Grand Theft Auto V review

Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 17 September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, on 18 November 2014 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on 14 April 2015 for Microsoft Windows.

Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, the single-player story follows three criminals and their efforts to commit heists while under pressure from a government agency. The open-world design lets players freely roam San Andreas' open countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos.

Gameplay

Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure game played from either a first-person or third-person perspective. Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. Outside of missions, players may freely roam the open world. 

Composed of the San Andreas open countryside area and the fictional city of Los Santos, the world is much larger in area than earlier entries in the series. It may be fully explored after the game's beginning without restriction, although story progress unlocks more gameplay content.

There are three playable protagonists in the game: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, and Franklin Clinton—criminals whose stories interconnect as they complete missions. Some missions are completed with only one character and others feature two or three. Throughout the game, players switch between the protagonists to complete missions with different objectives.

While free-roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such as scuba diving and BASE jumping. Each character has a set of eight skills that represent their ability in specific areas such as shooting and driving. Though skills improve through play, each character has a skill with expertise by default (e.g. Trevor's flying skill).

Graphics

The game's visuals are heavily inspired by Rockstar's previous game, Max Payne 3. The game's faithfully recreated city of Los Santos and surrounding countryside are complete with buildings, landmarks, vehicles, and people that react realistically to the player's presence.

The game uses an updated version of the Euphoria engine to simulate realistic physics and an AI system called RAGE to generate non-player character (NPC) behaviour. The game also features increased draw distances, finer texture details, denser traffic, and enhanced resolutions.

Controls

The game's control scheme is unchanged from previous Grand Theft Auto games. The game can be controlled with a gamepad, keyboard, or mouse. The game also features an optional first-person perspective view for vehicles and some missions.

The game's controls are similar to those of its predecessors, with the exception of a few new additions. The game can be controlled using either a controller or a keyboard and mouse. The interface has been significantly improved and provides information on the player's current location, health, and ammunition.

Replayability

Grand Theft Auto V features a number of side missions, events, and activities that players can partake in to further improve their characters' skills and earn rewards. The game also features a compendium of over 500 challenges that unlock rewards as they are completed.

Grand Theft Auto V features a large number of side missions, many of which are not required to be completed in order to progress through the game's main story. In addition, the game's online multiplayer mode features a large number of activities that players can participate in, including heists, races, and deathmatches.

Conclusion

Grand Theft Auto V is a highly replayable game with a wealth of content to keep players engaged for dozens of hours. The game's three playable protagonists offer distinct stories that intertwine in interesting ways, and the open-world provides a playground for players to explore at their leisure.

While the game's visuals are not groundbreaking, they are well-realized and provide a faithful recreation of Los Santos and its surroundings. The controls are familiar and easy to pick up, and the optional first-person perspective provides a new way to experience the game.