Should you return to Los Santos?
Last year saw the release of the best-selling game of all time, GTA V. I knew it was only a matter of time before it hit the next-gen consoles, but is this just a rehash of the previous version or is there more to this remake than meets the eye?
For the original PS3 review, click here
So first of all, GTA V looks absolutely stunning in 1080p on next-gen. It runs smoothly, has very few bugs, load times are improved and there are some nice new additions to the game…
The first of them being introducing a first-person mode to the game, which changes the entire dynamic of the game. Flying, shooting, driving and even swimming look superb, but it’s the tiny details like the light bouncing off your phone or the dirt under Trevor’s fingernails that really show the game in a completely new perspective. I was skeptical at first, but shooting does handle just like an FPS while still feeling like your standard GTA experience, while driving seems a lot easier in first person…the same can’t be said for flying or swimming, but it’s nice to have the option.
Radio stations have been re-recorded for improved audio, while they also introduced drugs that can turn you into a chicken, pigeon and plenty of other crazy things. GTA Online ups the player count to 32 players from the original 16, giving it a whole new lease of life. All in all, there are some superb additions to what was already one of the best games I’ve played. Playing the story again with the new features brought it to life for me all over again, Rockstar are geniuses at this and will no doubt keep on impressing us, hopefully with DLC including a rumoured zombie mode, please be true…
The Verdict
GTA V on Xbox One looks amazing, plays amazing and above all else, feels amazing. The new additions like first person and an increased online mode surpasses the original in every way. If you missed out on Los Santos last year then you owe it to yourself to take a trip there, right now. For returnees, you can import your online character so you don’t lose your progress…sadly that’s not true for the single player, but to see it all again in first person is well worth it.
