Take a look at the releases for the remainder of the year. What excites you most? Battlefield 4?Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag? How about Watch Dogs? Chances are if you were to poll gamers, the most common answer would be Grand Theft Auto V. For some time now, Rockstar’s open world crime series, has been one blockbuster after another. Gamer’s just can’t seem to get enough of GTA. Me on the other hand, I’ve never been a big fan. I’ve tried several — even purchased GTA IV — but the series has failed to garner my approval.
One of the major reasons for this is the unappealing concept driving it all. Now, I’m an open-minded guy. I'm willing to play all sorts of characters. In GTA’s case however, Niko, Tommy, CJ, and the rest of the sorry lot have never been all that appealing. You might be thinking, I simply can’t place myself in the shoes of a criminal or any sort of anti-hero, but that’s not it. Take a look at The Last of Us’ Joel. Within the first hour of the game, you learn Joel is not the type of guy you would invite over for a Sunday BBQ. He’s a smuggler and a murderer, willing to do anything to get by in the unforgiving world he lives in. Hell, it’s not even a hang-up with the genre, as I really enjoyed Mafia II, The Godfather I/II, and even Saint’s Row: The Third.
When GTA loses me, it’s because of the writing.
Rockstar has shown that it's absolutely capable of masterful storytelling. Just look at Red Dead Redemption, sitting over there, being brilliant. Now, the series has certainly evolved over the years. Earlier titles were not developed with a strong focus on storytelling, but that has since changed. It’s safe to say that GTA IV wanted to tell a meaningful story, but failed in doing so. Bogged down by stereotypical characters with predictable arcs, GTA IV was no different in the storytelling department than any other of the dozens of crime movies, shows, and games I’ve experienced. And that's a problem.
DEVIANT ART — PATRICKBROWN
But Mafia II is filled with stereotypes? True, but I can forgive such things. You see GTA has always had a modern setting, one that feels close to home. Playing as a modern day Los Angeles gang member is an almost instantaneous mental hang-up. Nothing about that lifestyle appeals to me. Now I’m not saying being a cold-blooded murderer in 1930’s America sounds like a right ol’ bushel of happy times, but it’s far easier to disconnect myself from that world than one which so greatly resembles our own. The setting has long been used in works of fiction and thusly feels distant.
If I’m to ever to be hooked by GTA, they’re going to have to do some top-notch writing to make me get behind the characters. Why play as someone I find so uninteresting? I need to connect, and sympathize with their struggle. The trope filled writing of the GTA series insures the exact opposite.
It’s not impossible to make such a character, Rockstar has done it before. John Marston was a reprehensible man. The man had clearly done some horrible things in the course of his life and continued to walk the highwire of moral ambiguity throughout the course of the game. Yet, there I was, practically driven to tears by the ending.
Of course, it’s not just the writing that bothers me about GTA. There are several core features that I find rather lackluster. World design, for one.
Often times, people rail on Bethesda for creating ocean-like games with the depth of a pond. While I don’t entirely disagree with this point of view, I would argue GTA is a lake with the depth of a kitchen sink. Critical missions can be fairly robust and enthralling, but the world surrounding them — and the time in between — is an experience I have trouble considering anything but shallow. Think about it. You complete a mission or are assigned one, and then what? You spend the next few minutes driving to the designated start location. You don’t care about anything but getting across town so you can push the story down its tracks. What these moments boil down to is the player doing something they don’t care to do. They’re not rewarded in any tangible way during the drive from point a to point b. Is that what Rockstar thinks is enjoyable gameplay?
What they need to do is look to the things they did right in Red Dead Redemption. Traveling long distances served an atmospheric purpose. While gazing out on the many stunning vistas, you also came across Skyrim-esque moments. Times where you’d be distracted by a side-quest or a random encounter. That rarely happens in GTA. Traveling is exactly that: traveling. "Am I there yet" is only thing on the players mind.
So there you have it, my loyal readers. Call me a filthy hipster all you want, but I have yet to be impressed by the GTA series. It’s got its fair share of problems. Some sure to bother the masses and others that may only dig under my skin, but problems nonetheless. But I’ll give GTA V its fair shake. In fact I’m even a bit optimistic about it. Just know this: when it comes to open-world or anti-hero-centric games, GTA is far from the strongest in either regard.
As always, you can check out more of my writing at Plus10Damage.com.