Grand Theft Auto V

The new GameInformer cover story has lead to tons of details about Rockstar’s highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 5.

Most strikingly, GTA 5 allows the play to seamlessly switch between three characters during set points in the missions are at any time when in free roam.

The playable cast is comprised of the following:

·         Michael is a retired bank robber in his early 40s who lives in a posh Rockford Hill estate (think Beverley Hills) with his two kids and his obnoxious trophy wife. He is on a witness protection program but still leads a luxurious life due to his FIB connections. Unfortunately his wife is running his bank account dry and this leads him back to a life of crime.

·         Trevor is a junkie and an ex-military pilot suffering from fits of rage. He resides in an area full of biker gangs and meth heads. He’s an old friend of Michael and joins up with his pal for ‘one last heist’.

·         Franklin is a young hustler in his mid 20s that originally comes into contact with Michael after targeting him for a con job. He lives in Vespucci Beach (see-Venice Beach) and is looking to move up in the world. Franklin currently works for an Armenian car dealership where he plays the role of a thuggish repo man.

The article explains that one mission see the group extracting a target from an interrogation. Trevor flies the helicopter while Michael rappels down the side of the building. Franklin meanwhile acts as a sniper from the rooftop across the way. Although the player initially takes on the role of Michael, he/she will at this point get a choice on whether to snipe from afar or to continue through the building with a human shield.

During the getaway a helicopter chase ensures the players are given yet another choice on whether to pilot the fleeing vehicle or to act as one of the gunners.

The only thing with having three characters is that some of the previous systems would become overcomplicated and therefore they have been dropped. No more romancing or weight gaining will be available as this could cause a lot of system issues.

The article also quotes that cars will feel less 'boatlike' than in GTA 4 and give off the feeling of a racing game instead.

GTA 5 is much larger than any of Rockstars more recent outings and the art director, Aaron Garbutt, explains that it’s so big that you can even grab some scuba diving gear and explore the ocean floor. Los Angeles, which the new game is based on, is the largest city in the world and the studio decided that the game should feel the same way. The game will span several diverse regions what give the whole experience an immersive feeling with dry deserts and rural styled geography outside of the city streets.

Rockstar also confirmed a multiplayer element although they are keeping tight lipped on what this will actually entail. The report noted that the multiplayer option was located just under the character switching selection in the menus suggesting a form of co-op.