A few weeks ago, before the trailer dropped, I wrote up what I'd want from GTA V. I think it still has some merit, even though we know quite a bit about the game now. Originally the post appeared on Known Griefers http://www.knowngriefers.com/2011/10/top-v-wild-speculation-about-gta-v.html

TOP V: WILD SPECULATION ABOUT GTA V

This past Tuesday, Rockstar Games damn near broke the Internet with the announcement of Grand Theft Auto V. Well, actually an announcement of an announcement, as the trailer for GTA V will go live on November 2nd. This predictably whipped all of the video game media into a frenzy, and we here at KGB have decided to get in on the fun. Part of the hype with any game announcement is the wild speculation made before there are any solid details. Because without shaky secondhand “facts” the Internet would cease to exist. So we’re jumping aboard the crazy speculation train, and have come up with this week’s Top 5 list. The 5 things we want to see in GTA V.

5. Bombastic, Over-the-top Missions

More of this!

One of the major issues people took with GTA IV was the fact that the game stayed very much grounded in reality. At least, much more so than the GTA games that came before it, especially GTA: San Andreas. When GTA III was released ten years ago, I never even finished the single player campaign. This is somewhat due to the game’s difficulty and the way I played games at the time, but I never felt I was missing out. I would waste whole afternoons just driving around in my Infernus, hitting pedestrians and going on shooting sprees. GTA IV presented a much darker story, and the campaign missions were mostly centered around shootouts, followed by a chase sequence. It wasn’t until The Ballad of Gay Tony that the crazy mission types from San Andreas were brought back. GTA: SA was ludicrous is many ways. While CJ started out as a street level gang banger, the story quickly evolved into him using a jetpack to traverse the countryside, then jumping into a tank, only to make an escape via speedboat. TBoGT introduced base jumping, helicopter dogfights, and had you STEALING A GODDAMN SUBWAY TRAIN. That level of WTF needs to have at least some kind of presence in GTAV.

4. A Protagonist Whom You Can Like

Less of this!

Two of my favorite games this generation are from Rockstar: Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire. While I enjoyed GTA IV, I don’t think I can truly call it one of my favorites. And do you know why? Niko Bellic. The Eastern European transplant/ former freedom fighter with a heart of gold thing never clicked for me. I don’t think I’m the only one. How many Niko cosplayers have you seen? Between the thick accent, the dirty clothes, and his annoying ass family, it was a chore to play as Niko by the end of the game. I much preferred Johhny Klebitz and Luis Lopez from the GTA IV expansions. Hell, I even preferred the silent Claude from GTA III, at least he wasn’t constantly talking about “Big American Teetees.” GTA V needs someone whom players can identify with, and get lost in over 50-75 hours of gameplay. John Marston from RDR was an amazing character, one I really connected with. I also enjoyed Aaron Staton’s performance as Cole Phelps in L.A. Noire. Hopefully, Rockstar can lean more in that direction than Niko. After a while, I just felt like I was playing as Borat.

3. A Meaningful Multiplayer Experience

A Known Griefer Playground

With a little bit of effort, GTA V could become the biggest MMO since World of Warcraft. The large city, the huge install base, and the do-what-you-please gameplay of your typical GTA game makes it seem like a no-brainer. There were flashes of brilliance in the Red Dead Redemption multiplayer, although it was somewhat hobbled by the 16 player limit, and awkward game types. If Rockstar can up the player limit to 32 or 64 players per lobby, the craziness will be unimaginable. Hell, I’d even be okay with them scrapping the game types completely. Did you really ever play Team Deathmatch? Exactly. Free Roam is all it needs, with perhaps a few Race types and Demolition Challenges. Lord knows, I’d waste entire days running around a GTA game with my friends, laying waste to all we see. Also, about some damn co-op? It’s really only a matter of time before Rockstar nails a multiplayer experience, and I hope it’s in GTA V.

2. A Kick-Your-Ass Soundtrack

The same records' ya makin' are payin' me.

Starting in GTA III, you could be sure that each GTA game would make sweet love to your ear holes. From the Lazlow hosted talk shows on public radio stations, to the county station spinning Hank Williams deep cuts, every genre of music was well represented. In Vice City, the radio took on an era-appropriate 80s spin, with Flock of Seagulls providing the perfect soundtrack to Tommy Vercetti’s crime spree. My personal favorite is still San Andreas. Being able to switch the station from grunge-era alt. rock to West Coast hip-hop from Death Row Records was a dream. In GTA V, it’s almost a given that the satirical radio ads will take on such current hot button issues such as the Tea Party, the War on Terror, and the Occupy Movement. Pair this with some hot new radio stations, maybe going so far as to have an all dubstep station, and you’ll be blowing your speakers out. Or reaching for the channel skip button. Either way, discovering something new is half the fun of GTA radio.

1. A New City

Ok, maybe not this.

The logo for GTA V presents some interesting questions. Clearly the “V” logo is meant to look like U.S. currency, suggesting that money, and the acquisition of, is to be a big part of the story. But isn’t that the case with all the GTA games? Some people are speculating that the logo points towards Washington, D.C. as being a possible setting. Even wilder speculations points towards this game taking place at the turn-of-the-century. The 20th century. See, that “V” logo with the “FIVE” banner wrapped around it is very similar to a 5 dollar bill that was printed in 1899. That’s right. GTA V could end up looking more like Red Dead Redemption than GTA IV. And if there’s one publisher who could pull such a crazy twist, it’d be Rockstar. However, basing the game in 1899 seems like a great way to cannibalize the market for the next Red Dead game, and we all know how well choices like that worked out for Activison and Guitar Hero. Chances are, Rockstar will save the Old West setting for Red Dead, and the similarities between the logo and the antique bill are cosmetic only. If I were a betting man, I’d put my rubles on GTA V heading back to San Andreas, or perhaps real-world L.A. And if they kept the early 90s gangsta rap trappings, I’ll pre-order my copy today. All you had to do was follow the damn train, CJ!

Christopher Linendoll sleeps with the fishes. He can be reached via Twitter, or found in the hummus section of your local grocery store.

But don't you feel like we have enough over the top open world games? I mean, that's pretty much all video games do is be over the top. For my part I liked GTA4 so much because, though that game did not resemble a reality anywhere near our world, it felt real. Same thing with protagonists for me - it just seems so much more interesting to me to follow a protagonist that is morally centered but does awful things anyways (though I don't think Niko Bellick was unlikable by any means, he's easily the most complex and well written Rockstar protagonist to date) because no one in the industry is really doing that. Anyway, from your description, it kind of just sounds like you want to play games like Saints Row. I think GTA4 was more trying to be a successful drama and satire than a game where you look at the shiny explosions and whatnot, and GTA5 will probably do the same.

I like your points. Niko Bellick never clicked with me either. I just bought Episodes from Liberty City, so I'm experiencing that right now. As for the core experience in GTA IV, I just felt like Rockstar created a great city only to take out the sandbox feeling by not letting me play in it. I also think John Marston is the best character Rockstar has ever created. I loved that guy. The game rocked too.

While I do agree with most of your points, I was one of those people that thought Niko Bellic was a fantastic character. Every moment in that game had a purpose and motivation, and I thought it was a draw to see how the game would end.

@Splitterguy said:

But don't you feel like we have enough over the top open world games? I mean, that's pretty much all video games do is be over the top. For my part I liked GTA4 so much because, though that game did not resemble a reality anywhere near our world, it felt real. Same thing with protagonists for me - it just seems so much more interesting to me to follow a protagonist that is morally centered but does awful things anyways (though I don't think Niko Bellick was unlikable by any means, he's easily the most complex and well written Rockstar protagonist to date) because no one in the industry is really doing that. Anyway, from your description, it kind of just sounds like you want to play games like Saints Row. I think GTA4 was more trying to be a successful drama and satire than a game where you look at the shiny explosions and whatnot, and GTA5 will probably do the same.

If we were in the last generation I would agree with you completely. Honestly though other than as you mentioned the Saints Row franchise and perhaps at a stretch Crackdown(admittedly I never played the second one), this generation has pretty much been a multitude of serious open world action games. True GTA 4 was a masterpiece I won't deny that, but at the end of the day that's not what I go to GTA for. I'm all for changing things up a bit but why not have a compelling narrative alongside the insane substance that made GTA so great? As long as the insanity remains isolated enough from the core story I think it would make the game a much better experience, as it dips into both pools of the open world genre. The ridiculousness doesn't have to be in your face like with Saints Row(or more specifically Saints Row 3 I suppose), but it's always nice to have it there.

@CLinendoll said:

How many Niko cosplayers have you seen?

Peak of logic right there.

Niko Bellic is the bomb. I just want smoother shooting controls and I'm good