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Grand Theft Auto is back! The highly anticipated next game series is now available on the PS3... hang on, no, that's already happened. The PC? No, still waiting. Oh, right, it's the PS4 and XBox One's chance to get in on the action. Granted, it's no real surprise that GTA5 hit these new consoles. What is surprising is how little controversy the games release was greeted with, despite it featuring a compulsory extended torture sequence. The most controversy the game's generated has been the recent graphical downgrade GTA 5's received, but more on that later.
If you've not played any of the Grand Theft Auto games before, you're in for a treat. While the game is focused on driving and shooting action, the open world is just so cool to explore that you can spend a good couple of hours just wandering about. Actually, make that twenty hours, since the PS4/XBox One version of the game introduces a first person view that lets you view the action through the characters eyes. Leaping headfirst into the windscreen of a car has never been simultaneously so hilarious and horrifying.
Random shenanigans aside, Grand Theft Auto 5 is really about crime and getting away scot-free. The game features not one but three characters. There's Michael, a retired criminal living the easy life - Franklin, a disgruntled repo-guy and Trevor, a deranged lunatic. You start the game controlling Franklin, until the game brings them all together and you gain the ability to switch between them. They each have their own special abilities although Trevor is by far the most fun to play with since he is genuinely a complete loon.
The game takes place in the city of Los Santos - Los Angeles, basically - and the surrounding country. Los Santos also featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the map in this game isn't quite as large, though it is far more detailed than GTA: SA. This new version of the game makes things even more entertaining by throwing in more pedestrians and vehicles, as well as a couple of new features such as the ability to eat hallucinogenic cactii and turn into a cat. No, really.
The actual in-game missions, some being part of the storyline others being incidental, involve driving, shooting and even swimming at some points, not necessarily in that order. The characters aren't total badass bullet-sponges, so ducking behind cover is the order of the day. The in-car action is also superb and naturally you can steal pretty much any car in the game, and there's also a jet or two thrown in there as well.
There's also the multiplayer mode, which I've tried a few times, but it hasn't really grabbed me. However, it's reportedly pretty good if you play the combined Heist bank robbery missions. Slightly cheeky is Rockstar's decision to sell in-game cash for real money, but that's a different rant entirely.
But if you've played the PS3 or 360 versions of the game, you'll know all this. So what do these versions bring to the table? Firstly, there's the first person perspective which is pretty cool, and since all the cars now include dashboards, it feels more like you're actually driving. Be warned, though, it does make the game a bit harder, particularly when you're driving. The first person perspective feels slightly weird at times, again probably because it was added after the game was design.
The graphics too, were a big improvement on GTA 360/PS3's graphics, with the game looking excellent. I say was, because there's recently been a bit of a graphical downgrade. The latest GTA 5 patch actually makes the graphics a bit worse. It's still not clear if this is a conscious decision or an accident, but it seems kind of odd.
So is the game worth getting if you have got the original? Honestly, no, unless you've barely touched the first game. Gameplay wise there's few real differences. If, however, you've not played GTA 5 yet, this is the version to get.
Score - 7 out of 10.
Pros:
It's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The new first person perspective mode is pretty good.
Cons:
It's not worth getting if you've got the PS3/360 version.
There's a recent patch that makes the graphics worse!
If you've not played any of the Grand Theft Auto games before, you're in for a treat. While the game is focused on driving and shooting action, the open world is just so cool to explore that you can spend a good couple of hours just wandering about. Actually, make that twenty hours, since the PS4/XBox One version of the game introduces a first person view that lets you view the action through the characters eyes. Leaping headfirst into the windscreen of a car has never been simultaneously so hilarious and horrifying.
Random shenanigans aside, Grand Theft Auto 5 is really about crime and getting away scot-free. The game features not one but three characters. There's Michael, a retired criminal living the easy life - Franklin, a disgruntled repo-guy and Trevor, a deranged lunatic. You start the game controlling Franklin, until the game brings them all together and you gain the ability to switch between them. They each have their own special abilities although Trevor is by far the most fun to play with since he is genuinely a complete loon.
The game takes place in the city of Los Santos - Los Angeles, basically - and the surrounding country. Los Santos also featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the map in this game isn't quite as large, though it is far more detailed than GTA: SA. This new version of the game makes things even more entertaining by throwing in more pedestrians and vehicles, as well as a couple of new features such as the ability to eat hallucinogenic cactii and turn into a cat. No, really.
The actual in-game missions, some being part of the storyline others being incidental, involve driving, shooting and even swimming at some points, not necessarily in that order. The characters aren't total badass bullet-sponges, so ducking behind cover is the order of the day. The in-car action is also superb and naturally you can steal pretty much any car in the game, and there's also a jet or two thrown in there as well.
There's also the multiplayer mode, which I've tried a few times, but it hasn't really grabbed me. However, it's reportedly pretty good if you play the combined Heist bank robbery missions. Slightly cheeky is Rockstar's decision to sell in-game cash for real money, but that's a different rant entirely.
But if you've played the PS3 or 360 versions of the game, you'll know all this. So what do these versions bring to the table? Firstly, there's the first person perspective which is pretty cool, and since all the cars now include dashboards, it feels more like you're actually driving. Be warned, though, it does make the game a bit harder, particularly when you're driving. The first person perspective feels slightly weird at times, again probably because it was added after the game was design.
The graphics too, were a big improvement on GTA 360/PS3's graphics, with the game looking excellent. I say was, because there's recently been a bit of a graphical downgrade. The latest GTA 5 patch actually makes the graphics a bit worse. It's still not clear if this is a conscious decision or an accident, but it seems kind of odd.
So is the game worth getting if you have got the original? Honestly, no, unless you've barely touched the first game. Gameplay wise there's few real differences. If, however, you've not played GTA 5 yet, this is the version to get.
Score - 7 out of 10.
Pros:
It's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The new first person perspective mode is pretty good.
Cons:
It's not worth getting if you've got the PS3/360 version.
There's a recent patch that makes the graphics worse!
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Grand Theft Auto is back! The highly anticipated next game series is now available on the PS3... hang on, no, that's already happened. The PC? No, still waiting. Oh, right, it's the PS4 and XBox One's chance to get in on the action. Granted, it's no real surprise that GTA5 hit these new consoles. What is surprising is how little controversy the games release was greeted with, despite it featuring a compulsory extended torture sequence. The most controversy the game's generated has been the recent graphical downgrade GTA 5's received, but more on that later.
If you've not played any of the Grand Theft Auto games before, you're in for a treat. While the game is focused on driving and shooting action, the open world is just so cool to explore that you can spend a good couple of hours just wandering about. Actually, make that twenty hours, since the PS4/XBox One version of the game introduces a first person view that lets you view the action through the characters eyes. Leaping headfirst into the windscreen of a car has never been simultaneously so hilarious and horrifying.
Random shenanigans aside, Grand Theft Auto 5 is really about crime and getting away scot-free. The game features not one but three characters. There's Michael, a retired criminal living the easy life - Franklin, a disgruntled repo-guy and Trevor, a deranged lunatic. You start the game controlling Franklin, until the game brings them all together and you gain the ability to switch between them. They each have their own special abilities although Trevor is by far the most fun to play with since he is genuinely a complete loon.
The game takes place in the city of Los Santos - Los Angeles, basically - and the surrounding country. Los Santos also featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the map in this game isn't quite as large, though it is far more detailed than GTA: SA. This new version of the game makes things even more entertaining by throwing in more pedestrians and vehicles, as well as a couple of new features such as the ability to eat hallucinogenic cactii and turn into a cat. No, really.
The actual in-game missions, some being part of the storyline others being incidental, involve driving, shooting and even swimming at some points, not necessarily in that order. The characters aren't total badass bullet-sponges, so ducking behind cover is the order of the day. The in-car action is also superb and naturally you can steal pretty much any car in the game, and there's also a jet or two thrown in there as well.
There's also the multiplayer mode, which I've tried a few times, but it hasn't really grabbed me. However, it's reportedly pretty good if you play the combined Heist bank robbery missions. Slightly cheeky is Rockstar's decision to sell in-game cash for real money, but that's a different rant entirely.
But if you've played the PS3 or 360 versions of the game, you'll know all this. So what do these versions bring to the table? Firstly, there's the first person perspective which is pretty cool, and since all the cars now include dashboards, it feels more like you're actually driving. Be warned, though, it does make the game a bit harder, particularly when you're driving. The first person perspective feels slightly weird at times, again probably because it was added after the game was design.
The graphics too, were a big improvement on GTA 360/PS3's graphics, with the game looking excellent. I say was, because there's recently been a bit of a graphical downgrade. The latest GTA 5 patch actually makes the graphics a bit worse. It's still not clear if this is a conscious decision or an accident, but it seems kind of odd.
So is the game worth getting if you have got the original? Honestly, no, unless you've barely touched the first game. Gameplay wise there's few real differences. If, however, you've not played GTA 5 yet, this is the version to get.
Score - 7 out of 10.
Pros:
It's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The new first person perspective mode is pretty good.
Cons:
It's not worth getting if you've got the PS3/360 version.
There's a recent patch that makes the graphics worse!
If you've not played any of the Grand Theft Auto games before, you're in for a treat. While the game is focused on driving and shooting action, the open world is just so cool to explore that you can spend a good couple of hours just wandering about. Actually, make that twenty hours, since the PS4/XBox One version of the game introduces a first person view that lets you view the action through the characters eyes. Leaping headfirst into the windscreen of a car has never been simultaneously so hilarious and horrifying.
Random shenanigans aside, Grand Theft Auto 5 is really about crime and getting away scot-free. The game features not one but three characters. There's Michael, a retired criminal living the easy life - Franklin, a disgruntled repo-guy and Trevor, a deranged lunatic. You start the game controlling Franklin, until the game brings them all together and you gain the ability to switch between them. They each have their own special abilities although Trevor is by far the most fun to play with since he is genuinely a complete loon.
The game takes place in the city of Los Santos - Los Angeles, basically - and the surrounding country. Los Santos also featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but the map in this game isn't quite as large, though it is far more detailed than GTA: SA. This new version of the game makes things even more entertaining by throwing in more pedestrians and vehicles, as well as a couple of new features such as the ability to eat hallucinogenic cactii and turn into a cat. No, really.
The actual in-game missions, some being part of the storyline others being incidental, involve driving, shooting and even swimming at some points, not necessarily in that order. The characters aren't total badass bullet-sponges, so ducking behind cover is the order of the day. The in-car action is also superb and naturally you can steal pretty much any car in the game, and there's also a jet or two thrown in there as well.
There's also the multiplayer mode, which I've tried a few times, but it hasn't really grabbed me. However, it's reportedly pretty good if you play the combined Heist bank robbery missions. Slightly cheeky is Rockstar's decision to sell in-game cash for real money, but that's a different rant entirely.
But if you've played the PS3 or 360 versions of the game, you'll know all this. So what do these versions bring to the table? Firstly, there's the first person perspective which is pretty cool, and since all the cars now include dashboards, it feels more like you're actually driving. Be warned, though, it does make the game a bit harder, particularly when you're driving. The first person perspective feels slightly weird at times, again probably because it was added after the game was design.
The graphics too, were a big improvement on GTA 360/PS3's graphics, with the game looking excellent. I say was, because there's recently been a bit of a graphical downgrade. The latest GTA 5 patch actually makes the graphics a bit worse. It's still not clear if this is a conscious decision or an accident, but it seems kind of odd.
So is the game worth getting if you have got the original? Honestly, no, unless you've barely touched the first game. Gameplay wise there's few real differences. If, however, you've not played GTA 5 yet, this is the version to get.
Score - 7 out of 10.
Pros:
It's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The new first person perspective mode is pretty good.
Cons:
It's not worth getting if you've got the PS3/360 version.
There's a recent patch that makes the graphics worse!