Rockstar Games have finally announced the release date for the latest instalment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
The trailer made the internet go pop for a bit last week and
you couldn't look at a digital screen without the thing jumping up at you in some
form. So now the hype and hysteria has settled down a little let’s have a look
at what we can expect.
If you have just got
back from throwing rocks at people in Egypt here is the trailer.
What a trailer! Some of the footage in this new trailer is
truly jaw dropping. The extensive detail in Rockstar’s re-imagining of southern
California looks incredibly impressive and diverse.
The main difference between GTA V and previous Grand Theft
Auto adventures is that the storylines of three separate, playable characters
are intertwined. This is a very exciting prospect for GTA fans and the trailer
shows how smoothly these different viewpoints will work together as one. Not
only will you be able to switch between (or drop in unannounced on)
protagonists whilst they are on different sides of the map, you will be able to
take part in tasks with all three, switching viewpoints within the mission.
Michael, Franklyn and Trevor are the three characters on which
the game will be based. Michael is described as an ex-bank robber and seems
like a Tony Soprano inspired figure. Franklyn appears to be a would-be
gangster, to smart for the hood. Trevor is a different story all together. The
scene in the trailer in which he is disposing of a corpse down a toilet is as
disturbing as it is intriguing!
So what exciting new activities can our three characters look
forward to within the open world gameplay environment of Los Santos? Alongside
aspects of the game that have been seen in previous Grand Theft Auto instalments,
such as flying planes and customizing cars and clothes, brand new in-game
pursuits are available. The ability to pursue leisure sports including golf,
tennis, hunting, bike riding, diving and the less leisurely sport of bounty
hunting are a tantalising prospect. These options also give an insight into the
incredible detail of the game.
Another exciting prospect, which can be spotted within the
gameplay trailer, is what appears to be a destructible environment. The ability
to destroy walls and buildings within the game has never been seen before in
the GTA series. How this will work in the game overall is yet to be seen.
The storyline and missions within GTA V will be controlled
more by the player than a strict structured set of missions, which also moves
away from what has been seen in Vice City, San Andreas or Liberty City. As
stated towards the end of the trailer, the player is responsible for carrying
out a series of heists. The player is also responsible for choosing which
heists to carry out and with whom they will plan their criminal capers. Could
this mean that different decisions will result in different outcomes; in a LA
Noire style game progression? We will have to wait to find out!
Last, but by no means least, the trailer gives us glimpse at
Grand Theft Auto V online. Rockstar leaves us with the promise that they will
show us more of GTA V online soon but the few seconds of footage they do show
gives us an impression that it will be a phenomenal gaming experience.
I am now counting down the days until 17th
September! Hopefully we will get some more information and snippets of gameplay
soon, but until then we will have to make do with this trailer. See it for
yourself below!
Words by Mark Haldon
