Is Grand Theft Auto V Worth Getting on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One?

The Grand Theft Auto series has always been popular. From it’s humble beginnings on the Game Boy Color to the multi billion dollar company it is today Rockstar has committed to one factor and that is fun. Fortunately, all of the fun from Grand Theft Auto 5 on past gen is here and more. There’s no doubt that Grand Theft Auto 5 is fun, but is it worth a re-buy? In this article I will explain to you what is new and different as well as if you should get it if you are a newcomer, or if you are on the fence about re-buying. First thing is first, if you like having fun doing whatever you want, you won’t be disappointed either way.


What has changed from last gen?
There are many small things that have changed since last year’s release, more A.I in the world, more traffic, more pedestrians, more animals, more radio stations and so on. One thing you should think of if you are coming back from the old systems is the word “more”, you are going to think about it constantly while playing. There are several visual upgrades that really add to the sense of reality of Grand Theft Auto, most notably First Person Mode which can be some serious fun and is very well implemented. From shootouts to car chases, it all feels and plays great.  Another addition is the implementation of the PS4 controller’s functionalities, the LED on the controller blinks red and blue when you are wanted, phone conversations play through the speaker, among many other things such as flicking the touch sensor to changing the radio station in a car. Everything seems well thought out and implemented with hardly any glitches. Not many games can brag about that in this day and age, but Rockstar can stand up and take a bow for how well everything works.

What has not changed?
There are many additions to Grand Theft Auto 5, but unfortunately I have not seen anything different about the campaign or strangers and freaks missions. Both of these are largely unchanged, which is a disappointment. I thought the people that re-bought the game were going to be in for a mild surprise while playing, but unfortunately nothing has changed. Apart from the story, the selection at Los Santos Customs, clothing, and hairstyles are also largely unchanged.

Should a new comer buy it?
I only have to say one word. Absolutely. Grand Theft Auto 5 is a wonderful game in almost every aspect. It does take some time to get used to, and the game can seem unforgiving considering just how little damage you take before “Wasted” pops up on your screen, but do not let this deter you. This is arguably the best Grand Theft Auto in the series. It has one of the best stories there is in a video game, the best graphics (as it should, it’s on the PS4 and Xbox One) in the series, and the mechanics are done wonderfully. If you like third person game modes then this is THE game to play right now especially on new gen consoles. There are hundreds of hours to the single layer, and countless hours in multiplayer mode. You really cannot go wrong with Grand Theft Auto 5 if you are a fan of the series, or to games like these.

I already have it, is it worth getting again?
That depends on if you are more into multiplayer or single player mode. Personally I had a ton of fun replaying single player, but many will disagree when they see that the story is the same as before. The real substance is in multiplayer mode, you can free roam with your buddies or random people, have a team deathmatch, a race, or go into survival mode all at a push of a button, but this time around there are more missions to be played and you never really get bored. There are more vehicles and places to buy from the DLC on the old consoles all included, not to mention the free money you get when you come back from last gen. That’s not all though. Rockstar has been very good at giving us free DLC, and I don’t expect that to change any time soon. The possibilities of paid DLC are limitless and can seriously add value to the game. I imagine there will be some pay DLC soon which should affect multiplayer and singleplayer. Some rumors are that Rockstar could be working on a zombies mode like they did with Red Dead Redemption, but in my personal opinion, most of the first paid DLC will take place in North Yankton. There is already a great amount of work done with the snow effects, as well as the work done with North Yankton itself. If you follow some Youtube walkthroughs, they show you how to freely walk around North Yankton and it all seems perfectly playable. Imagine going to the airport to fly between the two states. This is how I feel it will play out, and hopefully this will be the case as who wouldn’t want a snowy GTA finally? I expect something huge for the first paid DLC, so I recommend getting GTA 5 now so you can grab your free money and get back into the swing of things before the first DLC hits.