Grand Theft Auto V Review

Rockstar, indeed, does it again...here is my full review.

 

GTA V, by Rockstar Games

Grand theft Auto 5 manages to bolster Rockstar's ...rock-star-status; So, yes, if all you need is an affirmation of the greatness that is GTA V, then, again--YES--it is a smorgasbord of fun; a buffet of polish; and a feast of ambitious preparation and scope. Game developer Rockstar has managed to transcend their previous works in many ways with this latest entry in their long running series and they should be commended for it. The technical fidelity, as I mentioned in my review-in-progress, is staggering, if only for the fact that the hardware of the PS3 and the Xbox 360 are--from my perspective--being pushed to their respective limits. This release follows Max Payne 3, published last year, which looked stellar in it's depiction of Brazil, but for it's graphical and detailed achievements was mostly linear. Now, we have GTA V and it captures the level of detail and graphical fineness of Max Payne 3 and it infuses it into an open-world, crime drama.

---"You're a hipster."

---"I hate hipsters."

---"Classic hipsters denial."

In Grand Theft Auto V, you play as Michael, a retire with a shady past and family issues; Franklin, a repo-man who seeks to better his situation by removing himself from a life of petty crime and gang affiliation; and, finally, Trevor, who isn't  quite stable, but is the sort of protagonist that can help to explain away the players in-world transgressions. The three protagonist are drawn together by circumstance and, though some would rather forget others, they share memorable screen-time together. Trevor is a zany character, he sets himself apart as far and away the most insane and off-the-wall character I've experienced in this game and video games in general, recently--next to Vaas from Far Cry 3, that is. Michael typically spends his time watching movies--as he is a huge movie buff--and finding it difficult to relate to his kids or his wife Amanda. Franklin is the youngest of the trio and spends his time repossessing sports cars and the like for a local car dealer. Franklin dreams big, but just needs the right opportunity to present itself. The story in GTA V is a mishmash of narrative threads--which isn't foreign to a GTA title--but, this mash-up has fresh legs that are all due to the dynamics of a three character arc. While the use of three characters didn't move me as much as I thought it would, they still provide a certain je ne sais quoi, a certain revivification ensues. No single piece of the cast is allowed to stagnate because there is always a new overlapping situation or piece of the narrative puzzle to engage with. The overarching story is, granted, nothing special, three criminals plunged further under by their self-less actions lacks a certain redeemable quality, but how we are perfused through the stories body releases a flood of endorphins and a joy-ride brimming with scope and scale, but more importantly a narrative pacing that is trimmed of excess drudgery.  The story isn't perfect, but I believe it is HOW it is told that will captivate and motivate you to see-it-through. 

Grand Theft Auto 5 Review in Progess

Grand Theft Auto 5

I have just begun a journey laced in moral Grey's, epic scenery, poignant vistas, dense detail...corruption, crime, the American dream diffused; Grand Theft Auto 5 is nothing short of amazing, thus far.

It opens in a hurry, revealing a wealth of nuanced features and improved mechanics. The microcosm of Rockstar's achievement in technical fidelity is, quite simply, stunning; shooting mechanics as polished as Max Payne 3 or any other 3rd-person shooter ,for that matter. The myriad of newly implemented animations at work bleed life into the locomotive rampage and satirical performances of the, thus far, perfectly parodied cast of characters. The draw distance won't blow you through a window, but nonetheless it is, thankfully, commendable--pop-ups are kept at a minimal. Interiors are believably lived in, packing parcels of paper and modern domestic minutia a plenty.

It is clear from the outset--from the first minutes of one of  this console generations master class auteurs--that GTA 5 was seemingly handled with the utmost care and dedication. Though, like every work of art worth its salts, there are some flaws predicated on an ambitious vision, not necessarily grander than the collective brain trust of Rockstar can produce, but, in such a celestial undertaking--in the open-world gaming space--Rockstar must remain focused on the vision at hand , and to some extent rationalize their decisions based on their own artistic contemplations. Ultimately, the stretching--the scope of ambition, does not allow for an equal analysis of specific portions of the Odyssey in contemporary, social critique that is GTA V. Thus, I can envision others taking great offense to the lack of sensitivity in the  reflection of society that Rockstar has chosen to refract and engage with, without always debriefing, and providing the player with enough outlets for moral reproach.