Tethered with a massive development budget, Grand Theft Auto V released back in September to seemingly unanimous approval. Having experienced a four month delay earlier in 2013, the fifth numerical entry in Rockstar’s crime opus was a long time coming. Even still, there are few, if any, franchises in the video games industry that elicit a hype on par with GTA, and the criminal trifecta of Michael, Trevor and Franklin took the controversial series to dizzying new heights.
Purely on a design level, Grand Theft Auto V is awe-inspiring. Los Santos and its surrounding areas feel alive and buzzing with interactive NPCs and a plethora of random events — from impromptu robberies to drunk drivers, the game is brimming with spontaneity. With a powerful narrative at its core and excellent voice acting to match — Steven Ogg’s Trevor in particular — Rockstar’s latest balances bombastic style and true, engaging substance rather masterfully.
Releasing off the back of a four-year development process, GTA V undeniably pushed the current, eight year-old hardware to the brink, and represented a philosophy that encompasses the studio’s prestigious track record; particularly Max Payne 3 and Red Dead Redemption.
Rockstar’s own billion dollar baby will resonate in the hearts and minds of gamers for a long time to come. 2013 didn’t just deliver the fifth numerical iteration of Grand Theft Auto, it gave us Rockstar’s magnum opus of the last console generation.
