Grand Theft Auto V PS3 Review
rating:5
Rockstar have raised the gold standard for the sandbox genre to seemingly unattainable heights for not just their competitors, but even themselves. Topping Red Dead Redemption was always going to prove to be a mighty feat with unreasonable fan expectations, but Rockstar didnt just admit defeat and nonchalantly pump out another entry into the cultural phenomenon that is Grand Theft Auto, they took this as a challenge and delivered on unearthly expectations and hype. After spending roughly 50 hours in Los Santos and Blaine County, I come to you writing this review with my own sky high expectations blown out of the water. For some additional perspective, Im nowhere near ready to satisfyingly shelve the game and prepare for new releases or consoles as theres still so much more exhilarating content to experience. Simply put, Grand Theft Auto V will go down in the history books as a landmark in gaming and one of the very best games ever created. Ambition and originality highlight the adventure in a myriad of ways but most notably with the enormous undertaking of crafting a game with roughly 100 hours of content around not one, but three unique and distinct protagonists with their own intertwining life issues. Michael is a retired professional thief stuck in a midlife crisis constantly at odds with his family, Franklin works a dead end job repossessing vehicles whilst desperately struggling to escape the urban lifestyle, and finally, theres Trevor who is pleasantly psychotic and amongst being the most colorful character in the game, hes also one of the most entertaining characters in all of gaming embodying everything the GTA franchise is about. Im not going to delve too far into the plot because how everything unfolds; even from the very beginning is one of the most fascinating aspects of the game. All you really need to know is that you will be flipping between this criminal band of heroes in a series of elaborate missions and dangerous heists that feel ripped out of a movie to ultimately get rich and exercise some personal demons. Among these intriguing central themes are much more riveting plot points that touch upon everything from dysfunctional families, celebrity sycophancy, government morality, feminism, social media, torture, and overall brilliant satire of modern America. Every single scene, mission, and character is just ripe with provocative social commentary in traditional GTA comedic fashion, but this time around its relevant and intelligently nailed to a point that directly speaks to the player. These are all things you naturally would not expect from a GTA game but surprisingly they exist and greatly add to what is probably one of the most compelling narratives in all of gaming. Everything is also heightened from the fact that GTA V is just so damn fun to play. Shooting has received a drastic cosmetic overhaul taking cues from both Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3, complete with helpful cover and a weapon wheel. You can also toggle multiple aiming settings that include a traditional aiming system allowing you to flip between softly locked on targets. Fundamental control schemes arent all the upgrades though as you can now shoot gasoline in the environment to ignite a fire which hopefully leads to an explosion. Seamlessly switching between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor during frenetic firefights can not only prove to be advantageous but also cinematically intense. The most well-known example of this is sniping as Franklin while Michael snatches a hostage whilst rappelling down a towering corporate building but without spoiling anything, this highly touted feature is executed remarkably well. Each protagonist is also given a special ability that suits their personality and role in a completely new feature to the franchise. Michael can slow down time in a firefight similar to Max Payne in his franchise but without all the stylistic John Woo inspired diving. Trevor can enter a state of berserk granted with the buff of dishing out double damage and having all damage taken halved. Franklins ability goes in a different direction allowing him to slow down time while driving. All of these special abilities are highly useful and can be taken advantage of when in a pinch; in some ways they almost make the combat too easy especially considering the ability gauges recharge fairly quickly and your health already will always regenerate to halfway when nearly dead. Nevertheless, its an awesome feature and anything that mixes Max Payne into GTA cant be a bad thing. Driving was given a lot of flak in GTA IV as the cars essentially felt like you were skating on ice so Rockstar dialed the unwaveringly required precision back a notch so that every method of transportation is more user friendly and accessible but doesnt play completely arcadey. Youre still going to need skill for the various racing activities but for the most part, everything is balanced in a manner that should satisfy everyone. That goes for every method of transportation too, whether its driving, flying, exploring the deep sea with a submarine, or cycling on a bike. My only real issue at first wasnt necessarily with the driving mechanics but rather evading the police. Maybe Im just an oblivious idiot but the game doesnt properly explain how to effectively ditch the fuzz, and leaves you just trying to burn rubber and leave them in the dust when in actuality its about sneakily hiding whether theyre far back behind you or in the immediate area. Once I became accustomed to playing hide and go seek with the LSPD however, it became thrilling to engage with them in ways that actually felt fair which is a rarity for the franchise.
Exploring Los Santos with or without the LSPD breathing down your neck is an enthralling activity as well. We all were aware that GTA V would boast a map larger in scale than Red Dead Redemption and GTA IV but the gravity of that statement doesnt resonate until you get out there and start searching around. Aside from San Andreas (which is coincidentally the setting of GTA V as well) Ive never found a disconnect in a sandbox game that instills a feeling that Im traveling great distances and am drifting away into a new locale entirely. The glamorous and Hollywood style appeal of Los Santos separated with rural America and vast deserts complimented each other in ways that serve as a testament to just how expansive the sandbox is. I havent even commented on the insane attention to detail yet but am still perplexed that while the credits rolled, the game was fading in and out of areas such as underwater ruins that I hadnt even given a seconds thought about exploring yet. Assisting how remarkable the world already is on sheer scope are arguably the greatest graphics we have ever seen on consoles. The sun shines off of metallic vehicle paint jobs, advertisements and billboards litter the city, character models have outstanding motion capture and facial expressions, and astounding levels of detail touch every object in the game from trees to clothing. Getting in a helicopter and rising to a high altitude only to casually fly around and sightsee from above is breathtaking and mesmerizing, especially when factoring in how vast the games draw distance is. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, something that wholeheartedly applies to the visuals in GTA V. Physics are also out of this world impressive as GTA V runs on an enhanced version of Max Payne 3s RAGE engine which astonishingly allows for unprecedented and lifelike ragdoll reactions to bullets, punches, head on vehicle collisions, falling, and more. Every single reaction is different, almost as if real life nerves are being simulated. Whatever is going on, its damned impressive and constantly keeps the interactivity from feeling stiff or dull. Click Next for more...