The West Coast is the Best Coast
Five long years have passed since the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, and numerous open-world games have been released during that time. Not all of these games were amazing, but specific games like Sleeping Dogs changed the way that open-world games are played. With the release of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar Games set out to prove that they are still the kings of the open-world genre, introducing a three-protagonist system and incorporating the random events of Red Dead Redemption.
GTA V follows three main characters (Franklin, Michael, and Trevor) in their separate pursuits of getting rich and surviving in Los Santos and Sandy Shores. Trevor and Michael have history together, but Franklin is introduced to Michael after a car repossession gone terribly wrong in which Franklin endears himself to Michael. Franklin’s story seems the most like a standard GTA game during his early missions of hanging out with his OG-friend, Lamar, and helping out other characters in the hood, but Franklin’s life becomes very different once he begins helping Michael with heists and after meeting Trevor.
There are a few major heists that must be completed during GTA V’s story, and they are the most entertaining aspect of the game. Each heist begins with Lester drawing up two different plans of attack that are either quiet and efficient or loud and hectic. Each plan uses special drivers and gunmen that can be unlocked by completing random events and main story missions. Choosing which drivers and gunmen to use during heists can get tricky because more skilled assistants take more money. Cheaper assistants are available, but they have less skill. A less-effective hacker might not disable an alarm for enough time, or a poor driver might wreck during the escape and lose 1/3 of the money. Once the plan is chosen, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor need to go prepare for the rest of the heist by stealing specialty vehicles, obtaining keycards, and purchasing masks.
These multi-part heists are made entertaining by the ability to switch between characters instantly by tapping down on the D-Pad. Long shootouts were so much better because I could switch to a character that had a better view or weapons depending on the moment. One such moment involved taking out a helicopter that had Michael and Franklin pinned down behind a concrete barrier. I simply switched to Trevor and shot the helicopter down with an RPG.
Switching between characters also makes the open-world aspect of GTA V better. I normally played as Michael while running around Los Santos because he had more money and fancier cars, but I loved switching to Franklin and Trevor just to see what their opening scenario would be. Sometimes, Franklin would be taking his dog, Chop, for a walk, or he would be drinking at a strip club. Trevor’s scenarios were always the best because of how crazy they were. After completing a mission with Michael, I switched to Trevor just in time to see him throw a biker off a bridge. The best part is that this was one of Trevor’s more-relaxed scenarios. Another time, Trevor woke up on a beach in his underwear surrounded by dead Triad members.
Little touches like the switching scenarios are what make Rockstar one of the best developers. Rockstar included so many details in GTA V that show their love for the series and creating a believable world. One such example is switching between radio stations while driving around. While I was switching stations on my controller Michael or the other characters would be leaning over and actually switching stations in the car. Additionally, the main characters were unable to switch radio stations while they were on the phone because their hands were full. One other example is the way that pedestrians obsess over taking photos of cars, scenery, or random objects with their cell phones to post on social media. I would constantly drive up to a restaurant in a fancy car and watch groups of pedestrians start taking photos of it.
The cell phone does return in GTA V, but Rockstar added new functions that make it more than just a method of contact. Photos can now be uploaded to Rockstars social club web site immediately after they are taken. I used this function many times to prove that something insane had happened such as a cow being run over by a mountain bike. In-game phones also can be used for browsing web sites, purchasing vehicles, checking bank accounts, or assisting in missions. One Strangers and Freaks mission uses the phone to find multiple properties on a real estate web site that need to vandalized.
The phone can also be used as a way to hang out with specific characters much like GTA IV; however, Rockstar changed the way that hanging out functions and affects the game. Characters like Roman would constantly call you during GTA IV, and if you didn’t answer or hang out with them immediately, the actual relationship would be negatively affected. Now, characters will only hang out with you if you make the call, which I highly recommend because some crazy conversations will take place. Each main character has a specific set of friends and one main companion, but some character crossover does occur. For example, Franklin can hang out with Michael’s stoner son after a few missions, or Trevor can hang out with Lamar after saving him from a bad drug deal. Mixing the main characters with the companions leads to some insane, but often hilarious conversations about cannibalism or being an Original Gangsta.
Grand Theft Auto V is Rockstar’s most ambitious game to date, and it doesn’t disappoint. The heist-driven story plays out like a mixture of Ocean’s 11 and Fast Five with some A-Team sprinkled on top. Rockstar managed to take the always-successful Grand Theft Auto gameplay and mix in new features like random events and character switching to create their best game yet. I was wary about returning to another city from previous games, but Los Santos didn’t disappoint. Rockstar revitalized the main city from San Andreas but kept some of the most important locations like Grove Street resulting in a beautiful playground. Five years may have been a long time to wait for another Grand Theft Auto, but I am willing to deal with the time if the end result is always this fantastic.
