The first thing that jumped out at me in Grand Theft Auto V was the fact that we’re immediately (well, not until after the eternity that was installing the Xbox game files—is this normal?) thrown into action. Previous games I’ve played have these long scenes setting up the location, characters, backstory, and general aesthetic where we just sit and watch with this idle controller in our hands for a significant amount of time. Expecting this, I wasn’t even holding my controller and all of a sudden I’m responsible for this bank heist that allows us to actually engage with the slight bit of backstory for these characters.
We get some obligatory (and deserved) Rockstar opening credits and before long we’re immersed in gameplay as though it hasn’t been five years since GTA IV. The brilliance of the story is that not only do they reveal more and more interesting backstory as you progress through the game, but they introduce the characters in seamless and realistic ways that are as compelling as they are fun. This may be a minor feature for other people but it left an enormously positive impression on me as I started out on this venture.
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