Question Of The Month Reader Responses: Issue #249

by Jeff Marchiafava on Dec 03, 2013 at 09:25 AM

A few months ago, we asked readers if GTA V lived up to their expectations or not. With the exception of a few disillusioned gamers, most readers expressed happiness with their purchase, despite GTA Online’s early server woes.

Great Expectations:

GTA V went beyond my expectations! Even though GTA Online was a little rocky at first, it's running incredibly well now, at least for me, and I've never had this much fun playing with friends online in any other game. Thanks, Rockstar!

Nick Pope
Hell yeah! Knowing full well that Rockstar wouldn’t be able to support the demand for GTA Online’s launch, I continued my exploits with Trevor, Michael and Franklin for a few days. When I finally did venture into the online world, I was thoroughly surprised to find a second full game to play. If this was Activision or EA's IP, we would have been paying $120 to play this. Kudos to Rockstar for making the last hurrah of current-gen a true blockbuster.

Jeremy Halkin
Yes, absolutely. GTA V fully met and even surpassed my expectations! The single-player game is my favorite Grand Theft Auto to date and I've played all of them since GTA III. On top of that amazing single-player experience they unleashed GTA online. It is really amazing that they're going to keep up this online world with no subscription and we have already seen great improvements. There was so much grumbling and complaining about GTA online when it first launched, but of course server issues are going to happen, right? Now that everything is working great it is one of the best online experiences I've ever had. I have very high hopes for the future with GTA Online because they can bring in all these different locations that they already have from all the different games and make it one gigantic world. Imagine going to Los Santos airport, buying a ticket, and hopping a plane to Vice City or Liberty City. Or steal one of the planes and fly there yourself. The possibilities are enormous.

Kelly
Absolutely! Giant sandbox? Check. Free will? Check! Hilarious spoof on the world? Check! Hours and hours of time-wasting action and side missions? Check! ...and I haven't even met Trevor in the plot yet.

Ryan Simpkins
GTA V surpassed my expectations. I love the fact that you can play as three different characters. Even though the online servers had an extremely rocky start, it's still one of the best games out there.

Carolyn N.
Although I've yet to complete half of GTA V, I believe that it has lived up to the hype. The characters are well thought out, the story is great, and there are plenty of things to do outside of missions. Add in online play, and this one will last long after the PS4 and Xbox One are out.

Chad Simplicio
Well, it was an interesting update to say the least. I am not even a fan of the GTA series but curiously enough, I am a fan of this one. The missions are still the same as the others, but the open world and the random events scattered around the map made it a unique experience every time. They had a new feature where you can train the characters to be better in certain areas, like getting that sweet kill from a distance or even getting away from the cops faster by driving like a pro. All the time that can be spent on this game is well worth it, but now it is way too adult for those little 12-year-olds to play because of those half naked strippers. Sadly, there is only one strip club. On the final note, the idea of making it into a multiplayer world with heist crews made of your actual friends is absolute genius. So this GTA made a definite fan out of me.

Kristian Mayen

Can't Get No Satisfaction:

GTA V, despite all the high praise and record-breaking sales, actually didn't live up to my expectations. I, among millions of others, was looking forward to GTA V. The trailers, extended gameplay reveals, and commercials all raised my anticipation and excitement for the game. When I got the game and gotten past the tutorials, I couldn't help but notice how bored I was while playing. Sure, it's a gorgeous game with nicely detailed cars and environments. The character-swapping feature is cool and I love the three characters. GTA V has lots of activities to do, but I really don't care to play them. I mean, if I'm not interested enough to get Tiger Woods PGA Tour or other tennis games, why would I all of a sudden be interested to play them in GTA? The races are okay, but the AI opponents don't put up a good enough challenge for them to be satisfying. The only missions I find fun are the heists but I’ve heard that there aren't many of them. Hell, I haven't even beaten the game and it's been out for three weeks! I’m more than halfway done and the majority of the game has taken place in the city, which doesn't give me much incentive to go to the country side. Oh, and I have a lot of money but there's only car mods and clothes to really spend it on. Missions give me enough guns and ammo to not really have to buy much of either. I haven't played much of GTA Online but that's only because I want to finish the story first. If I had to rate GTA V, I would give it an 8/10. It’s a great game, but just not as engaging and fun as I wanted it to be.

Reginald Prewitt
I know I'd get a lot of flak for this, but here goes: GTA V did NOT live up to my expectations. I expected it to be a game that would fuel me to binge five-hour energy drinks and grind out every little thing to get the best experience. And yet when it came time to play GTA V, I felt it was "put-downable" at best. Yes, there's a lot to do, but from its vastness as a whole, it feels empty. I feel a part of it was that the GTA series took too big of a break and I aged about five years.

Earl Jurado

Mixed Messages:

Did GTA V meet my expectations? Yes and no. The storyline is pretty decent, and the open world and improved gameplay left me satisfied with my purchase. The online, however, makes me wish Rockstar had taken gamers’ character – or lack thereof – into account. I deal with a--holes all day; when I come home and sit down to play a game, I don't want to spend time between missions being chased down by kids too young to buy the game. I wish Rockstar had created a better passive mode that allowed you to enjoy the full online experience and even watch the idiots around you without having to deal with their lack of impulse control.

Chris Smith
GTA V definitely met my expectations. The single-player campaing was fast-paced and well written, as are most rockstar games. When the multiplayer was released, it was unfortunately glitchy to start. However, after some solid gameplay time, it was incredibly addicting. But here is my issue: While I gladly spent my $60 and thoroughly enjoy racing around Los Santos with my buddies online, I feel like there is just something missing. Innovation has been an aspect that, I would say, Rockstar strives for. GTA V feels like a new story, in a semi-new world, with the same multiplayer (albeit with some new features sprinkled on). All I am saying is that I would like to see another Read Dead-esque step towards something out of Rockstar's comfort zone.

Kyle Slayton

Turned Off By Online:

So far, the single-player experience has really impressed me. I was never a big fan of the GTA series, but picked up GTA V at the behest of my friend. The multiple characters are great and each one feels totally different thanks to their personalities. However, I am disappointed in the online so far. I expected some first-day issues, but not to the extent that my friends and I experienced. After all the boasting and hype that Rockstar generated, the online almost feels like a beta. The little I have been able to play with my friends has been fun, but the frustration of accessing the online still outweighs those good times. I'm sure things will improve, but right now it is a blemish on an otherwise amazing game.

Jeremy Bennett
GTA V Online? *chirp* *chirp* Yeah, the online that begs for attention but doesn't satisfy (to say the least) when you give it your utmost concentration. So for, switching between crews and the load times throughout the whole game are pretty much a failure. You spend most of your time waiting for the game to load and the other half of your time looking for missions and races to get into....that take more time to load and don't pay jack squat. When it comes down to it, the time you invest in this game does not pay out and in my opinion is a complete disaster. That said, I'm a huge fan of the story line and how the game progresses between the three different characters. Good job on the campaign, Rockstar – not so much on GTA Online...yet, anyway.

Stephen A. Lea

Never Enough:

I think for the most part GTA V is a great game. However, I was expecting the inclusion of Los Venturas and San Fierro as well. That left me a little disappointed in knowing they will probably be an add-on DLC later on. Oh well, I'm having fun playing as is.

Michael Devers
I was all aboard the GTA hype train and rushed to buy it. I ended up being slightly disappointed, because it feels like GTA. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Yes I do love it, especially the quirky characters and interesting missions. But I often find myself enjoying watching friends play rather than playing myself, or wishing it was Skate 4 so I could shred the rooftops. Maybe I just don't have enough imagination? Awkwardly enough, I also feel guilty when I cause havoc and go on rampages...I just don't want to disturb GTA's digital inhabitants.

Sam Christie-Sgro
I believe for the most part, the game did live up to my expectations. My girl likes GTA more than I do and she loved it. I liked the main missions that featured of all the characters, their special abilities (though giving both Michael and Trevor gun-based abilities was kind of annoying), and the car customization. There was so much that this game had to offer. I would say the only thing that was kind of a drawback for me was right when the story got really good, the game was over. Some people may look at it and say that 69 main missions is enough, but was it?

Anthony Quillian

Gone Fishing:

GTA V is definitely a true sequel! It's basically three games in one! The only setbacks for me personally are the soundtrack and the inability to fish. I get so jealous of the people who are fishing that...well, I kill people who fish in the game.

Kenneth Campbell

What did you think of GTA V? Share your praise or disappointment in the comments below