I had such a fun weekend.
After seeing a movie, I went down to the beach to
ride the roller coaster on the pier and go jet skiing
in the ocean. Afterward, I got a haircut and
bought a new suit, and then I returned home to
unwind with some fresh juice and a yoga session
in my backyard. Later, I met up with one of my
friends for drinks at a downtown watering hole.
I live in Los Angeles, but I didn't do any of that
stuff there. Nah, it all happened over the past 48
hours while visiting Los Santos, the virtual
seaside metropolis cunningly depicted in "Grand
Theft Auto V" (Rockstar Games, for the Xbox 360,
PlayStation 3, $59.99). Oh, did I mention I also
committed dozens of felonies?
For the most part, it's illegal business as usual in
the latest edition of "Grand Theft Auto." There are
vehicles to swipe, schemes to plan and banks to
rob. Unlike previous installments in the wildly
successful - and violent - M-rated series, "GTA V"
centers not just on one but three criminal
protagonists: former partners Michael and Trevor,
and their new protege, Franklin.
Nearly a decade after their last heist went terribly
wrong, middle-aged Michael is living comfortably
bored in witness protection in a ritzy Los Santos
mansion, while the unhinged Trevor is dealing
meth and smuggling guns on the outskirts of
town in Blaine County. Meanwhile, Franklin is
hustling on the streets as a repo man for an
unsavory car dealership owner.
The three men and their double- and triple-
crossing ventures are ingeniously interwoven in
both the narrative and gameplay of "GTA V,"
which allows players to almost seamlessly switch
among Michael, Trevor and Franklin throughout
the proceedings. With the tap of a few buttons,
"GTA V" briskly sweeps across Los Santos from
one anti-hero to another.
During missions involving all three dudes, the
flip-flopping is key to avoid getting wasted by the
Los Santo Police. For instance, one particularly
high-pressured holdup of an armored car involves
swapping between Michael and Franklin blasting
at waves of cops on the ground, and Trevor
picking them off with a sniper rifle from a rooftop.
It's not so much a gimmick as it is a flawless
innovation on the established "GTA" formula.
Besides the usual felonious shenanigans, there are
leisurely diversions spread across Los Santos,
including customizing rides, investing in the stock
market, racing jet skis, watching TV, surfing spoof
sites online, playing tennis and patronizing strip
clubs.
With an obsessive attention to detail, the city of
Los Santos - last visited in 2004's "GTA: San
Andreas" - and its outlying areas feel more alive
than any virtual world I've ever visited. Rockstar
Games has masterfully crafted a stunning make-
believe take on modern Southern California that
rivals the dragon-infested realm from "The Elder
Scrolls V: Skyrim."
However, this Los Santos is not a perfect clone of
L.A.
The urban areas don't feel quite dense enough
when compared with Liberty City from 2008's
"GTA IV." And the rendition of Beverly Hills is
basically across the street from downtown. Also,
a few tired L.A. cliches - plastic surgery, seeking
fame - are referenced so frequently the game
almost veers into goofy "Saint's Row" territory.
Fortunately, any shortcomings with "GTA V" feel
about as important as a random stranger
crossing the street in Los Santos. Rockstar
Games has created such a fascinating place for
Michael, Trevor and Franklin to explore and wreak
havoc, I think you'll want to visit for more than a
weekend. I know I do. Four stars out of four.
No comments:
Post a Comment