Grand Theft Auto 5: What We Can Expect & Would Like To See

Whereas most gamers are spending their time frothing over the new Mass Effect trailer, frothing over the Mass Effect Demo and frothing over their ability to live in the now, I€™m content with spending my time looking towards the future. It could be because Mass Effect 2 recently wronged me halfway through the story and I am now on a Mass Effect embargo. It could also involve the fact I can€™t afford Mass Effect 3 and am one breakdown away from selling my body to German travellers for that shiny, over priced disk. But also because I am the largest GTA nerd in the entire world and have spent a rather unholy amount of time considering what I can expect from, and what I would like to see in the new GTA game (hence the title, aren€™t I good at this?) WHAT CAN WE EXPECT: CRIME I know it feels obvious, but it€™s a GTA game, therefore there will be tonnes of opportunities to blow stuff up, kill innocent people, and do basically anything that will piss off the Republican party. Despite this, we can also expect a more interesting twist on the angle. GTA San Andreas focused on inter-gang warfare which expanded into outright madness with huge battle missions towards the end. GTA 4 was a little more reserved, doing more petty crime for different people which expand into big deals the further you progress. A new twist to the style of gameplay and mission is surely in the offing. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE: A NEW TWIST ON THE NARRATIVE As fun as starting off as a pauper in an unfamiliar environment and becoming a rich crime lord is, it gets a little repetitive; especially as the games are usually revenge driven (GTA4) or corruption and revenge driven (GTA SA). You always seem to end up in the same place: just blown up the main enemy, been rewarded with lots of money, now have some bonus missions to complete. Rockstar don€™t need to look too far for inspiration, the last couple of missions of GTA4 following the death of a major character show how they can emotionally drive the player into wanting to end the game. Maybe a narrative which has that idea from the beginning, something like Heavy Rain where the character is driven by a threat to his family members (of whom the protagonist does mention in the trailer), needs the money to pay blackmail, etc. Etc. It doesn€™t take a rocket scientist to know that a character is more relatable when he isn€™t driven by major capitalist greed and blood hungry revenge. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT: GRAPHICAL IMPROVEMENTS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftk3f_0WZww That comparison shows what we have come to expect from Rockstar, significant improvements from game to game. Note the jump from SA to GTA4. Granted, number 5 doesn€™t have the bonus of a new console to boost its potential, but it does take us back to one of the best environments ever created by Rockstar, Los Santos. And although the new technology will invariably help this transformation from the must-have-been-inspired-by-Cubism original environment of San Andreas, a change of tone and classier style will help to set this apart from the first title€™s atmosphere. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE: A RETURN TO PRIOR MADNESS Despite the enhanced realism of GTA4, most hardcore fans were quite disappointed by the reigning in of the gameplay, mission play, etc, from the believable madness of GTA San Andreas. San Andreas speaks of developers who know what they are doing, but thoroughly enjoying themselves in equal measure, whereas GTA4 bordered on self-important; people who were showing off what they could do with the new console. I€™m not suggesting they go towards the Saints Row 3 line which is what the result of giving a pen to a 15 year old in a pre-porn watching frenzy and asking him to write a narrative is. But the jet packs and crazy plotlines of San Andreas were mad, but still believable in this hyperbolised world they created, no doubt because of Rockstar€™s ability to anchor you to the narrative and characters. Let€™s not forget that forever. This is a taster article towards our full Grand Theft Auto V wishlist which is coming soon!