Grand Theft Auto V

Introduction

At this point, every new Grand Theft Auto game can redefine an entire genre. It's a testament both to Rockstar's tremendous ability to make games as well as its refusal to put out a new game until it's thoroughly done making some new, and it's what made Grand Theft Auto V such an anticipated release. Now that the game's been out for some time, it's good to take a look to see whether it lived up to the public's expectations.

Concept - 4

Grand Theft Auto V (also known as GTA V or GTA 5) is the biggest game yet in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, taking characters back to the west coast to take another look at a world filled with crime, violence, and dark humor. This iteration of the game is more in line with Grand Theft Auto IV than the previous entries in the series, taking itself somewhat seriously as it views crime through three different lenses. Players will take on the roles of retired crook Michael, aspiring gangster Franklin, and madman Trevor as their paths intertwine, and they commit a series of crimes across many different locations.

Graphics & Audio - 5

Grand Theft Auto V is a big jump up in graphical quality from the last entry in the series, really benefiting from the relatively long development cycle between games. The main character models all look great, and even the secondary characters watch about as good as you could expect for an AAA game. Every vehicle has its unique visual touches, and the background is full of life, giving players a canvass on which to paint a tale of ultra-violence.

The audio is, as always, superb. The score is one of the best in GTA history, the voice acting is quite possibly the best it has ever been in a GTA game, and the various locales have compelling soundscapes. The radio stations are all as well-curated as one would imagine, with the talk stations once again providing some of the most cutting satire in the game. A lot of love went into the sound design here.

Gameplay - 4

Every Grand Theft Auto game plays a little differently than its predecessors, and this one is no different. The significant gameplay change here is that you can control one of three characters, each of which has his specific game-related power. The truth, though, is that you're probably going to spend more time playing as the character you like than either of the other two, especially once you're done with the game's campaign.

While the actual single-player portion of Grand Theft Auto V is ridiculously well-done, it's a little shorter than you might hope. So much developmental effort has gone into Grand Theft Auto Online that the primary campaign does feel a little shortchanged, with no expansions or new stories anywhere in sight. The good news is that the experience is still fairly complete - the bad news is that you're going to be kept wanting more when you are finally done.

Conclusion - Replayability - 5

Grand Theft Auto V is another step along the evolutionary path for the Grand Theft Auto series. It throws out many gameplay and story ideas, not all of which land successfully. When things work - and they often do - the game is a masterpiece. It's a shame that there was never more content made, though, and many players will be left feeling like Grand Theft Auto V is just a training mode for Grand Theft Auto Online.

TL/DR

Grand Theft Auto V is the latest iteration of the long-running crime simulation, putting players in the shoes of three criminals as they undertake a variety of different criminal activities.