‘Grand Theft Auto V’: More than stealing cars
The previous major “Grand Theft Auto” game was “Grand Theft Auto IV,” released in 2008. With its success, fans anticipated the release of a new installment. After several delays, “Grand Theft Auto V” was released last month on Sept. 17, boasting innovation in every way from the previous game.
Instead of one character, “GTA V” consists of three significantly different characters. The cast includes Michael De Santa, a middle-aged man who left the life of crime after a major heist, Trevor Philips, a former military pilot who left after a bad psychological evaluation, and Franklin Clinton, an African-American repo man who meets Michael while repossessing his car.
The story is one of the strong points for this game because of the different ways these characters are portrayed.
Seeing how Michael deals with his family further differentiates him from men like Trevor, who spends most of his time under the influence. The plot carries the game through quite nicely, showing off the city of San Andres in great detail.
In the “Grand Theft Auto” series, controversy has always been abundant. This game is no exception. As well as the usual prostitution, killing and crime depicted in the title of this franchise, there are other scenes that can be considered shocking.
One in particular depicts Trevor torturing someone. Not only is this gameplay scene unskippable, multiple torture devices are available.
However, such elements may turn some players away.
As well as the different backstories and attitudes that these characters have, they also have different special abilities that cater to their play styles. Michael, the family man, can slow down time during a gunfight, similar to other abilities in other Rockstar games. Franklin has a similar ability during driving sections. Trevor can perform more damage and has an extra attack as his special ability.
The gameplay during both the driving and shooting is good and stable. The game, however, proves to be more than just the story. The “Grand Theft Auto” franchise has been known for being a new world for people to explore.
This installment takes this two steps further. “GTA V” has multiple activities such as tennis and golf, allowing for more playtime.
Another feature added the “GTA V” is like another game in itself. “Grand Theft Auto Online” is persistent online world for 16 players where teams can participate in cooperative heists and other missions while still going head-to-head like the traditional multiplayer experience. Another expansion of “GTA V” is the “iFruit” app, which allows players to customize vehicles, train a companion, and even purchase games like “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” for iOS devices.
Overall, this game is not just a console experience.
In fact, the game is almost too much to handle. With a great story line over three characters, multiplayer and companion apps to expand the experience and solid gameplay, “Grand Theft Auto V” is at the height of its power. Although controversy and a small length keep it back from a masterpiece for other consoles, this game proved that its budget, which was the largest for any video game to date (according to the “Metro Newspaper” in the UK), is a worthy trade-off for the results.
According to a press release from Take-Two Interactive, the publisher, developer and distributor for the game series, the game made over one billion dollars in revenue over a span of three days.
Although it may not be an experience for everyone, “Grand Theft Auto V” gets a 98 out of 100. “Grand Theft Auto V” and “Grand Theft Auto Online” are both currently on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The companion “iFruit” app is on iOS.