GTA 5 - ain't perfect. A list of the biggest problems.

[Lygus]

Technically, GTA 5 is great - it combines a lot of different systems into one quite stable piece of software that runs fine on consoles and has potential for amazing visuals / simulation on next-gen systems + PC.

However, GTA 5 has several fundamental flaws, as partially outlined by controversial [and correct, in my opinion] Escapist mag. review.

A list of the biggest problems below:

1) Vehicle handling. While it's labeled as more precise and "enjoyable", it's not. GTA 4 had it almost perfect, just needed additional tweaking. GTA 5 brought this too far.

2) Disconnection between storyline and actual gameplay. This was explained in Escapist review. Bunch of enemies from all directions are thrown to kill without any thought. Average mission design, it is. Why so much killing? To increase overall playtime and add some "variety", people!

3) Weak character development. Niko in GTA 4 was an all-around messenger and a grunt (kill X, steal Y, chase Z, etc.). In GTA 5, this issue is still present, except all 3 characters have already established lives and changing lifestyle. Only Franklin tries to establish something of his own. Others are just following orders.
Micheal's family issues are interesting to watch, though.

I could list more, but 3 is an elegant number to start a possibly flame-war-thorn discussion. If you have more reasons to add to this thread, don't hesitate.

Note: GTA 5 - a significant improvements in all areas, while degrades in others. GTA 5 still has much more (+)s than (-)s. Enjoy it, but don't let yourself be blinded and brainwashed into childlish mindset "This is the best game ever!16!616!".

A 10/10?! No way. Unless you're a parrot by nature and naively expect morally quite corrupt reviewers to lead you by hand (as a 5 year old to school) to "the next big thing".

/* !(R.A.N.T.) */

 

[Darks63]

So by saying that they made the Driving controls "more precise" your saying that they are even worse than in GTA4? if so no sale even if it drops to 10 bucks or less.

Also are there now mission checkpoints or is it still if you fail you start all the way from the beginning?

 

[King Billi]

I didn't have the patience to put up with GTA 4 purely because I found the characters to be incredibly unlikable. If that is indeed the case with this game then I guess I won't be playing it either which is unfortunate because the trailers I've seen for it were genuinely impressive.

I've no doubt this game will provide everything it's fans expect it to and probably more than that.

Here's hoping for a sequel to Red Dead Redemption next though...

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

1. I think vehicles control a lot better. But I'm not a car geek. I just want driving to be fun. I couldn't handle the cars in GTA4 because they handled like boats.

2. There's no disconnect. It's standard GTA. Guys want to kill you so you have to kill them first. That's what violent games are about. It's never been realistic to just keep killing dozens of people in missions. But that's pretty much every third person shooter ever made. To suddenly demand games to change is absurd.

3. Character issue is entirely personal. I like them enough to want to play as all of them from time to time. I appreciate having 3 completely different personalities from different backgrounds because it's perfect for freeroaming roleplaying. It never made much sense to dress up CJ as a biker and take him on a trip across San Andreas. I can do that with Trevor. Or I can be the rich guy with Michael and a gangbanger with Franklin. I'm fuckin' happy like Kim Jong-Un in a nuclear weapons facility.

Some of the previous GTA titles had bigger character issues. Niko wasn't his own man. He was just a barely educated puppet who went along with everything without giving anything much thought. Which was made worse by the occasional decision you had to make during a mission. It made no sense. This is the first time after Tommy Vercetti that I feel like these characters don't want to be anybody's puppets. CJ was good too, but he was kind of stupid. And then he suddenly turned into a psycho who buries people alive in construction sites because they talk shit about his sister.

You know all this nonsense hipster talk about ludonarrative dissonance? There it is. Old GTA games are a perfect example. And yet, no one cares. Why? Because those games are still fun to play. Previous GTA characters were rarely consistent in their actions and their motives and we still love them.

 

[votemarvel]

I can't stand how the cars handle, it's like every surface is a solid sheet of ice.

I really don't care if the driving is more realistic than in the Saints Row games because it simply isn't fun.

 

[MrRaggaedeman]

I had the chance to play GTA V for about two hours the other day. Im not a big GTA 4 fan, because of all those "grim realism"-reasons. Those and the fucking cellphone. But in those two hours a had quite a lot of fun. I was driving around, shot a few people, flew around, punched some cows in the, tried to lift cows with a forklift etcetc. The kind of stuff you do in a GTA.

I have no idea about the story or the characters since I didn't do any quests or missions. But just the addition of places, that aren't streets in the city made the exploration once again far more entertaining. Also there are a few nice little details I liked.
You finally convert your convertible or put a silencer on a shotgun(I really like that for some reason).

Another plus side: the BF Injection is back.

 

[flarty]

I didn't have the patience to put up with GTA 4 purely because I found the characters to be incredibly unlikable. If that is indeed the case with this game then I guess I won't be playing it either which is unfortunate because the trailers I've seen for it were genuinely impressive.

I've no doubt this game will provide everything it's fans expect it to and probably more than that.

Here's hoping for a sequel to Red Dead Redemption next though...

Do I suffer from split personality syndrome? Does my other personality also have an escapist account?

Any +1, QTF, etc etc

I used to enjoy pissing around on previous gen GTA games, these days I think I've matured too much to go and play them. I think R* has tried to address this issue with the writing of the last 2, but just because people are criminals doesn't mean they're inherently evil and unlikable. I think they nailed the characters and writing of RDR bang on and i think its a contender for best game of the past generation. Maybe for the next GTA they could look to the writers of breaking bad for help penning the story or even Steve Buscemi would be a boss choice.

 

[votemarvel]

I can't stand how the cars handle, it's like every surface is a solid sheet of ice.

I really don't care if the driving is more realistic than in the Saints Row games because it simply isn't fun.

GTA 4 or 5?

I hated how they handled in 4.

5.

I'm sure some people are going to find it fun but there is no weight to the cars and they slide around like mad if you go above walking pace.

Personally I don't see myself playing this for very long. Driving is likely to be a huge part of the game and if I'm not finding that fun then why play.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Snip

Overall how would you compare it to GTA 4, GTA Vice City, and Saints Row 2?

Thanks

I hate GTA 4. I can't compare it to Vice City because I can't remove my nostalgia glasses. When it comes to that game they're kind of glued on. It's better than Saints Row 2 in a lot of ways, except character customization of course.

 

[The_Scrivener]

1. I think vehicles control a lot better. But I'm not a car geek. I just want driving to be fun. I couldn't handle the cars in GTA4 because they handled like boats.

2. There's no disconnect. It's standard GTA. Guys want to kill you so you have to kill them first. That's what violent games are about. It's never been realistic to just keep killing dozens of people in missions. But that's pretty much every third person shooter ever made. To suddenly demand games to change is absurd.

...no.

No one is demanding games to change. People are saying they don't want to play as people arbitrarily killing people that are arbitrarily trying to kill them. Duck Hunt has more contextually killing than this game does. This game is a large quantity of assholes being assholes because Rock Star is apparently exhausted of trying to put context on the classic (re: played) formula of backhanding slum hookers and running over pedestrians. It's old. If people want story, they should play something else. If people want goofy sandbox violence, they should play Saint's Row. GTA is now a self-parodying maudlin violence simulating benchmark test with very little to offer anyone on any creative or intellectual level.

 

[Poetic Nova]

This are more about personall thoughts about it rather then actuall problems OP. V beats IV by a mile or 10 however it's not the best game ever (nor the best GTA).

Only thing I'm missing are a few vehicles but overall it's ok, 2 out of 3 characters are actually likeable.

 

[Something Amyss]

1) Vehicle handling. While it's labeled as more precise and "enjoyable", it's not. GTA 4 had it almost perfect, just needed additional tweaking. GTA 5 brought this too far.

Not being like GTA4's driving isn't a bug. It's a feature. I mean, I'm sure the game isn't without its flaws, but I struggle to call this one, period.

 

[Silvianoshei]

I've got to agree with the Escapist and the OP about the characters. They are completely unrelatable and garner no sympathy. I have fun with the game when it's me cruising around Los Santos doing some GTA stuff, but when it's time to do story missions, I have to suck up the vomit and go for it. I'm hesitating to finish it.

 

[Zeldias]

I'm actually trying to decide if this game is worth picking up. I've only actually enjoyed San Andreas from the GTA series (and I had fun with the original top-down ones, but that's now so unrelated I might as well be saying "I enjoyed Puzzle Quest 2: will I like GTA5?"), and I really enjoyed Red Dead Redemption for reasons I just cannot understand or articulate beyond bounty hunting being fun as hell, and I could never get enough of the physics.

So in comparison to Red Dead and San Andreas, how is it?