This is part III of my GTA V review. You can read part I and part II to get my thoughts on the game's early stages.
It took me nine hours to make my first big score in GTA V, The often praised heist system is as good as advertised. Having played Payday 2 at E3, I have to admit GTA V reminds me of the 505 title. Of course, Payday 2 is plagued with horrific AI and a rushed feel whereas GTA V is smooth, simple and crushingly addictive. But the concept of managing a crew and planning an Oceans 11-style heist is a welcome addition to the already active gamescape of GTA V.
I know I'm not the only one under the GTA V spell right now. Plenty of hard-working gamers used a sick day today to scratch an itch that's been building with a fury since January. And in my ninth hour of GTA Ving I achieved my first big score and finally got introduced to Trevor, two huge moments that I've been waiting for for months. Getting to experience the full range of the three protagonist system has given me the understanding I needed to assuage my doubts about the big change. It sounded kind of weird, ya know? Three main characters, lots of switching, how will it work?
It works perfectly. You occasionally get "locked" into a character until some story progress is made but, by and large, you're free to explore a LOT of different avenues with each character. The best part is that all three have separate bank accounts and stash houses, so you get to experience the joy of customization three times over. You're not locked into one custom car or one wardrobe. The freedom of expression is more apparent and more liberating than I expected from GTA V.
Of course, exploring the goodies in Los Santos requires money. And the thrill of the first big score is unlike anything I've experienced in a GTA game before. The numbers are a little staggering but the sense of urgency and the surmounting crew complications (often caused by your own decision to hire inept hoodlums instead of pricey pros) make the heists feel more real and much faster.
I also got a little flying in. The landscape is truly impressive from on high but the gameplay is so focused I haven't felt the desire to go tearing off into the countryside just yet. There's too much to do right before my eyes. And the eyes of two other characters, too.
