User:Raziel Reaper/Grand Theft Auto V

"A few weeks ago, I was happily sulking by my swimming pool, and my psychotic best friend shows up out of nowhere to torture me over mistakes I made over a decade ago!"

- Michael De Santa, Grand Theft Auto V launch trailer.

Grand Theft Auto V is an open-world, action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 17 September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. Grand Theft Auto V was highly anticipated preceding its release, as it was one the last titles released exclusively for the seventh generation of video game consoles.

Grand Theft Auto V is the second main title in the HD Universe of the Grand Theft Auto, being a successor to 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV. The game follows the stories of three protagonists - Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton and Trevor Philips - and their afforts to execute different heists to accrue wealth for themselves. Grand Theft Auto V is set within the fictional San Andreas state, which includes the city of Los Santos.

The game's development started shortly after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, with a focus on evolving the franchise's core gameplay through controling three different characters. The developers also considered the game as a spiritual successor to several of its previous projects, including Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3.

Upon release, Grand Theft Auto V was met with widespread critical acclaim, currently holding a score of 96-97 on both MetaCritic and GameRankings and receiving over 30 perfect scores from critics, with high praise was given to the game's innovative characters switch, the immersive map and overall presentation. It was also a commercial success, breaking industry sales records by earning US $800 million in the first 24 hours of its release, and $1 billion within its first three days, making it the fastest selling entertainment product in history.

Gameplay
Similar to previous titles in the series, Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure video game played from a third-person perspective in an open world environment. During combat the player can use handguns, sub machine guns, shotguns, rifles, heavy weapons, different bombs and melee attacks; the player can also use auto-aiming and cover system against enemies. The player can walk, run, jump or use different vehicles, ranging from cars and motorcycles to boats, helicopters and planes (which were unavailable in Grand Theft Auto IV).

The player can commit various illegal acts such as vehicle theft, violence against pedestrians and murder. Such acts will result law enforcement agencies' response, which will be indicated in the Heads-Up Display in the form of five stars; each star will rise the difficulty of the player's chances to escape the agensies. Law enforcement officers have a line of sight, displayed on the mini-map. When the line of sight is broken and the player is hidden, the "Wanted" meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes.

The game is played in third-person view through three protagonists: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, and Franklin Clinton. While interacting with the game world, the player may switch between them at will, by means of a directional compass on the HUD. Franklin corresponds to the north point, Michael to the west, Trevor to the east and the player's multiplayer avatar to the south. The player is, however, can't switch characters when being chased by the police or during missions or side-activities. During missions, the game may switch the player's character automatically as necessary in order to complete certain objectives. A character's avatar will flash red if they are in danger and need assistance either manually or through covering fire from another, and flash white if that character has a strategical advantage or position which may aid the player's success in the mission.

Each playable characters has a set of eight skills: shooting, driving, strengh, stealth, stanima, flying and lung capicity. The eighth skill, referred to as "special", is unique among each protagonist: Michael can enter "bullet-time" during gunfights, Franklin can slow-down time when driving, and Trevor can deal twice as much damage to enemies while taking half as much in combat. The player can improve each of the characters' skills.

Grand Theft Auto V is set in the state of San Andreas, which has previously appeared in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The San Andreas state in Granhd Theft Auto V is presented as a lrge, open world containing the city of Los Santos and a countryside area of Los Santos County and Blaine County. The player can explore the whole map when not partaking in missions. The game's map features a wide list of side-missions and activities such as scuba diving, hunting, base jumping, rampages and races.

Similar to Grand Theft Auto IV, Grand Theft Auto V also features cell phones, which the player can use to contact other characters, engage in friendship activities, or access the in-game internet. The player can purchase businesses; the player will receive incomes from the businesses they own, and may help the businesses with tasks given by the workers.

The player can upgrade weapons and vehicles and customise the characters' own appearances with haircuts, tatoos and clothes.

Characters
Grand Theft Auto V follow the stories of three protagonists: Michael De Santa, formerly a successful bank robber with troubled family life; Franklin Clinton, a young repo-man who aspires to become a big-time criminal; and Trevor Philips, Michael's former associate and best friend, and a major drug dealer located in Sandy Shores. Upon the meeting between Michael and Franklin, and the reunion with Trevor, the three become partners and plan various heists together.

Their acts catch the eyes of several Los Santos residents, including high-profile businessman Devin Weston and senior FIB agent Steve Haines, both serve as main antagonists throughout the late parts of the synopsis. Other major antagonists include Harold "Stretch" Joseph, a treacherous, senior member of the Chamberlain Gangsters Families with a hatred for Franklin; and Wei Cheng, a Chinese Triad leader attempting to take over Trevor's influence over Sandy Shores.

Despite gathering a large number of enemies, all three protagonists receive aid and advice from several allies, who are either family members or former associates: Lester Crest, a criminal mastermind who used to work with Michael and Trevor, later returns to provide aid in heists and employ Franklin with assassination missions; Dave Norton, an FIB agent working under Haines, yet remains a close ally to Michael; and Lamar Davis, a member of the Families and Franklin's closest friend. Other allies include Amanda, and Jimmy and Tracey De Santa, Michael's wife and children; Ron Jakowski and Wade Hebert, Trevor's friends and employees; and Solomon Richards, a famous film director and producer who befriends Michael.

Plot
Circa 2004, Michael Townley and Trevor Philips, along with Brad Snider, execute a bank robbery in Ludendorff, North Yankton. The robbery soon turns into a shootout when the trio is attacked by the local police force. Michael and Brad are shot by a sniper while Trevor attempts to fend off the police, before being forced to escape to a snowly forest, leaving his fate unknown. Michael is given a second chance thanks to a deal with the FIB; he is renamed Michael De Santa and moves with his wife, Amanda, and children, Jimmy and Tracey, to the sunny city of Los Santos.

Nine years later, around 2013, Michael, now a rich yet a bitter family man, leaves the office of his psychologist, Isiah Friedlander, and briefly meets with strangers Franklin Clinton and Lamar Davis, who ask him about the location of a certain house. Franklin and Lamar are repo-men working for Simeon Yetarian, who were told by him to repossess two supercars located near the house whose location was given out by Michael. Following a failed task (due to the death of the vehicle's owner), Franklin is told by Simeon to repossess a BeeJay XL from a young man called Jimmy, who is, unbeknownst to Franklin, Michael's son. Getting in the car, Franklin is surprised by Michael and is held in a gunpoint, before being told by Michael to crash the car into Simeon's buisness and witnessing Michael beating Simeon up. Following the incident, Franklin is fired by Simeon, but becomes Michael's friend and some sort of an understudy.

Awards

 * 2012 Spike Video Games Awards
 * Most Anticipated Game


 * Spike VGX 2013
 * Game of the Year
 * Best Soundtrack


 * 31st Golden Joystick Awards
 * Game of the Year


 * PlayStation Awards 2013
 * Platinum Award
 * User Choice Award


 * 5th Annual Inside Gaming Awards
 * Game of the Year
 * Most Immersive


 * Edge Awards 2013
 * Best Game
 * Studio of the Year - Rockstar North


 * Hardcore Gamer GOTY Awards 2013
 * 2nd Best Game


 * GameSpot 2013 GOTY Awards
 * Xbox 360 Game of the Year


 * Destructoid's Best of 2013
 * Best Multiplatform Game


 * IGN GOTY Awrards 2013
 * Best Xbox 360 Action Game
 * Best Xbox 360 Multiplayer Game
 * Best Xbox 360 Graphics
 * Best Xbox 360 Sound
 * Best Xbox 360 Game
 * Best PS3 Action Game
 * Best Overall Action Game