Introduction
Developer:
Rockstar North
Publisher:
Rockstar Games (Parent
Company: Take-Two
Interactive)
Platforms:
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Multiplayer:
Has been confirmed; details to be announced.
Website:
www.rockstargames.com/V
Release Date:
September 17, 2013
Rating:
Rating Pending (ESRB)
Synopsis
Los Santos: a sprawling sun-soaked metropolis full of self-help gurus, starlets and fading celebrities, once the envy of the Western world, now struggling to stay afloat in an era of economic uncertainty and cheap reality TV. Amidst the turmoil, three very different criminals plot their own chances of survival and success: Franklin, a former street gangster, now looking for real opportunities and serious money; Michael, a professional ex-con whose retirement is a lot less rosy than he hoped it would be; and Trevor, a violent maniac driven by the chance of a cheap high and the next big score. Running out of options, the crew risks everything in a series of daring and dangerous heists that could set them up for life.
The Unveiling of GTA V
Michael, one of the three protagonists
Grand Theft Auto V was announced by Rockstar Games on October 25, 2011, a few days after the tenth anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III. Every web page on Rockstar's network (even the old Vice City and San Andreas pages from 2002-2004) was replaced with a GTAV logo and a release date for the game's first trailer. The page also promoted the Twitter hashtag #GTAV.
The one-and-a-half-minute-long trailer revealed that the game is set in the city of Los Santos - Rockstar's take on Los Angeles, California. Soon after, Grand Theft Auto V was officially announced in a Take-Two Interactive press statement. In the statement, Rockstar confirmed that "Grand Theft Auto V heads to the city of Los Santos and surrounding hills, countryside and beaches in the largest and most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created." Rockstar also asserted that GTA V is "a bold new direction in open-world freedom, storytelling, mission-based gameplay and online multiplayer [..] focusing on the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present-day Southern California."
A Bold New Direction
Grand Theft Auto V is the first GTA since the original Grand Theft Auto where the player takes control of multiple characters. A unique switching system allows the player to switch between characters almost instantly and at any time when off-mission. A number of missions will involve all three protagonists allowing you to switch between them to play different parts of the mission. Therefore you could, for example, switch between playing as a heliopter pilot, a sniper and the man on the ground, meaning that you're always in the action.
Release Date
Initially, Grand Theft Auto V was scheduled for release in Spring of 2013 (beginning of March to the end of May). On January 31, 2013, Rockstar posted on the Newswire stating that Grand Theft Auto V would no longer be scheduled for a Spring 2013 release as the game "simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require." The new scheduled release date for Grand Theft Auto V is September 17, 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Platforms
The new GTA is being developed for the current generation of consoles, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A PC version will likely be developed in addition to this, but may be released later. Grand Theft Auto was born on the PC in 1997, but in recent years Rockstar has focused more attention on the consoles. The PC versions of Grand Theft Auto typically arrive 8 months after the console versions.
The best thing about the PC versions is the capability they offer to modify in-game content, thereby enhancing the life spans of the games. Despite being released nearly a decade ago, the PC version of GTA: San Andreas remains immensely popular due to the fan-created car mods, weapons mods, multiplayer and mission mods. Hopefully this continues with GTAV.
Features
A summary of new features is listed below:
- Random character encounters throughout the map, much like those in GTAIV - but this time there's a greater variety and they're fully motion captured.
- Dynamic missions, similar to Red Dead's "Random World Events". Examples include characters with broken down cars, a hitch hiker, or two parked cars with dead bodies around them - which you can investigate to initiate dynamic missions.
- Dynamic "state machines" were coded in the game, allowing non-playable characters to go about their daily lifes. For example, you may see gardeners and cleaners waiting at the bus stop in the morning, and then find them tending the gardens and houses in the game's fictional Beverly Hills later on in the day.
- About the economy, Dan Houser says: "You will be able to spend money to buy interesting and fun things like expensive toys. We are still working on the economy but it will be a strong element in the game and players will be eager to make money to spend money. Something along the lines of "I went through all of this to make all this money and now I'm going to spend it on this crazy item."
- Dynamic music during missions (similar to Rockstar's other game, L.A. Noire).
- Big focus on multiplayer with a lot of content to keep players busy.
- Alamo Sea is the name of the Salton Sea-like area.
- Radial menu to select the 3 protagonists.
- Switching in missions partially scripted - meaning, at times character switching will happen automatically.
- In final part of a mission in the demo, the player can decide which character to use.
- There are multiple different endings in the storyline which depend on the choices you made throughout the game.
- The game map is open from beginning, with the exception of some protected areas.
- A certain amount of money will be needed to gain access to some missions.
- There is a functioning ecosystem teeming with wildlife.
- You can buy property; houses, garages, businesses and marinas can all be purchased for extra revenue sources.
- You can pick up hitchikers, do stunt jumps and flying challenges, take part in yoga, golf, tennis, bike races and triathlons.
- iFruit, the game's new phone, can be used to snap pictures and upload them to Rockstar's Social Club.
- The phone also has apps. In addition to the camera there is internet, contacts, social media, a calendar, and a replay missions app. There are three more Rockstar hasn't yet revealed.
- A combat roll has been introduced for moving between cover.
- Liquor store and ATM robberies is possible.
- Citizens will react to what you do, and if they see you robbing someone they could alert the police, film you, or even try to take you down themselves.
- Hunting animals.
Customization
- Character appearances can be customized. Specifically, tattoos, haircuts and clothing can be modified.
- Vehicles can also be customised. Customizations include paintjobs, wheels, window tints, grills, spoilers, along with robust performance upgrades to suspension, engine, brakes, and more that make meaningful changes to the way vehicles feel and handle.
- Weapon customization - Silencers, scopes, extended mags, laser sights, and more.
Skill Categories
- Each character is rated in a series of skill categories: Stamina, Shooting, Strength, Stealth, Flying, Driving, Mechanic, Lung Capacity.
- Specials are governed by a meter - it drains after use and recharges slowly.
- Other skill categories are shared and can be improved by completing missions, side missions, activities and more.
Heists/Missions
- 'Mini heists' are used to teach the player about preparation. Players must secure vehicles, outfits, masks, the getaway vehicle.
- These build up to a bigger heist where the execution must be flawless. They'll require the right crew (which you can recruit) and players will have to decide on the cheap option, which results in less skilled people, or paying more for skilled crew members that will take a larger cut of the money.
- These additional characters will be able to specialize in different areas such as wheelman, gunman, technician, and so on.
- Hiring the same crew members across several heists (assuming they survive) will allow their skills to improve.
- There will be visual and audio alerts from your other characters so you're not completely caught off guard in case things get hairy.
- You can attack targets by stealth or brute force. This will affect the content of the heist.
- After-action report that tallies your total cash haul, each surviving member's cut, and any profit you managed to earn.
Refinements to Combat
- Weapon selection has been overhauled: You now select your weapons from a weapon wheel.
- Fluidly run and gun from the hip while still maintaining complete control of the reticule.
- 'Combat jog' that allows you to move at high speeds with your weapon out, but not raised.
- Camera pulled back when zoomed in over the shoulder to open up players' field of vision.
- Combat roll to move strategically from cover and evade incoming fire.
- Reticule switches from white to red to identity an enemy.
- Tiny 'X' flashes over the reticule when targeted enemy is killed.
- Variable targeting options including free aim, soft lock, and hard lock (similar to Max Payne 3).
- Smoother transitions when moving in and out of cover.
General
- The character selection wheel is split into four triangles: Franklin, Trevor, Michael, and your multiplayer character.
- Some boats will include gear such as wetsuit, flippers and tanks for diving.
- GTAV rewards exploration, there's no signposting underwater, so you'll have to find the treasure the hard way.
- Dives won't offer massive payoffs, but will "help grease the wheels."
- There are subtle differences in the way each character moves to reflect their personalities; Michael is slower and deliberate.
- Rockstar says there will be five times as many pedestrians in GTAV as there were in Grand Theft Auto IV.
- There's a "crazy level of detail": Tourist buses can be boarded for a tour of celebrity homes, film posters are plastered on the walls, men in comedy costumes try to corner you outside the Cathay Theatre, including the Superman-like Impotent Rage and Master Chief riff, Space Ranger.
- You can switch between Franklin, Trevor and Michael during a cutscene, manually, or automatically when the AI takes control for you.
- Each character has a job to do, how much you switch yourself in or let the computer do, is entirely up to you.
- If you die the game reloads to the last checkpoint, even if two other characters are alive.
- Although it's up to the player when they switch, dialogue will suggest ideal moments. For example, when Michael and Franklin are being overwhelmed by snipers, Michael might ask for Trevor's help.
- There is a wider field of vision, and players can run-and-gun.
- There are some restrictions to character switching, such as how you can't abandon a character while you have a Wanted Level. Lose the heat first! The character selection meter will let you know when you can swap out.
It's also worth noting that the "wanted system" is still present but there will be only 5 stars instead of 6. You can still try to escape the circular zone (featured in GTA IV) that flashes on the mini-map when cops come after the three protagonists. This time players will still be able to hide inside of the circular zone and escape the cops, the cops now have a line-of-sight system where they will need to find you to get you and they will no longer automatically know where you are -- if there is a helicopter in the sky then the cops will also be able to see you clearly and the cops will use hand signals and the player can see what the cops are planning.
The Grand Theft Auto Series
Grand Theft Auto V is the fourteenth game in the series and, if it can replicate the success of its predecessors, there should be many more to come in future. The GTA series began in 1997, at which time its developer, Rockstar North, was known as DMA Design. The table below lists all of the Grand Theft Auto releases to date.
| Title | Setting | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto | Liberty City, San Andreas, Vice City | October 1997 |
| Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 | London (1969) | April 1999 |
| Grand Theft Auto 2 | Futuristic | October 1999 |
| Grand Theft Auto III | Liberty City (2001) | October 2001 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Vice City (1986) | October 2002 |
| Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | San Andreas (1990-1992) | October 2004 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories | Liberty City (1998) | October 2005 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories | Vice City (1984) | October 2006 |
| Grand Theft Auto IV | Liberty City (2008-2010) | April 2008 |
| Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars | Liberty City (2009) | March 2009 |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Los Santos (Present Day) | September 17, 2013 |
