@TREAL_Since said:
Minus all of the inane ridiculous stuff in the game, there's some cultural exposé within GTA V. Everything is a learning experience if you'd let it be, but it depends on the individual. Surprisingly, there's some overblown, yet spot on, and satirical truth about American culture in the GTA games. Especially GTA V!
I'll give an example of what Will Wright said about games, and learning experiences in general, during an interview on Star Talk Live hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson (paraphrase):
"Games in general can be learning experiences. They are a means to experience a multitude of things you wouldn't actually do in real life. They can contribute to life training in many ways from."
I am not against the idea of a game being a learning experience or a game being reflective(I'm a big fan of the existence of Papo & Yo, not necessarily the execution of that game). GTA 5, however I would disagree. For every moment the game handles well(for instance, I think the Torture stuff is handled way better than people are giving Rockstar credit for), their actual narrative has nothing really to offer. A character study works when the character develops along the way. But the 3 protagonists in GTA 5 simply don't develop along the way. The are one note by the end. Trevor's shtick of being crazy is just that he's crazy, and whatever backstabbed. Michael's unhappiness, and Franklin who probably deserved better after a certain point is just there. He's a middle man that shows up in what is mostly Michael and Trevor's plot.
Another thing a game can do is be reflective of something(character studies aren't necessarily the same thing), and GTA 5 isn't that at all. The satire has been the same jokes Rockstar has been selling for a decade. Some of it is out right 2 years late to the party(1%ers, wallstreet, etc), and above all else what did GTA 5 ever really have to say as a game? Because I would argue amongst its 3 endings, nothing really. It's a basic backstab plot, that either ends with making two of the characters deplorable, or a third ending where they get away with everything and you're left hollow as an audience member.
To put it another way while Breaking Bad can lay claim to having a genuinely well done character study, it has nothing to say on a reflective level. What could it possibly tell you? "cooking meth is bad and will have negative effects on your family". On the flip side you have something like Treme which does have something to say about a post Katrina New Orleans, or The Wire when it comes to violence and corruption in Baltimore. Is Breaking Bad still excellent? you're god damn right it is. Reflective or a show with something say? Absolutely not. Not in comparison to shows that have come before, are out now, and will come after.
That is my stance with GTA 5, fun game, but outside a few moments it has nothing to really say with it's narrative. Largely because it doesn't go through the trouble of actually developing its characters. You got more from it? more power to you, but I would argue GTA 5 doesn't make enough of an effort to really earn it.
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