Man, it's ridiculous how much better this game is than all its predecessors. I've always slightly enjoyed each GTA, but only for a handful of story missions before some frustrating bullshit, drive halfway across the map again because you hit a car stuff and then for a handful of hours just driving around exploring and running from cops; even GTAIV was more of the same. Cool world to explore for a couple of days, but then nothing to do besides story missions which weren't that fun and would get frustrating.
But then came RDR, one of the best, if not
the best sandbox game of all time. Perfect mix of cool world to explore, side stuff to do (hunting, bounties, random events, sidequests) mixed with good story missions and good characters/story. Now GTAV grabs a lot from it and adds even more game stuff. Like the random events from RDR are so much better here with tons of variety and their own little mini-tales. Main missions actually have good checkpoints, Franklin and Michael are fairly likeable and lots of variety in story and sidequests. Good amount of activities spread throughout and a real nice looking world to run around in. It's just fun and there's always something to do.
Not only is this going to be the first GTA where I finish the main story, but I wouldn't be surprised if I get 100% completion as it's just a lot of fun doing all these things on the map.
My only complaints are that controls are still mediocre, there really could be a fast travel for going from the city to the boondocks (yeah I know taxis; for some reason whenever I've called a taxi on the cellphone and waited for like 2-3 mins in place none ever come), and I wish Planes were more fun like Saints Row or Just Cause. While GTAV is truly great, one thing is still lacks a bit is arcade fun because almost everything in the game seems made for the sake of realism. In a lot of ways I feel like GTAV is as much a sim as Euro Truck Simulator 2 or Cities Skylines. You can sim out thousands of experiences of living a virtual life. But a lot of the "videogame" aspects of life that speed things up, make things more excitement, giving filling up bars virtual rewards for doing things are missing and in some ways that's a good thing, but in some ways it makes me miss Saints Row/Just Cause/Red Faction Guerrilla.
Still a great game and driving is so much easier and better in first person.
And a picture from my long night out where I started bike riding mountain trails in the desert, landed in sandy shores and did a triathlon, rode a boat down a river until an RV from the first Trevor mission blocked it, got out and drove a car towards Fort Zansomething, car crashed and so I walked the rest:
After the picture I ran past the fort and climbed the mountain behind it at night and then jumped and rolled down the mountain to my death. I accomplished nothing "game-wise" no percentage bars, no leveling up, no boxes checked off the map, but it was fun sim-ing the experience out.
