The Informer: When it comes to reviews, I’m full of it!
This week’s edition: Grand Theft Auto V (Part 1)
By Luke Leonetti
Game: Grand Theft Auto V
Series: GTA
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Release Date: 2013 (last gen versions), 2014 (Next gen versions), 2015 (PC)
Rating: M (17+)
I’m a fan of Rockstar Games’ GTA series. Its premise of living a criminal life in an open world with the freedom to do whatever you want in it has received praise ever since it’s introduction in 1998. I had gotten GTA IV for my Xbox 360 when I turned 13 and it was a fun thing to play. So, I got this game expecting it to be a fun little thing to do to kill some time. But when I popped the disc in and started up, I had no idea just how good it was. I was at a loss for words playing this. I have never been so enthralled, so attached, so moved by a game before. In fact, it was so good that I’m currently playing the entire story AGAIN just to experience it one more time. Now, let’s get into what makes this game so special.
Here are the protagonists:
- Franklin Clinton. Formerly a gangbanger, he is trying to escape the gang life that so many of his friends fell into. He works a semi-legitimate job at a car dealership in Los Santos with his wannabe-gangster friend Lamar, and repossesses cars from people who are behind their payments (mostly because Franklin’s boss convinces people to buy cars out of their price range and then accuses them of being racist towards Armenians if they try and refuse). When attempting to repossess a car that requires him to break into and sneak through a large mansion (while the family is inside), he runs into…
- Michael De Santa. Formerly a notorious bank robber known as Michael Townley. He is now under witness protection by the FIB (Federal Investigation Bureau) and faked his death in 2004 to escape his criminal lifestyle. Now, he is in his late-forties living with his dysfunctional family. Michael is bored and frustrated with his lifestyle, only finding amusement in whiskey, trips to his shrink, classic Vinewood movies, and daydreaming about his past. Impressed with Franklin, he takes him under his wing and mentors him. After angering a local cartel boss, Michael is forced back into his criminal lifestyle. He, Franklin, and his old mission planner, Lester, assemble a crew and pull off a successful jewelry store heist in order to pay off the boss. This attracts the attention of…
- Trevor Philips. Formerly Michael’s best friend. Trevor witnessed Michael’s “death” during a botched bank heist and has believed Michael to be dead ever since. Now living in a rural area of San Andreas (ironically less than 10 miles away from Michael in gameplay), he is a terrifying psychopath who runs a meth cooking dealership that has brought The Lost MC biker gang (who, in 2008, were the most powerful gang in Liberty City) to it’s knees. Spooked by Michael’s sudden reappearance, he kills off The Lost MC and manages to track Michael down to pay his old friend a visit and reconnect with him.