You know that annoying thing when someone says “This needs no introduction…” and then proceeds to give an introduction anyway? Well in this case, Grand Theft Auto V literally needs no introduction. If you’re watching this and know next to nothing about this title or the franchise’s controversial, violent, and most-importantly groundbreaking history, then consider me envious of the internet magic you’ve woven to get here.
The first thing you might be asking yourself though is, how exactly does a game franchise known for it’s powerful single-player narratives lend itself to a co-op experience? Quite well, actually. As it always has, Grand Theft Auto takes several of its beats from popular culture. Music, movies, literature, even other video games are thrown into GTA’s satirical melting pot and it’s in this way that Grand Theft Auto V is most obviously entertaining the passive observer. Anyone with even a modicum of access to the world at large can find something to smile, laugh, frown at, or identify with in the sprawling SoCal-inspired Los Santos and surrounding San Andreas countryside.
All of this overwhelming attention to detail is in service of creating a world so complete that even someone who’s never held a controller before can find something to like.
Beyond this, Grand Theft Auto V boasts some of the most believable characterizations seen in the gaming medium. Whether it be the hopeful Franklin’s struggle to move his small-time carjacking operations onto bigger and better things, the Breaking Bad by way of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest drug-fueled catastrophe that is Trevor’s daily life, or the crushing weight of Michael’s anger over a stale marriage, frazzled relationships with his kids, and a violent past fueling his desire to change his world there’s a real sense of gravity and humanity to each of them. You worry about them, you chide them when they fight, and you shake your head in disappointment when they make mistakes.
This level of realism doesn’t stop at the characters either. It bleeds and soaks into the world of Los Santos; coloring every facet from the clothes, the trees, the stores, the music, the cars and the way the sky looks as the sun sets over the city. You can even engage in relatively boring games of tennis or ride the world’s least exciting roller coaster. All of this overwhelming attention to detail is in service of creating a world so complete that even someone who’s never held a controller before can find something to like.
Treat play sessions of GTA V like you would binge watching episodes of Breaking Bad or a Michael Mann movie marathon; except you get to tell Walter White exactly how to take out rival dealers or make Neil McCauley do yoga. Playing Grand Theft Auto V with a passive observer is as much about watching a compelling story of bickering, swearing and at times juvenile and vulnerable criminals as it is about demonstrating some of the greatest technical achievements of the medium.
Grand Theft Auto V is as much a quintessential tale of the new American Dream as it is a giant leap forward in the technical and artistic capability of the gaming medium.
Grand Theft Auto V - Co-Opinion
- Learning Curve
- Learning Curve
- Player Roles
- Player Roles
- The Game Itself
- The Game Itself
- Does it Co-Op?
- Does it Co-Op?
Summary
Learning Curve
Just about every frame of the experience looks, feels, and sounds good, and it's laser-like focus on the presentation makes it imminently enjoyable for just about anyone (over the age of 15) to watch or play.
Player Roles
Grand Theft Auto V provides ample opportunities for choice for everyone involved, regardless of who is holding the controller.
The Game Itself
Grand Theft Auto V is as much a quintessential tale of the new American Dream as it is a giant leap forward in the technical and artistic capability of the gaming medium.
Does it Co-Op?
Absolutely. Grand Theft Auto V is so broad and reaching in its scope, that it would be near impossible for someone not to make even the smallest connection with the denizens of Los Santos.
