Grand Theft Auto V (2013) review

Gran Theft Auto V
PS3, Xbox 360
Rockstar, Rockstar North 
Open-world, Action 
Rated: ESRB Mature, Pegi 18+ 

It's hard to find somewhere to start when i'm supposed to, in short, explain just why GTA V is such an amazing game. It gathers the best elements from the long running, controversial and acclaimed franchise, into a title witch honors and celebrate the previous entries, without getting high on itself, and whilst still creating an experience that feels fresh and unique. Most importantly, GTA V is innovative. Today, most big franchises "safe" it, when they're putting out new releases. They stick to the same, old formula and that's that. GTA V doesn't have that problem. It's never afraid to take risks, and they almost always pay off. It feels fresh and new. It's not a 2.0 version of something you've played before; It's an entirely different generation.

For many GTA IV was a slight disappointment. Not because it was as a bad game by any means, it had great visuals, big map, funny, interesting and engaging characters and a great a story. It was a disappointment because it'd forgot what GTA was all about. Rockstar tried to make a more serious, gritty and dark experience. The series has always been very adult-oriented and themed, but GTA IV took a step further. Thus it ended up a great game, but one that took itself too serious to satisfy the need for craziness, that a lot of GTA fans had. The good news is, GTA V does not have that problem. 

 It is packed with insane, over-the-top action, slightly mentally insane humor, and crazy cheats. Not only is it back to the light, joking, crazy GTA spirit, but it does it better than any title in the past, in one of the most expansive open world game we've ever seen. The production value is absolutely huge, and boy does it show. The world is so varied you will be absolutely overwhelmed. And not only in the first few hours. The "woaw" moments will keep coming at you even after somewhat 20 hours of gameplay. You'll discover ned places, or see a place from a new angle, or maybe you just now figured out that if a bird fly into you'r helicopter rotor or airplane engine, they get splattered. And it's really the tiny details that make the game stand out in such a huge, and well-fed market. If you block traffic, drivers might very well flip you off. Stalk a girl around the city, and she'll start looking across her shoulder and switch to a light jog. If the light is about to turn green, people on foot will hurry up across the street so they don't block traffic. All of those things, and countless many more, are what really makes San Andreas and Blaine County feel alive. The world just feels so real. It's just that, witch makes the over-the-top humor feel plausible. In most other settings, it would just feel tacked on, forced. But in GTA V, because the world is so detailed and alive, it feels like a natural part of it. It also works excellent, because the humor is a part of the world. It's reflected in every detail. Every billboard. Every ad on TV or on the radio. 

When a world is as expansive as GTA V's, it needs expansive characters to fill it, and this game's got that in spades. For the first time ever in GTA, you play as 3 main characters, witch you can switch between at any time you wish, when you'r not on a mission. If you'r playing a mission where two or more of the characters are together, you can also switch back and forth, getting different view points, or taking control of the most valuable, or simply plain out fun position. Franklin, Michael and Trevor. Franklin is a hungry street-hustler with big ambitions. Michael is a man in the prime of his middle-crisis. Retired from a life of robbery and crime, living a miserable, alcohol-ridden life in Los Santos with a broken family. Trevor, well let's just say he's Trevor. Crazy, sadistic, cannibalistic, deeply psychologically damaged, deranged and did i mention, the most entertaining character to ever set foot in a GTA game. All around the 3 leads are beautifully acted with superb scripts and voice work. out of the bunch, i'll have to say Franklin is probably the least interesting one. Not because he's bad, but because both Michael and Trevor are so flushed out and unique. In comparison, Franklin just feels like CJ 2.0. That's not to say you'r bored around Franklin, so rather make of this that it's a compliment to the other two. The world is also packed with a good supporting cast, the standouts being Michaels family, his therapist and the hacker, Lester, who helps them setup heists, missions and other things. 

I'll do my best no to spoil anything, so you'll have to make due with this tiny introduction: The story is centered around Michael wanting out of his boring, insufferable retirement, whilst Franklin is trying his best to get out of the ghetto. Their paths cross, and they sort of balance each other out. Franklin gets pulled up from rags to riches by Michael, and Michael himself gets pulled out of his rut and broken family life. In the meantime, Trevor learns that Michael, a long lost and presumed dead friend, lives in LS, and thus he sets out to find him. Their worlds collide, their problems are added up and a story of epic scale and proportions is set in motion. 

If i'd have to say something bad about GTA V, it would be difficult. Simply because the long development time, skilled team and big budget has worked so much in the game's favor. It has pretty much lead to the devs having thought about almost everything. Also, more than impressive, is the extremely low amount of bugs. One thing i could say though, is i'd wish that the story sticked a little bit more together. It takes a long time before the "actual story", the one that reaches it's conclusion in the final chapter, is begun. In such a long game, they need a lot of sub-plot points, but they could've worked a little more in tying those into the main story. Additionally, though i realize there are technical limitations to the current generation of consoles, maybe the could've had a little more houses and stores you could enter. 

That being said, GTA V is such an amazing game that there is no doubt in my mind. My final score is 97/100. Jackpot baby.