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.

Social critique, I suppose, is meant to shed light on the otherwise naturalized elements of our social order, they--with biting/scathing assessments--reveal the harsh realities that some choose not to acknowledge, or not to tackle. As for what in particular offends, I can indeed say that the portrayal of stereotypical caricatures and a misogynistic, self-deprecating ethos about and within, San Andreas, does the trick. I neglect specifics as I have not, thus far, completed the game and I myself must still convene my thoughts, and this is something that would better be kept for a verdict. Artistic license should be respected, but the final product can be held responsible for its approach; this does not mean misguided or left/right of field interpretations should, by way of agendas unacknowledged, devalue the final work of art, solely because of disagreement on its artistic statements.

Now, back to the game and the myriad of things it entails. The interiors may be as detailed as any corridor shooter but the exteriors are just as deserving of praise. I have never seen such small detail handcrafted into an open-world. Cracks in the pavement and streets look distinct; shop signs and traffic markers rust and glisten as material trappings, such as they are, should; underpasses, highways and byways loop and crescendo, crash and wind, like waves of arteries; buildings are tightly packed and variably planted across what small portion of the map I have witnessed. Though, I can say the missions and their variety and not solely the environment are what have me gripped.

Grand Theft Auto 5 has missions a plenty, from Stranger events, hobbies like Yoga and shooting ranges. Sporting events like golf and tennis, also random events like hijacking security vans, and retrieving stolen wallets and vehicles for pedestrians. These are but a small sampling of activities,  not including main story missions. The stat progression of protagonists Michael, Franklin and Trevor, provide added incentive to take part in, say, tennis or street racing, because they improve your strength stat and driving ability respectively. This is all not to mention buying stocks and properties and underwater excursions.

As you can see GTA 5 is huge and in the span of time that I have played, I have yet to scratch its surface. There have been very few technical glitches and there are next to no load times. Character switching --as there are three protagonists, who are simultaneously playable, at least outside of key mission points-- is like, as many have said, using Google maps. The player is catapulted in a top-down view into the sky, peering at the map Google style, and then, after a short wile--I'd say a few seconds, upwards to 20 seconds or so-- you free-fall into a new location on the map, and are treated to the in-progress, off-screen activities of one of the other protagonist, of which you selected. I have not witnessed, again, any noticeable screen tearing or nasty bugs. Gameplay has been smooth and enjoyable, this is, without a doubt, the most polished game in the GTA series and, so far, it looks to be the most polished and dense open-world/ crime-drama game EVER. 

Stay tuned for more. I will give a final verdict on GTA V soon. I know I have been away for a while, but, be assured, I am listening, so if you have any comments, questions or concerns, let me know-- contact information Is listed and the comment section is always open.