I know this got a lot of backlash for the bugs and missing mechanics, but personally I was never bothered by it. I had maybe 2 minor texture issues throughout my 100+ hour playthrough, and I never really felt the impact of any missing mechanics.
Really what makes this game great is the world and characters. The narrative is really well developed, and I was probably emotionally impacted the most by this game's characters. The world is super detailed and fun to explore, and while there may not be a bunch of unique encounters, it's still fun to just drive around the city.
The game mechanics themselves are usually well made, especially the guns considering this is an RPG. The driving isn't as bad as people say, and while the leveling and stereotypical RPG elements can be minimal, they aren't inherently bad.
Really what makes this game great is the world and characters. The narrative is really well developed, and I was probably emotionally impacted the most by this game's characters. The world is super detailed and fun to explore, and while there may not be a bunch of unique encounters, it's still fun to just drive around the city.
The game mechanics themselves are usually well made, especially the guns considering this is an RPG. The driving isn't as bad as people say, and while the leveling and stereotypical RPG elements can be minimal, they aren't inherently bad.