Maybe 11+ years of this being the only GTA title while Rockstar turns Online into an incomprehensible money machine has soured our collective view on GTA V, but I just don’t think it matches the heights of any of Rockstars big titles that came before or after it.
Sure, Trevor is wild and entertaining and Franklin is likeable and the dialogues are funny but story wise GTA V just feels like an early 2000s action comedy with none of the real impact of a RDR2 or GTA IV or even San Andreas (a game which did a much better job balancing comic relief with serious themes). It doesn’t really have anything to say and feels like a huge step back for a studio that is best at crafting profound and deeply emotional narratives with complex characters. Even the satire is weak and juvenile; GTA IV’s vicious critique of American capitalism reduced to a series of South Park-esque edge and sex jokes. I know that emulating action movies such as Heat was Rockstar’s intent, but the narrative leans so far into the comic and edgy that it completely neuters the feelings of stakes and consequences.
The gameplay itself is very good, however. Heists are a ton of fun to plan and execute, and the set pieces are excellent, but the mechanic could be fleshed out more. Unfortunately, GTA V does run into the recent trappings of overly linear missions that railroad players into a predetermined set of actions; a real missed opportunity considering the ability to switch characters. The driving and shooting are fun; my personal hot take is that I enjoy GTA V’s arcade style driving, better suited for car-centric SoCal, more than GTA IV’s more realistic physics and handling. In spite of a few flaws I overall found most missions and side content to be fun and engaging. Presentation wise, there isn’t anyone who comes close to Rockstar, and the soundtrack is absolutely amazing. IIRC this is the first GTA with ambient sountrack during combat and missions, and it works amazingly in making set pieces feel grandoise, thrilling, and cinematic.
GTA V’s best attribute is the world; its the best recreation of a real city in any game ever, to the point where driving in LA you will find many locations re-created precisely. I didn’t consider the countryside to be as disappointing as many, and found the many activites such as jetski races, underwater exploration, and drug runs to be a fun an engaging break from the bustle of Los Santos. One major flaw in this world however, one that’s more than likely the result of technical limitations on the PS3/360, is the lack of depth and enterable locations compared to previous GTAs, making the world feel more shallow.
GTA V comes from a studio whose biggest strength is the narrative, making it probably Rockstar’s worst game. Rockstar’s worst game, however, is still better than 90% of games out there thanks to the excellent core gameplay and polish.
Sure, Trevor is wild and entertaining and Franklin is likeable and the dialogues are funny but story wise GTA V just feels like an early 2000s action comedy with none of the real impact of a RDR2 or GTA IV or even San Andreas (a game which did a much better job balancing comic relief with serious themes). It doesn’t really have anything to say and feels like a huge step back for a studio that is best at crafting profound and deeply emotional narratives with complex characters. Even the satire is weak and juvenile; GTA IV’s vicious critique of American capitalism reduced to a series of South Park-esque edge and sex jokes. I know that emulating action movies such as Heat was Rockstar’s intent, but the narrative leans so far into the comic and edgy that it completely neuters the feelings of stakes and consequences.
The gameplay itself is very good, however. Heists are a ton of fun to plan and execute, and the set pieces are excellent, but the mechanic could be fleshed out more. Unfortunately, GTA V does run into the recent trappings of overly linear missions that railroad players into a predetermined set of actions; a real missed opportunity considering the ability to switch characters. The driving and shooting are fun; my personal hot take is that I enjoy GTA V’s arcade style driving, better suited for car-centric SoCal, more than GTA IV’s more realistic physics and handling. In spite of a few flaws I overall found most missions and side content to be fun and engaging. Presentation wise, there isn’t anyone who comes close to Rockstar, and the soundtrack is absolutely amazing. IIRC this is the first GTA with ambient sountrack during combat and missions, and it works amazingly in making set pieces feel grandoise, thrilling, and cinematic.
GTA V’s best attribute is the world; its the best recreation of a real city in any game ever, to the point where driving in LA you will find many locations re-created precisely. I didn’t consider the countryside to be as disappointing as many, and found the many activites such as jetski races, underwater exploration, and drug runs to be a fun an engaging break from the bustle of Los Santos. One major flaw in this world however, one that’s more than likely the result of technical limitations on the PS3/360, is the lack of depth and enterable locations compared to previous GTAs, making the world feel more shallow.
GTA V comes from a studio whose biggest strength is the narrative, making it probably Rockstar’s worst game. Rockstar’s worst game, however, is still better than 90% of games out there thanks to the excellent core gameplay and polish.