GTA V - First Impressions (may contain spoilers)

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Cap'n Jack

Cap'n Jack

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GoldMineGutted
Okay, so GTA V is in the wild and GTPlanet members from all around the world are getting their hands on it. So how about we share our first impressions?

+ Protagonists, I've been able to spend a little bit of time with each character and so far I'm finding them to be great personalities for the game. They're all unique in their own ways and the interaction between them is fantastic.
+ Side characters, I've only met a few so far but most of them I've found to have enjoyable story lines. And how did I not expect Jonah Hill to be voicing Jimmy?
+ Missions, admittedly, I've only played a few hours worth of gameplay so far but they're excellent so far. The first few missions are generally action packed and interesting to follow. A huge improvement over the first few missions in GTA IV
+ Driving physics, okay, so they're maybe a tiny bit of a step in the wrong direction (if you liked GTA IV's driving physics) but I think they're alright! The cars do at least have some weight to them, maybe a little too much grip and braking is too easy but I do enjoy driving in this game!
+ The map, oh god, the map! It is immense! Los Santos from the ground looks like a huge, bustling metropolis and it's so alive. Blaine County is massive and there's so much to explore
+ Animals! I've seen various birds, a coyote and plenty of deer! They're fun to watch and bring the world to life!
+ Vinewood Boulevard Radio! Nathan and Steve from Wavves hosting and a fun list of fuzzy surf/punk

- AI traffic, they're like bricks ala Gran Turismo. It seems you just can't move them out of the way
- Driving controls, I was one of the people who used the "classic" button layout in GTA IV and I'm sad to see them gone! Using the triggers to brake and accelerate is an unknown to me and I'm not sure I like it!
- Installation time, a painful necessity
- I'm going to be left with no life, probably lose my job, my girlfriend will leave me
+ Will still have GTA V, at least
 
The classic driving controls are gone?


This game just got a 3/10 rating for that alone. 👎👎👎👎👎



That really just pissed me off.
 
Sounds great! Can't wait to get my hands on my copy tomorrow. :D
 
Slashfan
The classic driving controls are gone?

This game just got a 3/10 rating for that alone. 👎👎👎👎👎

That really just pissed me off.
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Yeah, I was real bummed out about it too, at first. But I'm getting used to it. I'm a little slow at getting away in a car though because I keep tapping X to start it up out of force of habit! :p

Don't worry about it though, since the driving physics are a little more forgiving, there's not do much of a learning curve for new button controls.
 
Regardless it still takes away from the experience enough for me to seriously consider not getting it. That ruined a great game.
 
Why don't you try playing it first? You sound like those "fine" folks at the GTA Forums who are critiquing without their own hands-on time.
 
I like the triggers for throttle and brakes.. I used that for all racing games I did with the DS3; GRID, MC:LA etc.
 
I'm not as disappointed as I thought I was going to be with the new driving physics. They're nowhere near as fun as GTA IV was to play with but they're not THAT bad (Arcade but just a little bit better than Sleeping Dogs). Agree the interactions with other cars is a little weak too.

Love the city and story so far. Plenty to do.

Only thing I hate about this game really is that it's on PS3 and is being let down by the old hardware. There's a lot of low quality sound effects being thrown around, drops in framerate, really distracting jaggies on everything wherever you go. Pedestrians look almost 8-bit and the poor shadows are worsened in the bright sun when the shadows update every second.
Aaalmost want to stop playing now and wait for PC or PS4 so as not to ruin the experience of the story and game world. Don't think I'll be able to though...
 
McLaren
Why don't you try playing it first? You sound like those "fine" folks at the GTA Forums who are critiquing without their own hands-on time.
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Yeah. If you're a fan of the series, just give it a try. The game is better than ever and something so small hasn't made it any worse for me. Since making my post I've pretty much got completely used to it.


Also, this thread wasn't just intended for my own impressions - feel free to post your own!
 
I've gotten so used to triggers for driving thanks to Forza that this won't bother me. What will is that L2 and R2 just don't compare.

I snagged the absolute last copy of the Special Edition from Best Buy downtown, so I'm installing now!
 
There are Classic Controls from GTA IV, but in 4 different styles. I found that out from GTA Forums.
 
paulmac2k9
I like the triggers for throttle and brakes..
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I've only got about 30 minutes of play time, but so far, having to use R2 for the gas is the only complaint I have. I much rather use the X button.
 
Since PS3 I've always used the triggers, so that's not an issue for me. I'd have been irritated if it was the other way round though and just X and Square and no triggers so I can relate to people being miffed at it. Nothing wrong with variety and if there is enough of an uproar I don't see why R* won't patch them in.

Anyway probably a mistake coming in here risking spoilers so I'll be going now and I'll see you all in a week or so.
 
I only got to play 40 minutes begore work:(. But man I am already in love. The first chance I got i drove to the country side trying to lose the cops. What a ride! I cannot wait to lose myself in this game!

And indeed, what a variaty of wildlife, awesome. First missions really put you right in the thick of the action. I love, I truly do!
 
Get a set of Real Triggers or some other brand. It's a $5 investment you'll be glad you made.
 
They really drop you right into things this one, huh? Me likey.
 
Niyologist
There are Classic Controls from GTA IV, but in 4 different styles. I found that out from GTA Forums.
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There are other control options but none which let you use X and Square for throttle/brake.

SlipZtrEm
They really drop you right into things this one, huh? Me likey.
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Oh yeah! I love that. It's great for re-playability as you won't have to endure those typical first few "learning missions" as in GTA IV before you get to the fun stuff.
 
So very tempted to try the blimp now, but don't want to exit out of the game to redeem the code.

I've ran into a mountain lion already - literally - after an 18-wheeler didn't check before changing lanes. Also saw some coyotes. I'm amazed at how immersive the world is already - it's on a whole different scale to IV, and I love the varied scenery. I've already driven from one end of the map to the other, but I'm going to do a few missions before I start actively hunting down the blank spaces.

Car tuning is expensive.
 
Slashfan
Regardless it still takes away from the experience enough for me to seriously consider not getting it. That ruined a great game.
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That's just dumb to say, throttle- and brake linearity is much better using the rear controls and it's like that in all games now..

I think GTA V seems very good.. I'm gonna end up with no life as most others though, but that's not a critique of the game, rather a compliment.. :)
 
I am making a big chili while I wait for the postie to arrive so that I can feed me & the missus for the next 3 days!

[edit] he arrived the second I submitted that! Installing now - yay!
 
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So, after 5 hours, I'm not sure what people are so hung up on regarding the driving. Yes, some cars grip a little better & everything is a bit more responsive to analog inputs, but the cars are still controllable & braking is more than required meaning they didn't apply some Midnight Club LA physics as many people assumed.

Everything else is amazing. It's too easy to get sidetracked with all the extra features & details hidden away.
 
I love this car that I jacked from a nice lady :)

Cars just have more heft and solidity to them - nice enough to want to keep and mod them etc
Kinda Mclaren SLR'ish
K1SBROE.jpg
 
Got it at 10 this morning delievered.

Ran home during pause, popped the disc in and played the first mission and a bit of free roaming.

Looks awesome.

Gonna be a long afternoon... :(
 
So, first impressions. Keep in mind that this is largely based on the first few hours of the story mode, so some things are bound to change in the long run. Still, here goes:

+ The characters. Having three characters seemed a little off at first, but I actually like switching between them. Every character has their own strengths and weaknesses, so it's actually meaningful. The way the characters end up knowing each other, the way their storylines are interwoven is also pretty good.

+ The map. Obvious point, but the sheer size, diversity of the terrain and so on is beyond impressive. I just love the fact that there is more to it than just a city.

+ The diversity of vehicles. In comparison to IV, there is a much larger variety to chose from. Busses, cars, bikes and all the other vehicles...

+ The functionality of the different vehicles. Being able to open and close the roof on convertibles, using the tow hooks and tow trucks and the like. A huge step forward, for me.

+ The customization. This goes for the characters, the cars, the weapons... Hell, even for Chop :lol:

+ The missions. So far, they're nicely designed, serve as a tutorial to the different aspects of the game, but they don't feel like your usual tutorial. They don't assume you're too dumb to, you know, use the analog stick to move. As such, there's still some action going on, which I do enjoy.

- (Can't really fault the game for this) The shooting controls. God, I hate using analog sticks to shoot stuff.

- The visuals. The old consoles are just not fit to run a game of V's magnitude well. Aliasing, low res textures, low frame rate, pop ups... You name it.
 
Got off work early, picked my copy up and proceeded to play it for 6 hours straight without even realising. Great game, great story.

PS. Trevor is an absolute bloody psychopath. I cant say any more than that for risk of spoilers but you'll understand completely in due course.
 
One word after about 30 minutes: Amazing :D.

Those who haven't got it yet, really have something extraordinary to look forward to!
 
I stayed up late yesterday to go and get the game when the local gamestore opened it's doors at midnight. Played almost all night.

I must say the driving controls need a little getting used to.
I'm a bit dissapointed in the graphics but that just may be the PS3's limits.

Other than that, loving the game so far.

For those interested and who don't have the game yet here's my livestream vid on youtube. Installing and first gameplay, getting to know the game.
The sound is off in the beginning but I fixed it along the way.


EDIT:
Oh yeah, language warning of course. :sly:
 
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