The new GTA game, called simply GTA 5, was released last week and has already become one of the highest selling games of all time. Developed by the legendary Grand Theft Auto creators, it has surpassed even their previous record-breaking game, Grand Theft Auto 4.
Based on Rockstar’s popular Grand Theft Auto series, GTA 5 builds upon the formula established by the previous game, offering seamless world-travel, open-ended missions, and unparalleled access to an immersive GTA universe.
Although Grand Theft Auto is most commonly known for its dark sense of humor and portrayal of violence, the game has always been about more than just mindless hedonism. The game’s stories and characters have often dealt with real-world issues such as drug addiction and poverty, and in many ways GTA 5 continues this tradition. It is a story about a young man trying to make his way in the world, and much of the game’s humor and action centers around this main character, Franklin. While the game starts out as an action-adventure series with the traditional “good guy vs. bad guy” scenario, it quickly deviates from this premise and becomes a more immersive world-building experience. The result is an unprecedented combination of action, adventure, and simulation rolled into one.
GTA 5 Is The Biggest Game Ever
Not even a week into its life and already one of the biggest games ever released. Grand Theft Auto 5 has reportedly sold over 40 million copies worldwide, meaning that literally millions of players are currently enjoying this incredible title.
To put things in perspective, Grand Theft Auto 5 is currently the best-selling game of all time, surpassing even the legendary Pokémon Go and Hearthstone: Heroes of the Hearthstone in terms of units sold.
GTA 5 Is Hugely Popular Due To Its Replayability
One of the main reasons why gamers are enjoying Grand Theft Auto 5 so much is because of its unparalleled replay value. As a standalone game, it has an extremely high score-to-play-ratio, allowing players to come back and try missions over and over again, either for fun or for high scores.
However, even without the scores, there is still plenty to do in Grand Theft Auto 5. Players can explore the game’s beautiful open world and take on side-missions to earn money, which can be invested in upgrades and further enhancements to the playable character, Franklin.
GTA 5 Is The Next Grand Theft Auto
When discussing the future of the Grand Theft Auto series, it is important to keep things in perspective. While Grand Theft Auto games will always be popular, they are ultimately just games. Games are meant to be played and sometimes, when played right, can provide a fun and exciting experience. This may explain why Rockstar Game’s highly-anticipated next title, Red Dead Redemption 2, has collected such positive feedback from critics and players alike.
With a gameplay and level-design hybrid that blends Western and African-American themes, Red Dead Redemption 2 promises to bring the best of two worlds together in a way that hasn’t been seen before in a video game.
GTA Is Set In The Present Day, But Still Has A Retro Feel
Even though Grand Theft Auto 5 takes place in the present day, it has a retro feel to it. This is especially apparent in terms of the game world’s visual design and the way players control Franklin. While the game is set in the present day, many of the cars, clothes, and accessories appear to be from the 1980s.
Even more retro elements can be found in the game’s soundtrack. Compiling music from classic rock bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones as well as modern artists like Lil Nas X and XXXTENTACION, the game’s sound-design team at Digicube has truly outdone themselves.
GTA 5 Is An Evolution In Grand Theft Auto
Even though Grand Theft Auto games have always been about more than just violence, players have been limited to two dimensions in previous titles. With Grand Theft Auto 5, this changes completely. Not only can players drive and navigate the game’s open world at their leisure, but they can also do so from any surface, be it water or air.
This means that even if you are driving on the freeway, you can still pop over to the other side and continue playing. This is a brilliant implementation of the video game medium that allows the player to remain engaged in the action, regardless of where they are in the world.
GTA 5 Is The Beginning Of A New Era In Video Game History
Ultimately, Grand Theft Auto 5 is a milestone in video game history. Not only is it the best-selling game of all time, it is also the culmination of almost 20 years of video game development. While it may not be the first Grand Theft Auto game, it is undoubtedly the biggest and most influential title in the series’ history.
What Will Define The Future Of Video Games?
In the wake of this immense critical and commercial success, it is important to consider what aspects of Grand Theft Auto 5 are defining the future of video games as we know them. This is a particularly pertinent question now that video games have transcended their originally “geeky” image and begun to be seen as legitimate art forms.
On the one hand, the open-world game genre may see a resurgence, given that Grand Theft Auto 5 essentially established this as the norm for video games. While the idea of getting lost in a game world that is completely open to exploration may seem unfamiliar to gamers, the concept of “grinding”—repeatedly going through the same levels over and over, for high scores or to gain access to specific items—is far from new. This is a gameplay mechanic that dates back to the first level of Frogger, a game that many consider to be the father of the open-world genre.
On the other hand, it is important to remember that not all aspects of Grand Theft Auto 5 are defining the future of gaming. The inclusion of a score board and high-score lists, for example, may eventually be seen as outdated. The growing sophistication of video game hardware and graphics, along with continuous software optimization, may also see the decline of this type of gameplay, especially as consoles become more powerful and graphics more realistic.
Ultimately, Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the greatest games ever made, and for nearly 20 years, it has been the standard-bearer for gaming. Its influence is already being seen in other developers’ games, and while it may not be the last word in video game evolution, it is undoubtedly the beginning of a new era. It is time to embrace your inner child and let go of that annoying adult trying to control you.