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10 Questions/Observations About Grand Theft Auto V From A Non-Gamer

When any cultural product takes in a billion dollars of business in the first three days of its release, as Grand Theft Auto V did, you kind of have to pay attention to it. For years now many have been touting the fact that blockbuster movies appear to be on the decline at the same time video game sales are reaching all-time highs. Comparing the two on an artistic level is still riddled with problems and philosophical gaps, but on a business level, and a popular culture level, it’s becoming impossible for culture watchers to ignore an industry that continues to increase its modern cultural force.

[h2]1) Have there ever been characters this memorable in video game history?[/h2]

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I will restate: my experience with gaming is rather limited. I was essentially inactive between the days of Super Mario up until I was introduced to Grand Theft Auto III, which I did not discover for myself until San Andreas had already been released. I went through all the GTA material I could get my hands on. Aside from that, there’s been the occasional Rock Band and recent exposures to Red Dead Redemption and the Batman: Arkham City franchise. All this is to offer context for my general ignorance and lack of evaluative ability when it comes to gaming. That being said: has any other game offered anything quite like GTA V’s Trevor Philips?

The previous incarnations in the franchise served up plenty of characters that I’ve long since forgotten. I sort of remember good old Niko Bellic but pretty much only the fact that he was Eastern European. I can’t say whether he and everyone else was truly forgettable or whether I don’t engage with game material all that deeply.

This Trevor guy though, man! We’re introduced to him in such an impactful way, with his weird psychopathic and sexually ambiguous ways immediately coming to the fore. Knowing next to nothing about the game, I must admit (sheepishly) that I was completely taken aback when I was given the reins to have to control this madman, this insane methhead that I had just seen kick in a familiar character’s skull. And he does not let up one bit, continuing to flaunt his amusing redneck persona, surprising you at every turn with his often understated reaction to things which then turns into these bizarre out of the blue sexual threats to his comrades. He’s not at all pleasant, but he drives the characterization of the game entirely for me.

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