Dragonball Xenoverse Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

You heard right folks; your wish has been granted here we are after quite the hiatus bringing you another video game video game review. Took a bit longer than normal for this one due to wanting to give the game a fair chance in a very crucial aspect of its experience which is linked to server connectivity. I'll be honest as say as well that I simply was just having too much of a blast playing so I put off doing this review for a while. With that being said come with me on a trip to the XenoVerse as we visit Toki Toki City and pave our path through the Dragonball universe.

Dragon Ball XenoVerse (officially abbreviated as Dragon Ball XV) is a video game based on the Dragon Ball media franchise.[3] It was released in February 2015 on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One consoles and on the PC for Microsoft Windows via Steam. The game is set in full 3D destructible environments. Fighters can traverse the levels free-roaming in very large spaces and can be fighting on a platform, go in the air, and fight underwater. They run when on the ground, and swim while underwater. XenoVerse has dialogue while fights go on, and fighters show facial expressions when they strike an opponent or take damage. The players have some freedom to explore the planet Earth as it exists in the Dragon Ball universe along with a handful of other locations. The game's new character is confirmed to be a player created character. With the character customization, players will now be able to customize their character's race, gender, head, build, voice, and clothing. Players can create characters from multiple races, with the ones available being Namekians, Saiyans, Earthlings, Frieza's, and Majins race.

What’s Good:

Graphics: XenoVerse is the first Dragon Ball game released on eighth generation consoles. Built around the same graphics engine that powers other note worthy fighting games such as Street Fighter IV. The game gives an accurate representation of the intense Dragonball action we have all grown to know and love. Characters are an exact representation of their animated personas and move with the same familiar fluidity you are accustomed to.

Story-line: Unlike the previous games of the series that usually follow the original Dragon Ball canon, "XenoVerse" features an entirely new story, featuring the player's custom character. This adds an exciting new dynamic to the game that keeps things new and interesting. Effectively adding "what if" scenarios to the DBZ universe plot line.

Replay: With so many classes to choose from, upcoming DLC, character build variations and multiple wishes from Shenron there is undoubtedly enough content to keep you playing and coming back for more. At its core it is a MMORPG so there is much farming and grinding to be done to get the perfect build for your character.

Soundtrack: Pretty solid soundtrack and voice acting overall. Love the start up theme song for the game, very pumped up and action packed. 

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: The online experience at times is not as smooth as one would like and you will find yourself experiencing lengthy loading times and lag when playing online with others based on Internet connectivity and speed.

What Should Have Been Added:

Without a doubt the one thing this game is missing is a dedicated training mode. Since at its core it is potentially comparable to a fighting game one would think a dedicated training mode to try out learning combos would have been included. Not to mention experimenting with various skill-sets as well as item assignment and assortment.

Final Thoughts:

This is without a doubt the quintessential Dragonball game to play. It encompasses all the good things we all know and love about the Dragonball Universe while giving the player the freedom and creativity to forge their own path and character through it all. It provides an all new immerse way of incorporating the player into the universe instead of letting them just experience it as an existing character from the series. Even though the game was plagued with server connectivity issues at the start i'm happy to say that now weeks later servers have stabilized just in time for the launch of their first bit of DLC. So far the experience has been acceptable and entertaining seeing the creative custom characters that people have come up with. As always feel free to check out some of our intro gameplay...

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Dragons Crown Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Hey y'all long time no see. I must apologize for the lack of content on the blog lately due to my overall stress and laziness alongside some in real life events. I hate when I feel like this because I feel you all deserve bright upbeat reviews and I don't want my dreariness to come across in my writing. However I feel even worse not trying at all and leaving you all high and dry so this week I tried my best to record some gameplay footage for you so we can review Dragon's Crown.

Dragon's Crown is an action role-playing game structured like traditional side-scrolling beat 'em up such as Capcom's Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara or Sega's Golden Axe where players move their characters across the screen into the background or foreground while defeating the assailants that confront them from all angles. Set in a medieval world of swords and sorcery, the game sees up to four players travelling through dangerous dungeons and labyrinths in search of fortune and adventure. Cooperative options include both local multiplayer and four player drop in sessions over Sony's PlayStation Network service with data-sharing of save games and cross play between the Vita and PlayStation 3. Players may choose between one of six heroic character archetypes and travel through numerous environments alone or accompanied by computer controlled or other player characters defeating enemies using skills, combos, magic and collectable offensive weapons like bombs and crossbows recovered from chests or dropped by their foes. The plot revolves around a legendary relic, the titular Dragon's Crown, and the quest to retrieve it. A mysterious coven of magic-users with influence in even the highest levels of government seek the treasure and have used their sorcery to link long-forgotten ruins, dangerous labyrinths, and many other areas together in order to search for it.

What’s Good:

Graphics: The PSVITA does a great job of bringing across the truly crisp and visually engaging art style of this game. The level and character design  are well done and have a vivid presentation that takes full advantage of the PSVITA's OLED screen technology.

Story-line: The story is well written and puts forth a wide cast of characters and personas that keep you eager to see where the game progresses to. I also liked the fact that they gave you at times choices in varying story progression where you would have to choose from two courses of action. This helped add a small portion of depth to the overall flow of the story.

Game Mechanics: There are six different classes to choose from as such with each class having its own set of specialized moves and play-style it is a varied experience playing the game. Skill points allocation for moves and item selection based on the type of enemies you are going up against make for a very customized experience.

Replay: The game has 3 main level caps in correlation to the difficulty level. as you progress through the game on Normal , Hard, and Infernal difficulty you experience the level caps of level 35, 65 and 99 respectively. Add to that the appeal of multiplayer online co-op, competitively and locally and you have yourself quite the replay value for your money.

Soundtrack: The voice acting is available in Japanese and really good as well as English. On top of that the game not only comes with added DLC voice over content but also you can buy in game voice narration  based on the classes you use to beat the game with.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: The online experience at times is not as smooth as one would like and you will find yourself experiencing lengthy loading times when playing online with others.

What Should Have Been Added:

Only thing I can think of is possibly giving the player more control over their individual stat progression instead of the automated progression system they used. The cooking concept they implemented would have been nice if it permanently affected your stats instead of just between level transitions when questing.

Final Thoughts:

Overall its a great game and a wonderful addition to the PSN+ library. Anyone with a PSVITA should give this game a whirl cause its truly one of the PSVITA titles that goes a long way showcasing what the PSVITA has to offer as a portable gaming console. Compound that with its Cross Play feature and you truly have no reason to put this game down whether at home or on the go its at your beck and call. If you act quickly it should still be available on PSN+ for free if not then its worth the purchase on the Playstation Store. Tried capturing some gameplay for y'all as usual using this El Gato capture card I got loaned. Pardon the lack of an intro or outro or certain minor edits as this was a first time testing of sorts plus I was lazy to be quite honest.

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Muramasa Rebirth Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Hey there gamers; your friendly neighborhood gamer Zalgo_Cometh is back with another PSVITA game review because we all know that portable gaming is serious business. Well we found ourselves in a bit of a predicament here, I was supposed to review Soul Sacrifice 2 as the next PSVITA game I choose to pump my lunch hours into but came across this wonderful little game for free on PSN+. So due to certain monetary constraints and overall brokedom we will dive into feudal Japan as we explore the world of "Muramasa Rebirth".

Muramasa follows the story of Kisuke, a fugitive who has lost his memory, including that of a crime that he committed; and Momohime, a lithe princess possessed by a dark spirit. The game allows players to use two different characters and features three difficulty levels. Graphically the game is the same hand-drawn 2D art style as its spiritual predecessor Odin Sphere, though inspiration was drawn from Japanese mythology and culture rather than Norse mythology. The game has over 30 different locales set in an expansive map spanning across Japan.

What’s Good:

Graphics: The PSVITA does a great job of bringing across the truly crisp and visually engaging art style of this game. From the flashy special arts moves of the swords to the outlandish boss fights that take place your eyes will not be disappointed. 

Story-line: Very deep characters, plots and character progression. This game universe is certainly filled with a vast array of characters both main and otherwise.

Game Mechanics: The game has a detailed and well thought out combat system that revolves around the various swords and the special arts that each utilizes.

Replay: Two main characters to play as with differing story-lines as well as three DLC installments that can be purchased as additional content. Given that this is a free game I picked up off PSN+ that is a great plus to replay value.

Soundtrack: The voice acting is pretty much primarily in Japanese and really good. You really connect with the characters and feel the emotion behind what is transpiring.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: I don't like the fact that items max limit are 9 and that the controls cannot be changed so that I can use the D-pad to move the character around.

What Should Have Been Added:

I would have liked to see more of a touchscreen interaction built into the game.

Final Thoughts:

Overall its a great game and a wonderful addition to the PSN+ library. Anyone with a PSVITA should give this game a whirl cause its truly one of the PSVITA titles that goes a long way showcasing what the PSVITA has to offer as a portable gaming console.

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The Wolf Among Us Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Well as we inch closer  and closer towards summer we start trying to clear out our backlog of games for review. I had high hopes from this game as its from a studio I came to know and love for their epic work on their The Walking Dead game. This time around we will see if the people over at Telltale Games can recreate the same success they found with Clementine and The Walking Dead. So lets go find out all about The Wolf Among Us...

The Wolf Among Us is an ongoing episodic graphic adventure video game based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series. The Wolf Among Us is a point-and-click adventure game, where the player, in control of the protagonist Bigby Wolf, can move about the environment and examine and interact with other characters or objects. It is similar to Telltale's previous game, The Walking Dead, in that the player may make choices in their actions or through conversation trees that will influence future events in the story, including events in future episodes. These include major decisions, such as deciding which of two culprits to chase after while allowing the other to go free. Some scenes are more action-oriented, requiring the player to respond to a series of quick time events. Failure to do these correctly may end the scene with the death of Bigby or another character, but the game will restart at a checkpoint just before that scene to allow the player to try again.

What’s Good:

Replay value: Many variables to examine and paths to take and potential relationships to form so one or even two breakthroughs wont be enough to explore all possible avenues.

Soundtrack: Wonderful ambiance, voice acting and overall sound quality. All characters are represented and depicted well and translate well into their modern gritty roles.

Graphics: The game itself seems to have a more refined and crisp look to it than The Walking Dead. I definitely like the art style utilized in this as it feels more real and less cartoon-like.

Story-line: Very interesting story-line; started out a bit confusing but slowly started making more and more sense as time went on. Considering the game is based on a comic book series that is already well fleshed out i have high hopes for the progression of this series.

What Should Have Been Added:

Only thing I can think of is a better save/level system so the player can readily reload key-points in the story to choose different options and see how they play out.

Final Thoughts:

Even though it felt a bit shorter than anticipated a enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I have grown to look forward to. I am very much looking forward to playing through this series from start to finish just as we did with The Walking Dead.

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The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2 Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Alrighty then, ladies and gentlemen we back back all up in this bitch. Full recovered from our near death experience we are back to business as usual. Taking it slow and getting back into the swing of things this week we get our grubby little hands on episode two of Telltale Games wonderful game The Walking Dead. Episode one really hit things off with a bang last time and left us on the edge of our seat. Will episode 2 follow suit and deliver on the high level quality we have come to expect from The Walking Dead Series?

The Walking Dead: Season Two is an ongoing episodic graphic adventure based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series and developed by Telltale Games. It is the sequel to The Walking Dead, with the first episode released digitally in December 2013, and a retail collector's DVD edition planned at the conclusion of the season. The game employs the same narrative structure as the first season, where player choice in one episode will have a permanent impact on future story elements. The player choices recorded in save files from the first season and the additional episode 400 Days carry over into the second season. Clementine, who was the player's companion during the first season, is the player-character in Season Two. If you haven't already feel free to check out our game-play videos of Season 1, 400 Days DLC, and the start of Season 2 on our YouTube channel.

What’s Good:

Replay value: So many options but so little time.

Soundtrack: Wonderful ambiance, voice acting and overall sound quality.

Graphics: The game itself seems to have less graphical options to tweak so I take that to mean there were default improvements made behind the scenes.

Story-line: Oh my god!! I don't want to spoil it but a character from Season 1 makes an appearance in this episode. I nearly lost it when I discovered it, you definitely gotta play the game or watch my play through to see who the mystery character is.

What Should Have Been Added:

Maybe a flashback portion of the episode to help give some explanation as to how that character from Season 1 survived and what they experienced to get to where they are now. 

Final Thoughts:

Even though it felt a bit shorter than anticipated a enjoyable and worthwhile experience as always. I'm starting to wonder if I even need to review this series anymore since honestly I cant see Telltale Games messing up this excellent franchise they have created.

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The Walking Dead: Season Two Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

*starts Daniel Bryan chants* YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! I finally got my hands on time and a copy of The Walking Dead: Season 2. I know i'm way late in playing this but I just now clearing out some of my back logged games since my machine had died on my and I was M.I.A. for about three months. If you have been following my coverage of this game you know just how much I am invested and a fan of the series. It connects you to the characters on such a level that I haven't seen from a game in a while, the closet game that comes to mind would probably be the new Tomb Raider game that we reviewed last year. Well enough of this recap let go catch up with Clementine, Omid, and Christa.

The Walking Dead: Season Two is an ongoing episodic graphic adventure based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series and developed by Telltale Games. It is the sequel to The Walking Dead, with the first episode released digitally in December 2013, and a retail collector's DVD edition planned at the conclusion of the season. The game employs the same narrative structure as the first season, where player choice in one episode will have a permanent impact on future story elements. The player choices recorded in save files from the first season and the additional episode 400 Days carry over into the second season. Clementine, who was the player's companion during the first season, is the player-character in Season Two. If you haven't already feel free to check out our game-play videos of Season 1 and the 400 Days DLC on our YouTube channel.

What’s Good:

Replay value: With this being the first episode of Season 2 one would think there is not much to do but its quite the opposite. Before my play-through I actually went back to replay Season 1

Soundtrack: Wonderful ambiance, voice acting and overall sound quality. It is truly an immersible experience embarking with Clementine as she enters all the situations and environments she encounters.

Graphics: Graphic quality seems to have taken an inherent step up in this iteration of the game while still retaining the classic comic book cell shaded style that the series has embraced. The game itself seems to have less graphical options to tweak so I take that to mean there were default improvements made behind the scenes.

Story-line: Excellent story progression and character progression helps keep you focused and on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Playing through there are many moments that have you clueless as to the angle the story is developing from but still manages to make sense underneath it all.

Game Mechanics: Improved HUD and UI make this almost like a whole new game. I was pleasantly surprised when playing to notice the little nuances about the interactivity of the game that they had changed. Another pleasant addition to the game I liked is the increased level of quick time events (QTE) included as it keeps you alert and in sync with the immediate plight of Clementine.

What’s Bad:

The unrelenting hard decisions that Telltale Games forces on the player are no joke. As you become invested in the game and Clementine you truly see that the developers at Telltale Games are some evil people. Just kidding; the game is excellent and I simply cannot wait to get my hands on the next episode.

What Should Have Been Added:

I wish instead of the way they transitioned between time lapses they gave more back-story development for us to connect deeper with the struggles Clementine had to overcome. All she has learnt to cope with the cruel world she is in and struggles she has overcome are of utmost importance to her character development.

Final Thoughts:

This game is on a roll and continues to meet  if not exceed expectations in each episode. I cannot wait to see what Telltale games throws our way next. Clementines growth over the span of the two seasons is really impressive and maintains the bond the player has developed with her over the course of the seasons.

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Soul Sacrifice Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Ahh yes; the PSVITA a handheld device with such promise but a lackluster gaming library to back it up on launch to offset the high price. You truly were ahead of your time. Fast forward to current day an granted it has not been an easy road for the successor to the PSP family things are certainly looking better. With the release of the PS4 and the PSVITA TV device things are certainly looking bright for the device. PS4 games are being coded to work on the VITA so you can take your gaming anywhere and everywhere you please not to mention the expanded functionality of the PSVITA TV. There are certain games that take full advantage of the PSVITA and all its capabilities; Persona 4 Golden, Tearaway, Gravity Rush, etc. This is undoubtedly a no-brainer, say hello to Soul Sacrifice...

Soul Sacrifice is an action adventure video game developed by Marvelous AQL and Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation Vita. The core mechanic of the game is the ability to sacrifice parts of the character's body or items to create devastating attacks. These sacrifices will be permanently marked on the player character's body, meaning that they are not an infinite resource that can be tapped into. The concept was created by long time gaming legend Keiji Inafune, best known for co-designing Mega Man. Due its success a sequel for the PlayStation Vita, titled Soul Sacrifice Delta, was announced during TGS 2013, and is due for a March 2014 release. Soul Sacrifice is played in the third-person perspective. The player character is a sorcerer who relives another sorcerer's memories through a journal. The character can be customized in variety of ways and is molded by various factor throughout the game to achieve a final form based on the characters sacrificial alignment.

What’s Good:

Replay value: The game has immense content available to keep you occupied for hours on end: various outfits and alternate colors to unlock, wide array of spells available with upgradeable levels, not to mention all the DLC missions available for the game. Currently free of charge I may add as well since the game is currently being offered to PlayStation Plus users for free. Now if that wasn't enough you can also choose to play through the game all over again to unlock the various alternate sacrificial offerings as well as costume colors.

Soundtrack: The soundtrack is very immersive and provides an ominous undertone to help sell the image of the world you find yourself in. The voice acting in both English and Japanese is superb and very well executed. So well to the point that the Japanese voice overs are available as DLC for purchase on the PSN Store.

Graphics: Definitely one of the better looking games on the PSVITA, it makes the most of the PSVITA's OLED screen. All the fancy theatrics and spell manifestations are really well represented on the PSVITA.

Story-line: The main protagonist of Soul Sacrifice is one of the innocent bystanders that has been enslaved by a powerful and cruel sorcerer known as Magusar, who absorbs human sacrifices to remain immortal.

Game Mechanics: The character can be customized in various options and can change throughout the game. Central to the combat system is the saving and sacrificing mechanics. When an enemy or ally is defeated, they collapse to the ground and you are given the choice to either save or sacrifice them. Players are also given the option to sacrifice a part of their own body when they receive enough damage. When a player chooses to sacrifice a part of themselves, they cast a powerful spell, known as black rites, which differs depending on what part of the body is being sacrificed but also suffer a semi-permanent status effect.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: The computer controlled A.I. on missions where you have party members isn't always the smartest. They will blindly run into hostile situations and get them selves killed and repeatedly cast healing spells even though you need them to be attacking more often than not. Due to the need to grind and farm both levels and materials for spells the maps and enemies become repetitive so some variety in that regard was needed.

What Should Have Been Added:

Maybe a store where you can buy certain hard to find spells or soul essences would have been a good idea. I would have also liked if all missions were available for co-op through the online mode and not just the Avalon pact missions.

Final Thoughts:

Truly a must own title for my handheld of choice. This is definitely a system seller and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel release in March. Soul Sacrifice isn't the be-all, end-all Vita game many hoped for, but its definitely worth having in your gaming library. I hope one day this series will get to shine as a full fledged console game as well and not just a handheld exclusive because I know it can really benefit from next generation graphics. I been so engrossed in playing this game I wasn't able to record some  proper game-play myself but I found this video of the demo so you can have a general idea of what awesomeness awaits

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Batman Arkham Origins Game Review

Final Verdict - Give It A Shot

Well we're back for another year here on our blog. A lot of new changes have been taking place and in keeping with as such we are changing our review scheme for this year, the grading structure will  remain the same but we wont be assigning a numerical score to the game. When I review games I review it in a manner that I feel doesn't give away too much of the overall game experience but gives just enough insight into the game to pique your interest. I have always questioned the merit behind assigning a numerical value somewhat as a final score so will be embarking on this new system for the year 2014 and see how it fares. Today we take a look at Batman Arkham Origins; I received this game for free as a part of a promotion for purchasing a Nvidia 770GTX graph card this past Black Friday for my new PC. Feel free to check out the various un-boxing videos if you are into that sort of tech on our YouTube channel.

Batman: Arkham Origins is a 2013 action-adventure video game developed by Warner Bros. Games Montréal and released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation 3, Wii U and Xbox 360 video game consoles. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it follows the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City and is the third installment in the Batman: Arkham series. the game's main story-line is set five years before that of 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum and follows a younger, less-refined Batman. A bounty is placed on him by crime lord Black Mask, drawing eight of the world's greatest assassins to Gotham City on Christmas Eve. The game, played from a third-person perspective, focuses on Batman's combat and stealth abilities, detective skills, and gadgets for combat and exploration. Arkham Origins is the first game in the series with multi-player capability.

What’s Good:

Replay value: The game features an expansive and robust world to traverse with a plethora of activities, missions and instances to partake in. Warner Bros. Montreal saw fit to incorporate a multi-player addition to the game; a first in the series I might add which further pushes the player to come back for more. After completing the story mode a New Game Plus mode is unlocked, enabling a player to replay the game with all their acquired gadgets, experience and abilities; enemies are tougher, and the icon warning players of attack is disabled. Completing New Game Plus unlocks I Am the Night mode, where the game ends if Batman dies.

Soundtrack:  The score for Arkham Origins was composed by Christopher Drake. The in-game music was created with layers which activate with action (such as Batman entering a location or beginning a fight), and can be added or subtracted depending on what is occurring. The overall nature and undertones of the soundtrack do well to immerse the player in the city of Gotham.

Graphics: The game features high contrast between dark's and lights, with exaggerated shadows and few balancing colors. The entire game is represented beautifully using the Unreal Engine 3 graphics engine. This is even more so pronounced on the PC version of the game when played at max graphical settings in Direct X11. On compatible systems, the Microsoft Windows version uses Nvidia's PhysX software engine to produce more realistic, dynamic interactions with the game world. With PhysX enabled, some areas contain additional snow or fog (which reacts to Batman moving through it); with PhysX disabled, the effects are lessened or absent.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: I'm not entirely sure if its because i'm not a fan of the series or just used to a different third person experience but the controls felt a bit clunky and unpolished. Maneuvering in the game didn't feel refined enough as well as the combat and cover approach system leaves a bit to be desired.

Story-line: Arkham Origins is set as a predecessor to the other two Batman Arkham games in the series. The events in Arkham Origins take place about five years before Batman: Arkham Asylum, in midwinter Gotham City. Batman, an experienced crime-fighter in the second year of his career, is not yet the veteran superhero of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. He is a mysterious force; even the police do not know whether he is a vigilante, a myth or a supernatural being. Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So, they hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not their hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight.

What Should Have Been Added:

A co-op mode would have been a pleasant addition to the overall game.

Final Thoughts:

Arkham Origins does not do much to push forward the Arkham series but still represents the series well. If you are a fan of the series you will find everything very familiar and easy to get right into. Newcomers to the franchise will adjust well to the game as well due to the overall completeness of the game mechanics and design. I feel the multi-player was an unnecessary addition to the game but who am I as a gamer to complain about additional content. Feel free to check out our video game-play with commentary...

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Rockstar Can Do No Wrong...

Game Mechanics - 2/2

Story-line - 2/2

Graphics - 2/2

Soundtrack - 2/2

Replay Value - 2/2

Total Score - 10/10

Well guys after much waiting its finally here. Grand Theft Auto 5 was released onto the world this week in gaming. Gamers all across the world rejoiced while employers and loved one lamented as they said goodbye to any future interaction with these gamers outside of the game. Join me as we embark on what is undoubtedly the single most quintessential gaming experience of 2013. Honestly this could be the shortest gaming review ever, all I would have to write is "buy this game now" because really if you own a PS3 or Xbox 360 it's an instant must have game for your collection. I'm sure though that you want a little more insight than that, so lets review GTA V...

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. It is the fifteenth title in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the first main entry since Grand Theft Auto IV was released in 2008.The game has been highly anticipated from its announcement and well be cherished and remembered as one of the last major titles to be released as the gaming industry makes the change over to the next generation of console gaming with the PS4 and Xbox One. Grand Theft Auto V takes place in an open world environment, primarily allowing the player to interact with the game world at their leisure. This is part of the major appeal to the game as it lets you pace your level of involvement and dictate your own pace for enjoyment and shaping you game progression to your liking. The developers envisioned Grand Theft Auto V as a spiritual successor to many of their previous projects, such as Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3. As such you will find aspects and elements of those games present such as the iconic weapon wheel user interface from the Max Payne series.

The single-player aspect of Grand Theft Auto V is played via three protagonists; they are Michael, Franklin and Trevor, criminals whose paths interconnect as the game's plot develops. While interacting with the game world, the player is able to switch between all three at will once the story has progressed far enough. This occurs by means of a directional compass on the heads up display. While playing the game players may uses firearms, handheld weapons, and melee attacks to fight enemies. Players can also run, jump, swim, or use vehicles to navigate the game's world. Pro-tip you can also seemingly perform front flips if you try to jump and melee attack. In combat, auto aim and a cover system can be used to skillfully wage war against your enemies. The main objective for the player is to complete missions to progress through the story, but much like other open world games, these missions can be completed at the player's convenience. Thankfully so as there is so much to do you really wont know where to start but one thing you will definitely want to invest a fair portion of time into is the 8 skills that each character has. Skills have numerical values assigned to show each characters proficiency in the area, such as shooting and driving. While the player improves the skills of each character as they play, there is a skill assigned to each character that they have expertise in by default, such as Trevor's skill as a pilot.

What’s Good:

Game Mechanics -  Let's start off with one of the big complaints of GTA IV; the driving, glad to say in this iteration driving has been improved and made more accessible for even the most novice of drivers. Most cars have a similar feel handling wise with only differences in weight and speed. The cover and aim system integrates and flows smoothly when needed in the heat of battle whether you need to blind fire or pop out from a corner. The controller layout and minimalist HUD makes it easy to get engrossed in the game and before you know it hours will have passed leaving you wondering what you have been doing all that time in game.

Story-line - Initially I had worries about Rockstar putting three protagonists in the game because I felt they wouldn't be able to tell a proper story that helps you connect to the characters but i'm glad to say my worries were unnecessary. Even though the game sort of leans towards Michael as the true protagonist I find myself gravitating towards Franklin more due his circumstances and mind set. We see where Michael is trying to exorcise his inner demons and salvage what he can of his already complicated life. Franklin is a street smart ex gang banger trying to make an actual means of bettering himself and way of life. Then you have Trevor who is just bat shit crazy but seemingly treasures his relationship with Michael and the past they share. How these three men form bonds and interact is sure to keep you entertained as the plot develops.

Graphics -  Even though typically console releases are bashed for their sub par graphics I must say that GTA V delivers well above its predecessor GTA IV. From the detailed strippers to the lush environments. The vastness and grandeur of it all will take you for a ride. Many times I found myself just wanting to drive and explore the map to see the ins and outs of everything.

Soundtrack - The overall sound quality and production in the game is superb. Couple that with the immensely large music choices that Rockstar has put into the game for the various radio stations and you my friend have yourself a winner. Some of the biggest names in music contributed to the long list of tracks that play on the radio in game. You can check out the listing here.

Replay Value - Ahh the motherload, this is why this will be the one game to rule them all. You start off the game ideally focusing on doing main missions and side quests, then the game throws you a curveball and adds random world scenarios where you can take place in an activity in that instant, then after that the game goes further to also give you the option of buying property and doing missions on the properties to make money; but wait theres more, then the game goes gives you the ability to buy and sell stocks on the stock market. Compound all of that with not only random activities that help increase your individual character skill stats but you can also replay missions you have done to get a gold medal rank for it in case you missed any of the special objectives. This is the most value for your money content wise that I have seen in a game in a long time and goes to show just how worth it this game actually is. 

What’s Bad:

A few hitches with the launch of the game giving issues download wise and the trouble they have with some people experiencing texture popping issues. Also the game is still lacking the full capability of the online portion of the game that goes live on October 1st, 2013. Some have argued we have only gotten half a game but I retort if this is half and so much already imagine how much greater it will be once we get the online stuff ironed out.

What Should Have Been Added:

Honestly the only thing I want in this game is the ability to put my own music in the game via a custom radio station which for the most part was always a staple feature of the GTA series and potentially a female protagonist.

Final Thoughts:

There are not enough words in any known or unknown language that can express just how great and iconic this game is. It may not be a full blown industry changer but it is without a doubt GOTY (Game of the Year) worthy and closed out this generation of console gaming with a bang. This is one of those games that is a no brainer to buy as its an instant must have collection piece for any gamers library. All signs point to it being released for PS4 and Xbox One but no concrete evidence as to when or if its coming to PC. Feel free to checkout the opening scenes of the game below...

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