| System: PS3*, Xbox 360 |  |
| Dev: Rockstar North | |
| Pub: Rockstar Games | |
| Release: September 17, 2013 | |
| Players: 1 (2+ Online) | |
| Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p | Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Nudity, Mature Humor, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol |
In addition to this being my favorite, I’d be remised if I didn’t comment on the visuals of the game. All the screenshots and all the videos do no justice to the visual experience of the game. So many times I found myself sitting at the top of a hill or mountain while looking at the skyline of Los Santos and being in awe of the visual prowess of the game. The roads look rough and beat up. The buildings are not paper cutouts. The people are not carbon copies at every new block. I know GTA IV shows great progression in the graphics already, but GTA V really raises the bar to a whole new level. It may even challenge some early next-gen experiences.
While the visuals are fantastic, there is one thing Rockstar did in GTA IV that several colleagues and I loved. Liberty City felt alive and more of a character at times than some of the actual characters in the game. Los Santos, however, feels as if it is alive, with five kids, and several regrets with its life. It makes you sit back and wonder about what goes on in the city in your absence. This is especially true for the conversations you overhear. Some of them are quite epic conversations; you don’t want to miss a single one of them.
This is all due to the voice acting in the game. While this has not been an area Rockstar has stumbled in the past, it is worth mentioning due to the sheer commitment made to make you strongly dislike certain characters. These characters are voice-acted so annoyingly well that you almost wish the character would never speak again, just like some of the main characters. The music and talk shows are also great to listen to as you are traveling around. All in all, the sound department is not one lacking in GTA V.
This is probably the easiest statement to make about the latest entry into the mega-franchise, but here it is anyway--It is not lacking. There is so much to do in the game; you just might be playing this game until next year. Rockstar really outdid itself with this entry. The company gives players more to do and then refines those things to make each extra addition an enjoyable experience. It is a feat many other games will now pick up on to try and utilize. The Grand Theft Auto series has always been one to lead the charge into new and exciting things, and this time, it may have jraised the bar too high. Which I am perfectly fine with, at least until Rockstar returns to Vice City and raises the bar some more. For now, though, I am just fine living in Los Santos with my three new best friends.
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By Matt Walker Editor-In-Chief Date: September, 16, 2013 |
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