It has taken five years to develop, with a team of hundreds and a budget of at least $150 million, with another $100 million on top for marketing. That’s a lot of cash, but as the anticipated sales for the first month alone are one billion dollars; it seems like a profitable undertaking.
It has certainly been hotly anticipated. Here is one of many queues of people who were waiting for it to be available at midnight:
New owners are planning sick days or a week off work to give it the attention it deserves. It is going to absorb free time for millions for several months.
It is the fifth instalment in the Grand Theft Auto game, not surprisingly titled Grand Theft Auto 5.
I remember playing the first version of the game back in 1997. The graphics were crude by today’s standards, but the principle of doing what you want wherever you wanted was the backbone of the game and remains the most impressive feature. In the latest version, the size of the map available for “wherever you want” is simply staggering.
The above is an approximation of the map size against real world locations, plus a picture that shows just how much bigger it is than the GTA4. It’s going to take a long time to explore by car; or you could just steal an aircraft:
As well as having a bigger geographical area, you can now play the game as one of three protagonists, switching between them as will. Each of the characters has their own story arc, and as usual you are free to ignore the storyline at any time and just go off and explore, undertake a side mission, play golf, or waste your time on the in-game internet. The choices are almost limitless.
Reviews from the gaming community have been overwhelmingly positive (no surprise). Reviews from the gutter press proffer the usual negative nonsense. This from that bastion of good taste, the Daily Mail: “It may be entertaining, particularly to young men with a penchant for such nihilistic spectacle, but the sensibility to which it appeals is warped, jaded and riddled with the deepest, blackest despair. The fact that this is the most popular computer game on the market should make us all shudder, and pray that the violence on the screen doesn’t bleed into Britain’s streets.” Oh, do fuck off.
The Guardian, who probably bothered to play it for a while said ““A dazzling but monstrous parody of modern life. Rockstar North’s Grand Theft Auto update is a freewheeling, nihilistic satire on western society – as well as ridiculous fun”.”
I’ll settle for “ridiculous fun”, hours and hours of it. Where the hell is that Fedex package?
The game is set in America, but the humour has a “u” in it and is very British, probably because Rockstar North, is based in Edinburgh. So, well done Scotland; or, because it is a success, well done Britain!
There is only one negative. The only reason Grand Theft Auto 4 was such a huge success was because The Son was heavily involved in the development. He made a much smaller contribution to GTA5, which will not only inevitably degrade the quality of the final game; but more importantly will mean I will not be showered with GTA T-shirts, stickers and posters as I was last time around. Just have to hope he is back on board for GTA6.
Comments 🔗
2013-09-18| genuinej saysThe queue looks like a load of dossers outside a job centre, each hoping that there are no jobs.
2013-09-18| Spike saysIf they had jobs, there would be no time to play GTA5. One has to get priorities right. The guy on the left is the best. He has a father Xmas outfit in his backpack and is carrying a blow-up paddling pool. He lives with his Mum.
2013-09-18| Richard H saysThat quote doesn’t quite read right. Ah…. “It may be entertaining, particularly to fearful self-centred middle-Englanders with a penchant for such nihilistic spectacle, but the sensibility to which it appeals is warped, jaded and riddled with the deepest, blackest envy and hatred. The fact that this is the second most popular newspaper on the market should make us all shudder, and pray that the violence on the page doesn’t bleed into Britain’s streets.”
There you go.
2013-09-18| Spike saysIf you use Twitter, @BestoftheMail “Wading through the bizarre and terrifying comments in the Daily Mail comment section so you don’t have to. " Excellent stuff.
2013-09-19| Billy says“Oh, do fuck off”
Well said, that man
2013-09-19| Spike saysThe very nice Fedex man arrived at my door this morning….
2013-09-19| Ivo saysThat means you are of the planet for the next weeks and wasting your time with a stupid game-control? My dear what happened …..
2013-09-19| The Son saysOi. That’s my craft you’re slagging off there, buddy. Don’t make me have to cap a bitch.
2013-09-19| Spike saysIt’s no different than watching a movie or reading a book, except you are involved in progressing the story. Works for me. But no, I won’t be indulging for the next week or so, I’m on a mission.
2013-09-19| Pete saysFinal two episodes of “Breaking Bad” have got extended run times. Remember to set your DVR accordingly if you can’t tear yourself away from GTA.
2013-09-20| Clive saysJust collected a PS/3 copy to check out. I quite enjoyed GTA IV, although I did think that some of the gameplay was a bit clunky, which led to missions being more difficult than they needed to be. This release is head-and-shoulders above IV in every respect. Even playing on a soon-to-be-replaced platform it is very apparent just what progress has been made. And if the rumours are true that the PS/4 is 10x more powerful than the PS/3, then I can imagine the next release will look out of this world.
Oddly, though, having rebooted the PS/3 after a somewhat lengthy period of life as a paperweight, I found myself returning to Gran Turismo 5 quite a bit, too. And that’s not to mention Diablo III (bought at the same time as GTA V) or a nostalgic return to Gran Turismo 5 either… Really must give up this working for a living lark…
2013-09-20| Spike saysThis says it better than I can: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/20/grand-theft-auto-5-adult-gamers
2013-09-24| Wenthworth saysI’m still trying to finish Zork.