GTA V: 5 Reasons It’s The Most Anticipated Game of 2013

Few games come around that demand your attention like a Grand Theft Auto game. Other game developers pray the release date doesn’t coincide with their own game. Media outlets draw up publicity by citing another coming of gaming’s devil child. All the while gamers themselves store away $60 in preparation of a great game. Few games command such respect. The Grand Theft Auto games are probably the most badass of them all. GTA V looks to continue that trend. Here are a few reasons why we, the gamers, are looking forward to GTA V.

5) Police Chases

Ever since the first GTA game included random-acting police officers, whether chasing by car or on foot, running away from the cops in GTA games has been great fun. Of course, to achieve the most fun, you have to incur the full star criminal rating first. So, we’re already starting with a fun activity, raising your star rating level. Once you reach the full rating, then it’s time to fend off as many police officers as you can. You’ll be heavily chased by the FBI and SWAT teams, all stopping at nothing to bring you down. You’ll even get police helicopters on your tail. Testing your ability to hold off their chase is an immensely fun activity in the games.

4) Playing The Anti-Hero

One of the best parts of GTA games is the ability to play as an anti-hero protagonist. In the majority of cases, players tend to play the typical hero in games, saving people from the evils of the world. In GTA games however, our protagonist usually ends up being someone caught in the middle of violence, and his only way to survive in that world is to resort to violence himself. If video games are supposed to allow escapism, then traversing a seedy underworld should be a part of that. It’s not an everyday occurrence to many people, and behind all the dangerous aspects, tends to lie a well made game that provides a lot of fun. Watching the rise of your anti-hero from low level gang member to the top dog is also very satisfying. The respect you earn from completing missions can at times be displayed by how the world around you reacts to you too, which is very cool.

3) Vehicles

While the main gameplay aspect of GTA games revolve around gunplay and shooting, an underrated gameplay aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked is the driving aspect within the game. There are plenty of land vehicles to try out, all with varying uses. From speedy roadsters to heavy trucks, it is always great fun to start a mission looking badass. The ultimate land vehicle? Tanks. Everyone wants to find one, and if you do, the amount of havoc you can cause is a delight. I haven’t even touched on air vehicles. It remains to be seen what final vehicular count we’ll get in GTA V, but riding a helicopter in GTA IV was always fun, and a very fast means of travel. Randomly jumping out of a helicopter was also hella fun.

2) Missions Without Limitations

One of the best aspects of GTA games is the freedom to complete most missions however you want. Did you come across a rocket launcher on your way to a mission? Use it to kill your target immediately without worry. I tend to always bring vehicles to missions whenever possible. That way I have a quick getaway car and shield should I just choose to mow down enemies instead of shoot them. Fun times. I also distinctly remember placing a C4 charge on a car I thought could be used as a getaway by the enemy before starting one particular mission, and then my target ran away into said car, right into my trap. I didn’t have to give chase any longer. Gave him a few last seconds, then set off the charge. This variety and openness is rare in gaming nowadays, and you become limited only by your imagination. That’s what makes GTA missions so good.

1) Sandbox Playground

And to top it all off, is the sandbox playground of GTA games. GTA V is being touted as having the biggest land size compared to all previous GTA games. And that is something almost unbelievable, given how big previous games were anyway. Rockstar have gotten more accustomed to current gaming hardware since GTA IV, and this is a big reason why they can go all out on GTA V – due to past experiences. This, in a weird way, makes it all the better that Rockstar chose to release GTA V on current console platforms, rather than wait for next-gen consoles. I am honestly excited to see what Rockstar can pull off. Not just in terms of the main story missions, but all the kinds of side-quests that provide so much variety for gamers who just want to mess around in Rockstar’s digitally created cities/towns. I can’t wait.