A few months back I'd written a blog post discussing the reasons why I loved GTA V, quoting the game world as one of the biggest factors that kept pulling me back. (Read that blog here) The living, breathing world of Los Santos (as long as you're willing to play along and maintain the illusion at least) I observed, can offer moments and experiences unlike anything I've seen before - video games or even otherwise.

What creates this experience is the amount of detail put in every tiny area and aspect of the world, coupled with the size and scope of the game world, ranging across different land forms and atmospheres. Each area has its own vibe, and the contrasts of different places at different times is something that you'd only expect in real life.

My favorite experience remains cruising down the highway in a good car while listening to something like Radio Mirror Park, at night. It disconnects you enough from the game world to make it seem even more real. For all you know, all the cars passing by actually do have real people within them, leading their own lives. It's a beautiful, surreal experience.

But what is it that makes the whole experience feel specifically beautiful? I suggested that it might have to do with how not only does the game resemble real life, but life itself shares aspects with a simulation, about how our brain is the vehicle that is used to perceive both experiences, real life or simulation. And if the game is realistic enough, it can bring forth the same hormonal reactions from our body that a corresponding event in the real life would.

I still felt that I had more to say though, and realized that I wanted to show what I was talking about - which inspired me to make a video for it. Check it out here, and let me know what your thoughts are about this topic!

Also, HUGE thanks to @bigdaveischeap for providing the excellent narration. Wouldn't have been the same without the magic of his voice!

Right there with you. Almost anyway. I don't think it's one of the better games I've ever played, I felt the gameplay was 'passable' at best. But the eye for detail is just unparalleled even to this day. I was very impressed with how it looked that I gave it 5/5 myself.

Yeah, I remember your blog post. I agree. I think the game that most put me in the world, the one that I felt as if I was there more than any other, would be Bioshock's Rapture. I'm not sure if I said this on your blog, but though I thought GTA 5 on 360, where I originally played it, was superb, it was also disappointing, when I finally played it on the PS4, it became one of my favorite open world games, alongside Red Dead Redemption, and The Witcher 3. I much prefer playing in first person, for everything you do; it's more immersive, and it also lessens some of the mechanical shortcomings five had in third (jumping from Red Dead and Max Payne 3). Walking the city part of Los Santos (or driving) is a good way to get city night life, when I otherwise probably wouldn't go to Seattle or Bellevue and walk around at night. You get the sights and sounds of urban living, albeit, potentially more crazy. I also like the country and suburban parts too for similar reasons.

Just wanted to say, fantastic cinematography! 0:51-1:26 of Michael in the cab was my favorite segment, visually. Reminded me a lot of Michael Mann/Dion Beebe's work on Collateral. Whether or not that was an inspiration, well done!

@zevvion: Yeah, the presentation makes up for a lot of shortcomings in this game (though I am pretty lenient when it comes to games with bad gameplays if they have a good atmosphere or story!)

@ntm: Very interesting, thanks for sharing! RDR is definitely on my wanted list. Been waiting for years for it to come to the PC as I don't own any console :( RDR PC would be pretty amazing from what I've heard.

Thank you! Yeah you got it, that was a big inspiration, and is actually one of the reasons why I love the atmosphere of the game too - I feel like I'm in the world of one of those films with that kind of style (and I love that style) Another inspiration was the movie Drive (2011, starring Ryan Gosling) - mostly the overhead shots in the beginning.

@armaan8014: It would be amazing on PC. It'd only be right for it to go on PC if it were to go to next-gen (which is where I'd love to play a remaster). That said, from what I read, it wasn't easy to work with that engine or something, so I don't know.

GTAV was one of the weirdest progressions of games that I've seen, in that I started on PS3 and showed it to a friend who had lived in LA, who could name basically every street and landmark in it. Going from that to PS4 was a marked shift, and then flipping over to the (70 gig!) PC install was a different level. Amazing game from an artistic standpoint, even if it didn't try to do anything super crazy with its effects.

I don't see it. Driving down the highway like you said just reminds me of how boring that is in real life. Why would you wanna simulate such mundane aspects of life? GTA doesn't have the gameplay to back it up.

@rorie: I just got my executive building (almost 10 million). If you ever want to join up and steal some crap let's do it!

That goes out to everybody! I'm on PC BTW.

Two main problems that bar me from enjoying the simple act of driving in GTA V -

1. Nothing controls well or feels satisfying to drive, fly, or even walk. The controls are a relic from the past that have no rhyme or reason for still existing in this day and age. Also, animation priority controls are just fucking terrible. I don't care how good it might look; if I can't actually feel in control, it's entirely pointless. The "feel" of GTA V's gameplay is passable at the best of times, but just awful for the most part.
2. I really don't buy the "real" aspect of the GTA games. There are scooters called Faggio, internet cafes called Twat, every single black character says the n-word at least 5 times in a breath, etc. In general, this game thinks it does satire, but its brand of comedy is more of the "edgy 14-year-old" variety. There's no depth, no subtlety, and more importantly - there wasn't a single instance in IV or V where I actually laughed at something. Or hell, even smiled.

You want good atmosphere - play the night-levels in Halo: ODST.

^ I'd have to disagree that GTA 4 and 5 are that bad. I feel that many aspects of games are subjective, or at least the parts that matter to each actual player. Even though it may have issues, I have personally found some subtlety in the humor of those two games.

Also many of the conversations may seem overdone, but I know quite a few people that talk just like Jimmy, Tracey, Lamar, Tonya, Devin, etc.

Never met someone quite like Trevor though.

Makes me hopeful for future 'open world' games set in a big city. CD Project Red's Cyberpunk 2077 will be interesting, I think. I love cyberpunk and they say their ambition is to do big budget games like Rockstar does.

That is a kind of dream of mine! Visit a place I've seen in a game/ see a place that I'm familiar with in a game (hasn't happened yet for me) There are so many places that I wanna visit just to experience that.

@funkydupe:I have faith in CDPR and I'm sure cyberpunk's gonna be amazing too! I hope it's a dense and atmospheric world like we've never seen before. And I hope there's driving too ;)

@sravankb: Unfortunately I only have a PC so, no ODST for me. But somehow I've never found the gameplay clunky or outdated. I'm odd/ super lenient when it comes to gameplay that way though - I didn't even have a problem with GTA IV on PC! And my all time favorite game is the original Witcher :P

But that is exactly the aspect that I do enjoy. I guess my personal preference is what affects this - I do find the mundane very beautiful, and doing that boring act in real life as well sometimes gives me the goosebumps. Just kind of an awareness of existing in a city next to so many different people is a kind of weirdly interesting feeling. In a similar way I get really fascinated if say, someone opens their windows and I glimpse their dining room or something - makes me wonder what their lives' stories are, how normal it all is. It's a weird thing to explain, but I really find the mundane quite beautiful.

Man, The Witcher series. I really wish I liked it as much as a lot of people do. The setting, story, and characters are interesting, but boy the controls are something I could never get behind.

OT: Another atmosphere-heavy game where you can just navigate / explore for me was Forza Horizon. I absolutely loved driving in that game. It was a great balance between sim and arcade style handling. Just grab a Ferrari 458 and drive anywhere while listening to a podcast or some music. It was glorious.