I've been a GTA fan for at least 14 years now. I followed the series from it's roots, when the series was just corny mayhem, till now, when the series has more weight than ever.
What can I say. GTA V was quite probably the most highly anticipated GTA of all time and as of being a GTA game, that says everything. I could not wait for the game to come out and once the postman delivered it, I was shaking with excitement. And so I entered the world that is GTA V. And what a world. Now, I'm not merely going to review the game, but also explain why it deserves a 10/10. I'm NOT going to compare the game to other GTAs or games for that matter, which I never do, nor it should be done, because every product has a different approach.
Firstly, I want to point out: with a game this huge, you cannot make it perfect. The player may encounter something weird or incomplete with the gameplay or with the world, but that is extremely rare and, more-so, expectable.
GRAPHICS
This is surely not The Last of Us or Farcry 3, but GTA was never a boundary-pusher in terms of graphics. Nevertheless, the game is gorgeous. How the sea reflects the sun, how wet is your character when going only half in water, the landscape, underwater!!!! (my God, the seabed is actually detailed), everything looks incredibly nice and it's quite astounding that such a huge world with graphics like that even runs on PS3 or XBOX360. Judging merely by the size of the world, it's an unparalelled technological achievement.
AUDIO
If you play this game in surround, you'll feel so immersed, you'll think that someone to your left is actually walking. The sound effects are marvelous, the radio stations, while not having known tracks like San Andreas or Vice City had, is more in league with GTA IV. I like it this way, mainly because it gives me a wonderful chance to explore new music (I'm a music lover) and because it sound less cliche. The original soundtrack by Tangerine Dream is a wonderous ambient experience and it's so good, that sometimes I don't even switch to radio statons. The songs are diverse and fit perfectly into the ambience of the state of San Andreas. Bravo, Rockstar.
GAMEPLAY
Gameplay is truly a marvel. Everything feels more fluid and the controls are so player-friendly, you get used to them immediately. Shooting is extremely realistic in GTA V and you have to take extra care of how and WHERE you shoot. However, I have to say that I liked the shooting lock-on better in GTA IV. The game is also extremely realistic, sometimes, to the point of being annoying, as you can die even when assaulted by common pedestrians, or falling off a cliff while in a car. The police AI is truly, an AI. They perform such clever searches and manouvres, that you'd think they can think. Sometimes, when I'm not truly sure how to lose them, I just can't. Evading them on 1 or 2 stars is not so difficult, but once you accumulate 3 stars, it really becomes a challenge. You must avoid dying in this game at ALL COSTS, as medical bills can literally bankrupt you. As I'm not a very careful and good gamer and I admit it, I lost nearly all my money at one point. It's kinda frustrating, but it adds realism to the experience and I'm not really bothered by it. Driving/flying/cruising feels good and you just don't want to leave a vehicle, once you settle in. There are literally countless thing you can do, but just driving around, listening to music and admiring the state of SA is an experience that would get me into buying the game. I'm not even kidding. There are countless things I could say more about the gameplay, but I'll finish here.
STORY/HUMOR
I'll be frank. When speaking strictly of the main storyline, this is not the best GTA. Don't get me wrong. It's filled with bizzare moments, amazing humor, sharp commentary and issues that plague modern society, but if you're looking for drama and shockers, this is not it. Then again, initialy GTA was never about drama and serious developments (that only started with San Andreas). The 3 protagonist are well developed. Michael has entire sessions with his pyschiatrist, Franklin constantly give insight about the afro-american community and Trevor....oh God, Trevor. I don't know what to say about Trevor, so I'll be short. He's a DELIGHT. The humor and satirical moment of this game are amazing. Michael getting happy like a child, simply because of the opportunity to meet some weird movie director, Trevor "threatening" to get his genitals out, simply because of getting annoyed, ect. Greedy corporal types, kids not really sure about what to do with their lives, pedestrians talking about hilarious things happening in their lives, the whole game feels just like one big "where-the-hell-are-we-going". It's like the developers wanted to delve into the absurdities of society and make a game out of it. Just listen to the radio commentaries or the in-game TV shows. Not going to spoil the experience, 'cause you just have to discover all the little things by yourself.
THE VERDICT
Sure, I haven't included everything in my review. I pointed out the thing I thought are the most important, while savouring all the little things for the player. GTA V is a game you simply must own, if you value dedication to things or if you just want one hell of a ride. Rockstar Games have once again, outdone themselves and gave us the masterpiece that is GTA V, a game that costs me many hours of sleep. Rejoice gamers!