Even with the uneasy moments, this trip to Los Santos is most certainly worth it.
Along with gunplay, the rest of the gameplay really feels just right, whether you're exploring the city, doing some shopping or just plain goofing around on a joyride. You'll immerse yourself for hours in this world before you finally complete it and feel like you really did something – even if it was somewhat despicable. Again, this life just doesn't come easy. It's Grand Theft Auto, why would it?
The scope of the visuals is simply spectacular. This is easily the best looking game to date in the series, even though you need to sit through an 8 GB install – no matter what platform you prefer – to get through it. The city itself has miles of terrain and a number of familiar sights that L.A. residents will immediately recognize, and the situations are sensational, from a chase with a towed-away yacht to a full-blown battle to settle the score against a rival. The character animations are superb, especially Trevor's with his oddball antics, and the number of secrets is staggering. This is easily a generation definer.
As for audio, hang on tight, because you're in for a ride. Even without the presence of celebrities, the voice acting is nothing short of awesome, with each character giving just the right amount of definition to make you care, even if they are low lives. The secondary characters steal the show too, especially Michael's son, who keeps trying to be cooler than he actually is. There's a lot of cursing and even a few slurs being thrown about, so consider yourself warned...
The sound effects deliver just as they should, and the huge scope of radio stations at your fingertips are incredible. Sure, there's a lot of focus on rap-style stations, but the classic rock one is certainly where it's at. More Def Leppard, please.
