode, Grand Theft Auto Online, lets you form a criminal crew with other gamers. There are over 500 missions and numerous leisure activities that players can explore in a living, open world. The goal is to stack paper, increase your influence, and collect the finer things in life. We haven't tested this feature yet, but we'll update this piece when we do.
The Saga Continues
Grand Theft Auto V, even very early in our play through, looks like a marvelous game. As you await our full review, check out our 5 Killer Features in Grand Theft Auto V and 5 Best Grand Theft Auto Games stories.
Grand Theft Auto V, even very early in our play through, looks like a marvelous game. As you await our full review, check out our 5 Killer Features in Grand Theft Auto V and 5 Best Grand Theft Auto Games stories.
