Review - Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V

Rockstar

Xbox 360, Playstation 3 (reviewed)

Action, Adventure, Open World

September 17, 2013

The Preamble

Grand Theft Auto releases have been making a big splash for years now. I remember waiting in line with my friend's parents (my parents wouldn't let me get it :P) back when I was a teenager to pick up Grand Theft Auto III, and the mind blowing moment of diving into Liberty City for the first time. My friends and I would stay up to the wee hours of the night, getting up to 5 stars and trying to escape police, searching for the coolest car in the city, and of course, needlessly turning innocent civilians into roadkill.

It's been 12 years since Rockstar wow'ed us with this landmark release.

This is what GTA has been for years, and it continues to be that today, but with so much more. With each release the game worlds and narrative strategies evolve, making for something bigger and better than the previous game. This release is no different as far as massive hype goes, in fact, it has turned out to be the highest grossing media release of all time. It's funny how that works out: The most controversial franchise of our generation is also the biggest money maker the industry has ever seen.

In the first 24 hours, GTA V sales amounted to 800 million dollars. After 3 days, they had breached a billion.

All of that aside, Rockstar has yet again brought a truly impressive beast to the table with Grand Theft Auto V. All of the things you loved about past GTA titles is back, but it's been improved, and paired with a plethora of new activities in a region that is the biggest we've ever seen in a GTA game. Perhaps the most noteworthy is the new and unique narrative approach that has been presented, where you are given dynamic control over three different main characters. And to put a cherry on top, we are also given the most comprehensive and polished approach to GTA multiplayer we've seen yet.

The Overview

The game begins in North Yankton, where two of the three characters you play are pulling off a bank heist. This is where you get an introduction to the mechanics of the game, but it also sets the stage for the real story, which takes place in Los Santos, ten years later.

The characters you take control of are Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. It's hard to give too much detail here without giving things away, but I will say that each character has their own distinct personality and mini-story arc, as well as a master arc which intertwines the three characters stories. The magic here lies not within the individual stories, but in how each of them cross paths, allowing you to play from multiple perspectives, while progressing the overall story.

Gameplay wise, we are given a smattering of just about every game type you can think of. The bread and butter of course is third person, cover based shooter mechanics. But in addition to this, you are given, essentially, a racing (both car and boat) game, flight simulator, tennis game, golf game, as well as tons of other stuff. 

The Good

• The multi-pronged storytelling approach Rockstar took with this game is unprecedented in an open world game like this. Switching between fending off the cops, setting an explosive to open the bank vault, and manning the helicopter to escape, all while working toward the common goal of pulling off a bank robbery is a truly special experience to behold. It didn't take long for this mechanic to win me over in a big way.

• Heists! What an awesome construct to have in GTA, especially when you're playing three different characters. There are planning, preparation, hiring, and execution phases, and they are all a blast. Going through these steps to pull off a grand crime, especially when the payout is massive, is super fun and satisfying.

• Rockstar has an eye for detail that is unmatched. From the character animations, to the dialogue, to the dynamic weather in the environment, the world feels like it is a real living and breathing entity.

• As far back as I can remember, Rockstar has superb dialogue in their games, and GTA V is no different. Each cutscene is a treat to observe and the characters that you meet throughout the story are always unique and amusing in their own way. The characters and dialogue truly stand out in this game.

• While I personally don't feel the map compares to Skyrim's, like some say, Los Santos is immense in this game. It's completely open to you as soon as you get past the initial heist mission, and as I mentioned before, it is chock full of things to do. Driving, flying, parachuting, property purchasing, scuba diving, and more. There's no shortage of stuff to do in the massive open world Rockstar provides in this release.

• While I had some issues with picture quality on my monitor, it didn't stop me from being awe struck by the visuals in this game. From the skyscrapers in the city, to the mountains in the wild, to the depths of the ocean, the visuals are truly a sight to behold in this game. More so than any GTA title that has come about before.

• I haven't had a chance to spend too much time with this yet, but the GTA Online feature seems to be something Rockstar spent a lot of time on, and has consequently made a fun, unique multiplayer experience in Los Santos. There are skill progressions, gang mechanics, property acquisitions, heists, and more to enjoy with your friends online. This is something I plan on spending more time with, and perhaps will have another write-up on.

The Bad

• I'm not saying I'm in love with Niko Bellic, but I liked him more than any of the characters you play in GTA V. That's not to say that they don't make for a good story, but on a personal level, Michael, Franklin, and especially Trevor are all pretty despicable. If it isn't from being a ruthless asshole, it's from being a pathetic coward. Of course I don't expect characters in GTA to be saints (no pun intended :P), but it would be nice if they had at least some admirable qualities from time to time.

• Grand Theft Auto games always push the limits of censorship and GTA V is no exception. Minor spoiler here, but there is a mission where, as Trevor, you needlessly torture someone in a overly brutal fashion. While I understand that this kind of thing is more a satirical commentary on the uselessness of torture, putting the player in the shoes of the torturer is pretty ham handed. To me, this felt like it was a little too far, but it begs the question, how far is too far?

• I mentioned this earlier, and maybe I've just grown too accustomed to PC graphics, but the console graphics really let me down here. I think it was partly due to the monitor I was playing on, but the textures looks pretty horrible to me, and hardly did the game justice on a visual level. Only a few hours into the game, as much as I was enjoying it, I couldn't help but wish they had waited to release this on next generation hardware.

• Along the same lines as the above criticism, if Rockstar couldn't wait to release on next gen systems, then at the very least release it on PC! It is baffling how much better GTA IV looked and played on PC vs. console, not to mention the amazing mods that have come out for the game. I really wish Rockstar would give it's PC audience some love and actually release their games on PC in a timely manner and not wait years like they typically do.

The Conclusion

Is GTA V the game of the year? Probably for some, but not for me. That being said, is it an impressive feat of gaming? Absolutely. Any fan of the GTA franchise, or open world games in general, will be thrilled with this game. Rockstar does some really neat things in this game, things that haven't been done in other games, and for that I praise them. For those gamers out there that want to have their eyes opened to a new approach to storytelling and open world gaming, I couldn't recommend this game enough, but fair warning, make sure you have a strong stomach, because Rockstar doesn't pull any punches in this one.

Review - The Last of Us

The Last of Us

Naughty Dog

Playstation 3

Survival, Horror, Stealth, Action

June 14, 2013

The Preamble

Well, I want to start this one out by apologizing to the console gaming audience out there. As I was just looking back through the blog archive, it seems as though, outside of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, I've reviewed and discussed nothing but PC games on this blog.

Well, today we're venturing into the depths of the PS3 exclusive space, taking a look at The Last of Us. This title comes to us from developer Naughty Dog, famous for their work on the Uncharted series.

Unfortunately, I haven't played any of the Uncharted series, so I won't be able to make any comparisons there. What I can say is that The Last of Us is an extremely well-made game, wrought with emotional struggle, intense stealth-driven gameplay, and a narrative that you will not soon forget.

The Overview

I went into this game knowing virtually nothing about it. I knew that it was going to be survival horror type of game, with strong focus on characters and story and I was excited about this. I had of course seen the critical acclaim for the game, but outside of that, I really didn't know much.

I think that's maybe the best way to play this game, so I'm not going to be very descriptive in the overview of the story here. 

After a brief introduction of how the outbreak occurs, you travel forward in time 20 years after the infection, where society has been decimated and left to various sects of survivors that have declared their independence in some way or another. You play as Joel, a smuggler, devoid of almost all of his emotion as a result of enduring the last 20 years, watching civilization crumble. Through a series of events which I'll leave unsaid, Joel embarks on a journey that will lead him all over the country, forcing him to resolve unforgettable situations and pull him in emotional directions he didn't think he'd ever have to encounter.

The Good

• The story is top notch. From the unforgettable introduction to the thought provoking conclusion, The Last of Us remains good until the last drop. You are constantly excited, yet terrified, to see what happens next. While there are some typical zombie apocalypse tropes, there is a lot of uncertainty throughout the game.

• The character development is immaculate. Well written, well voiced, well animated; you feel like you know them, both the good and bad things about them. The arcs that each character take are compelling and keep you guessing about each decision.

• As far as the survival-horror-action genre goes, I don't think I've come across a game that conveys the true feeling of being a survivor as well as The Last of Us. You have to work your ass off to scavenge supplies, and even if you're good, you are never left feeling comfortable about the quantity of resources that you have. You are constantly tasked with rationing out your supplies and weighing your options every time you encounter an enemy.

• For a console game, the visuals are great. You aren't stuck with the same old grey, bleak, zombie setting. There is a surprising amount of variety in the weather and environment, which makes for a more diverse and interesting experience.

The Bad

• This may be the RPG fanboy in me peaking out, but the low number of skills, and the mundane nature of the ones that are present is pretty bleak. I would have loved a larger variety to play around with, at least some that actually influenced your play style somehow, which seems to be completely absent.

• Maybe it's just me and my lack of interest in stealth games anymore, but there are a lot of segments in this game that are downright infuriating. Retry after retry of tedious stealth gameplay. This wore on me in a big way after a while. Take a look at the 'Extra Note' below for more on this.

• There are some serious issues with checkpoint saving in this game. The game is not very clear about where the checkpoints are and the inclusion of what seems to be 'save anywhere' function always left me very confused when trying to load. There were numerous times I restarted from a checkpoint to find out that half of my ammo was gone and twice as many enemies were present. While this didn't happen every time, it happened enough for me to notice and get very frustrated on occasion. Also, saving is incredibly slow.

The Conclusion

The Last of Us is really quite groundbreaking on a storytelling level. It might be the most cinematic, immersive video game experience I've had the pleasure of consuming. That said, unless you are a huge fan of stealth gameplay, I don't feel like the game offers a lot more than that fantastic storytelling experience.

So I think there are a couple groups of people that would be interested in this game. 

• If you're interested in seeing one of the finest executions of storytelling in gaming, absolutely give this game a go (also, read the Extra Note below). Even if you are sort of zombied out (trust me, I'm right there with you), I still think it's well worth taking a look at.
• If you love tough stealth games, whether you care about story or not, this is worth taking a look at. 

An Extra Note

If you're not a gamer who is a huge stealth fan, and are more interested in the narrative part of the game, I would highly recommend playing on Normal or Easy difficulty settings. I made it through on Hard, but boy was it frustrating at times. If I had to do it over, I would have probably gone with Normal. Anyway, just my two cents on that subject.