Top V Things We Want From GTA V

Although Spring is a lengthy time to wait until Rockstar's latest arrives in stores, it's fair to say that the hype-machine surrounding Grand Theft Auto V has hit an all-time high. After an initial trailer was released way back in November 2011, it's only been the last few weeks that solid, meaty information has begun to flood in regarding the game and a second official trailer, showing more than ever before, floated its way onto the internet. From what has been released so far, it's a solid statement to say that Rockstar are really pulling out all of the stops, both in the graphics and the gameplay department, with the title being one step ahead of others visually and the over-the-top action of previous titles returning after an arguable absence in Grand Theft Auto IV. So, what will the latest offer fans? After deep meditation sessions, we here at GameGrin have compiled our top 5 things we want the most from Grand Theft Auto V.

1)     The best looking game EVER!
Saying that Rockstar's titles are average in the graphics department is a serious understatement. Ever since Grand Theft Auto III on the PlayStation 2, the developers have never been afraid to push that console to its limits: many believed that limit was discovered in 2008 with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV but in 2010, Rockstar proved fans wrong with Red Dead Redemption, swapping the urban world of Liberty City for the open plains of the Wild West. With many other titles hitting the consoles that too have pushed the graphical bars like Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Batman: Arkham City and Rage, it's clear that Rockstar have a huge job on their hands if they want to achieve the almost-impossible. However, with the two trailers and the endless screenshots released so far, it's obvious that they are giving it their all as Grand Theft Auto V looks truly astonishing: facial animations topped only by last year's LA Noire, an environment that's just one tiny step away from being photorealistic and lighting that is genuinely  breathtaking every time it's witnessed. Whether the frame-rate will hold for the full journey remains to be seen, but if Rockstar can pull it off then awards will undoubtedly dished out to them come the end of the year.

2)     Less serious, more fun!
As critically acclaimed as Grand Theft Auto IV was, many found fault in the games unexpectedly serious tone, pushing out the over-the-top missions from previous titles for a more believable, dignified experience. Whilst the previous instalment is easily one of the best games this generation, it could easily be defined to fetch quests, with the occasional gunfight in between: when a "fun" mission came along, the stood-out and became the best moments of the game (for example, the bank heist in Three Leaf Clover). Fans were apprehensive regarding Grand Theft Auto V's tone, but from the two trailers released so far, it's clear that Rockstar have gone back to basics and have decided to deliver more outrageous tasks instead of simple driving and shooting missions. Footage suggest players will dodge away from crashing trains on a bridge, hang onto the edge of a boat as its driven on a flatbed truck down a motorway and skydive out of a plane following a car through the air: whilst this is only a handful of missions that we've seen, it suggests that Rockstar aren't afraid to make Grand Theft Auto V bigger, better and just much more fun that Grand Theft Auto IV was and that's perfectly fine with us.

3)     A bigger open world!
Liberty City was a huge, bustling city with pedestrian-filled streets and unforgettable views when at night but, at its heart, it wasn't anything more than a crowded concrete jungle. Red Dead Redemption completely flipped this formula on its head, delivering a massive open-world to explore, with expansive deserts, rocky canyons and the odd scatterings of civilisation. So, what could Rockstar do with Grand Theft Auto V? How about combine them together. Early footage and screenshots suggest that the world of Los Santos will not just be buildings, but a combination of urbanisation and fields and mountains, suggesting that players will not explore the main part of the land but also the areas surrounding it, meaning the open-world of Grand Theft Auto V will be anything but isolated. But what if the map is too big? With the latest title, Rockstar must walk a fine line between making the area big enough that players don't feel constricted but also to ensure that it's not so large that it's practically empty. One of the main fears regarding Red Dead Redemption was whether there'd actually be anything to do in the game outside of the missions and look how that worked out.

4)     Less of the same and more different!
Grand Theft Auto is a series that has, no matter how brilliant they consistently are, never really branched out much: driving around, shooting bad guys and throwing out an endless supply of swear words is what the franchise can very easily be boiled down to. The only real alteration to the formula was between instalment two and three, a seismic shift that effectively created the third-person action game. For Grand Theft Auto IV, the same could not be said and whilst the story was still compelling and the gameplay undoubtedly fun, it was still more of the same. As this generation comes to a satisfying close, could it really be too much to ask for Rockstar to perform a miracle and do the same again? From the trailers released so far, it's hard to say what Grand Theft Auto V will be like, but with the combination of knowledge regarding the title's three playable protagonists all in one game (unlike Resident Evil 6), it seems that Rockstar are attempting something new without making the title stray too far from the famous Grand Theft Auto formula. By the press of a button, players will swap to another character's position on the map, allowing them to take part in missions that were unavailable previously and have a different set of friends depending on the character they play. However, at certain moments during the game, all three characters will meet and take part in an assortment of tasks, including bank robberies. Players will be anything but restricted here and will have the ability to switch between characters during the mission to see certain events play out from different perspectives. Not only is this an ambitious idea but also a fantastic one and if Rockstar pull it off then it could lead to a gaming experience unlike anything else out there, making Grand Theft Auto V stand out from the rest of the open-world crime drama group.

5)     A great way to end a great generation!
It's no shock that this generation of consoles is slowing coming to an end. With the arrival of the WiiU, it seems that developers are trying new things with available technology or seeing where they can go from here. And with rumours circling that development kits are being sent out left, right and centre for the new wave of consoles, it's fair to say that in a few years, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 will be a thing of the past. That, in a way, is a very sad fact as ever since these magnificent machines hit the shelves, there have been almost surprising onslaughts of masterful titles that have stood the test of time and will live forever in the hall of greatness. And judging by the time between Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V, it's possible that this will be the last game in the franchise on this generation. So here is my pledge to Rockstar: please, please, please make Grand Theft Auto V the swansong this great batch of consoles needs. If in five years' time when the new gaming platforms have settled in, we look back and say that the previous generation ended with the masterpiece that was Grand Theft Auto V then that, to me at least, will be a more than perfect way to see them go. This is your last chance, Rockstar: don't muck it up. Yet judging by your previous efforts, I don't think you will.